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Reader Ministry

READER MINISTRY is 'a ministry of preaching and teaching in a pastoral context'.

Readers are people in whom the Church has discerned special gifts for communication and teaching and the diocese provides training to nurture those gifts.

They are not people who know all the answers. They may or may not be leaders in the local church. But they are women and men of prayer; people who reflect on the dilemmas of modern life in the light of the Bible and Christian tradition; who can communicate confidently and sensitively the mystery and the challenge of God and his Way.

Communicating the Good News

Preaching and Teaching

This calling to reflect and communicate is part of what is traditionally called the Ministry of the Word (though it doesn’t just consist of words!). Readers share this ministry with deacons, priests and bishops.

Readers (sometimes called “lay Readers”) are the only lay ministry governed by canon law in the Church of England. They have existed in their present form since 1866. After initial training they are licensed by the Bishop to exercise “a preaching and teaching ministry in a pastoral context”.


Readers Day Service October 2006

What do readers do?

The pastoral contexts in which Readers work vary widely. Listening and praying, preaching and teaching, aren’t confined within church walls. Informed by their theological training, Readers will want to learn and share faith in office or factory, school or pub, house group or private home.

Most Readers are licensed to parishes or local ecumenical partnerships. The ministry of others is focused in hospital, prison, industrial or college chaplaincies.

Those assigned to parishes discuss and agree their duties with their parish priest. These normally include preaching, leading prayer and worship and administering Holy Communion. Readers may also be involved in teaching and pastoral work and conduct funerals.

Readers are licensed to exercise ministry not only in the parish to which they are assigned, but also, when invited, throughout the diocese. Theirs is a voluntary ministry, but travelling expenses are provided and training is paid for by the Church.

So who can be a reader?

Any regular communicant member of the Church of England over the age of 18. To be considered for selection for training a candidate would normally be expected to offer at least seven years of licensed ministry before the age of 70. This means a candidate will normally be:

• 63 or younger when licensed as a Reader
• 61 or younger when starting Reader training
• 59 or younger when starting CCS

There are annual selection conferences, which those sponsored by their parish or chaplaincy must attend.

In choosing candidates for training, the Bishops' Selectors will use the following criteria:

• Vocation : is the candidate called to the ministry of a Reader in the Church?
• Faith : is there evidence of true faith and commitment to God and of openness to new expressions of the Church's faith?
• Spirituality : are there signs of a living relationship with God expressed in worship, prayer, Bible study and in all parts of life?
• Personality and character : does the candidate show maturity, stability and integrity? Are there signs of the enthusiasm, sensitivity and confidence needed by a minister of the Word?
• Relationships : does the candidate relate well to others and show an ability to work collaboratively in a team?
• Quality of Mind : does the candidate have an open and enquiring mind, a lively interest in theology, contemporary issues in church and society and events in the wider world?
• Mission: does the candidate demonstrate a wide and inclusive understanding of God's mission to the world?
• Communication Skills : does the candidate show evidence of an ability to study and develop skills for communicating the Gospel effectively in a variety of contexts?

Some of the Readers licensed and admitted by Bishop John
at the Readers Day Service October 2006

How do I become a Reader?

Except for those who have already undertaken some theological training, the Course in Christian Studies is the normal way to begin training as a Reader (see the CCS web pages). This foundation course is open to all and covers the Bible, church history, creeds, sacraments, spirituality, discipleship and ethics.

Those who are interested should explore the possibility of Reader ministry with their parish priest and local Vocations Advisor. Application for selection and training is made by the candidate and their parish during or on completion of the Course in Christian Studies.

The initial Reader training course lasts two years and Admission and Licensing as a Reader takes place in the autumn following completion of the course. Reader Training

Are you interested?

• If you think Reader ministry might be for you...
  discuss it with family, friends, parish priest and local Vocations Adviser, and pray about it.
• If you wish to enquire about or enrol on the CCS
  contact the Administrator of CCS (Liz Watson) at the address below. CCS
• If you have already undertaken some theological training or are on CCS ask Liz Watson for an application form. Diocesan Office, Guy Harlings, 53 New Street, Chelmsford CM1 1AT
  Tel: 01245 294449 Email: lwatson@chelmsford.anglican.org

click on Reader logo to go to the National Reader's Website

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