Lay reader

Lay reader

A lay reader (in some jurisdictions, notably the Church of England, simply Reader) is a layperson authorized by a bishop of the Anglican Church to read some parts of a service of worship. Anglican lay readers are licensed by the bishop to a particular parish or to the diocese at large. In the former case, in some areas, their tenure expires with the resignation of the parish priest. In the Anglican tradition, the role of licensed lay readers, whose prominence varies by region, is similar to that of a Methodist local preacher, and can involve:

*Conducting Mattins, Evensong, and Compline
*Reciting the Litany
*Publishing banns of marriage
*Preaching, teaching, and assisting in pastoral care
*Conducting funerals (this often requires additional specific permission from the diocesan bishop, and the agreement of the family of the deceased)
*Distributing (though not celebrating) Holy Communion.

Although in many parishes, these duties can be performed by any reasonably competent lay person who has been properly instructed, the key to the Reader's license is that he or she is permitted to do them "in the absence of a priest". Licensed Readers are entitled to wear a blue tippet with choir dress.

In the Church of England, the office is known simply as Reader. Readers are the only nationally accredited and canonically governmed lay ministry in the CofE. Their theological training enables them to preach, teach, and lead worship, and they are also able to assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work. [cite web|url=http://www.readers.cofe.anglican.org/info.php|title=Church of England Readers - Central Readers' Council|date=2005|publisher=Church of England Readers|accessdate=2008-07-16] cite book|last=Kuhrt|first=Gordon W.|title=Ministry Issues for the Church of England: Mapping the Trends|publisher=Church House Publishing|date=2001|pages=134|isbn=071518122X|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Sh7QHt0dYXUC&pg=PA134&dq=%22reader%22+%22church+of+england%22+1866&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U09APO6mb8I-_3xbvm3rn4Wpw-RnA|accessdate=2008-07-16]

The office of Reader has existed in its present form since 1866, and there are now around ten thousand readers in the Church of England.

For the purposes of carrying out the practical aspects of their training for ordination, students studying for the ordained ministry may be licensed as Student Readers. In some provinces of the Anglican Communion, such as the Church of Ireland, a Student Reader's license permits them to serve in any diocese rather than being bound (as in the case of a Lay Reader) to the diocese of their licensing bishop.

ee also

*Laity
*Clergy
*Reader (liturgy)
*Methodist local preacher (United Kingdom & Australia)
*Lay speaker (United States)
*Ordinand

External links

* [http://www.readers.cofe.anglican.org/ Central Readers' Council] S
* [http://www.college-of-readers.org.uk/ College of Readers]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lay reader — n. READER (sense 2) …   English World dictionary

  • Lay reader — Lay read er (Eccl.) A layman authorized to read parts of the public service of the church. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lay reader — n someone in Christian churches who is not a priest but who has been given authority to lead a religious service …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lay reader — noun count a member of some Christian churches who is not a priest but who is allowed to be in charge of some religious services or parts of them …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • lay reader — ► NOUN ▪ (in the Anglican Church) a layperson licensed to preach and to conduct some services but not to celebrate the Eucharist …   English terms dictionary

  • lay reader — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms lay reader : singular lay reader plural lay readers a member of some Christian churches who is not a priest but who is allowed to be in charge of some religious services or some parts of them …   English dictionary

  • Lay-Reader —    A layman who reads the Church service in the absence of the Priest. Usually he is licensed to do so by the Bishop of the Diocese. The American Church has a canon on the subject, setting forth the method of appointment and regulating his work,… …   American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  • lay reader — lay′ read er n. rel a layperson authorized by an Anglican bishop to conduct parts of a service • Etymology: 1745–55 …   From formal English to slang

  • lay reader — /leɪ ˈridə/ (say lay reeduh) noun 1. a layperson in the Roman Catholic Church who represents the congregation in the sanctuary at mass, and, exercising the ministry of lector, reads short prayers and certain parts of the liturgy, such as the… …  

  • lay reader — noun Date: 1751 1. a layperson authorized to conduct parts of the church services not requiring a priest or minister 2. layman 2 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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