Relish returns with a special edition conversation about faith, culture, and the often-overlooked language of dress. Hosts Don Patterson and Rowan sit down with longtime Hillcrest history teacher and coach Marcus Miller to explore how clothing, customs, and community expectations have signaled belief across generations — and what that looks like today.

The episode opens with warmth and anecdote: Marcus brings his grandfather’s transition coat — a garment that marks the shift between Amish and conservative Mennonite dress — and recounts family and school memories from Iowa Mennonite School (now Hillcrest). The trio traces historical changes in plain dress, school rules about ties and coverings, and surprising student reactions to questions about feeling different as Mennonites across the decades.

Rooted in Scripture, the discussion centers on Romans 12:1–2 (nonconformity and transformation) and spills into Matthew 5–7 and the fruits of the Spirit. The guests wrestle with legalism versus heartfelt worship, asking whether outward dress still matters, when it rightly communicates faith, and how external signals compare to the ongoing, often fuzzy work of spiritual action and character.

Through stories — from boys in IMS letter jackets to choir tie rules, to the practical question of whether ministers should wear collars in places like prisons — the episode balances history, theology, and practical counsel. Listeners will hear perspectives on modesty, generational shifts (including modern trends in clergy attire and Gen Z expectations), and concrete spiritual practices that make a witness beyond clothing: living the Sermon on the Mount, cultivating the fruits of the Spirit, and allowing transformed actions to speak as loudly as any uniform.

Expect a reflective, anecdote-rich conversation that connects family memory and church policy to broader questions about identity, witness, and cultural adaptation. Whether you’re curious about Mennonite history, pastoral practice, or how to live out nonconformity in a messy world, this episode offers stories, scripture, and practical prompts to help add a little spice to your spiritual life.

Do you have questions for Pastor Don?  send them to [email protected]