Customary for Lectors

1. CENTRALITY of the Reading of the Word of God in the Liturgy

• Scripture: 1 Tim 4.13

Until I come,

pay attention [give your mind to, devote yourself to]

to the reading, to the exhortation, to the teaching.

• Tradition

  • History: cf Acts 13.15, 2 Cor 3.14

  • BCP, p. 406: Dignity: “It is desirable that…”

  • BCP, p. 406: NB: Processions, the Gloria, Confession, Hymns are optional. You can have an Episcopal service without a bishop, priest, or deacon. You can even have Holy Eucharist without communion! (cf the Rubric on pp. 359 and 406!)

  • There is no Episcopal worship service that does not include the public reading of Scripture and prayer. The Lector is the only role required in every Episcopal worship.

2. THEOLOGY of the Reading of the Word of God in the Liturgy

• Genesis 1

• James 1.21-27

3. TECHNOLOGY of the Reading of the Word of God in the Liturgy

• The Lectionary

  • RCL 3-Year Cycle: A-B-C

    • Track 2: Advent 2007 – CTK 2010

    • Track 1: Advent 2010 – CTK 2013

  • The Church Year

• Preparation before Sunday

• Take responsibility for the calendar

• Become familiar with the text, translations, background, context, and language.

• Become familiar with interpretations and commentaries

• Imagine the story

• Experience the story

• Think FIRST person, not second or third! Have you heard God speak to you?

• Help: English dictionary; www.stmarkshighland.ang-md.org; Oxford Companion to the Bible, Metzger, (Ed.); Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Cross, (Ed.); New Jerome Biblical Commentary, Brown, (Ed.); Westminter Dictionary of Christian Theology, Richardson, (Ed.).

• www.stmarkshighland.ang-md.org > Resources > Lector Preparation and Resources

• Lectionary calendar: http://www.io.com/~kellywp/lectionary.html

• Lector’s Notes: http://www.lectorprep.org/

• Pronunciation Guide: http://netministries.org/BBasics/bbbott.htm

• Practice, Practice, Practice

4. PROCLAIM the Word of God in the Liturgy

• Prepare before the Liturgy

  • Check the schedule

  • Check the Lectionary book

  • Check the sound system

• Approach the lectern

  • Discover, appreciate and share the value of silence

  • Your awareness, affect, and reverence

  • When to genuflect or bow

  • What to do when the Lectionary is not right

  • The microphone

• Read the Word

  • How to Use the Microphone (checking it; placement)

  • Forget the microphone

  • Project to the farthest person

  • Announce the reading

  • Forget your first grade teacher – use your finger

  • Don’t look up… you’re reading, not reciting

  • Most common error #1: Losing the story (Imagine!)

  • Most common error #2a: Reading too fast (Pause!)

  • Most common error #2ab: Thinking you’re reading too slowly (Pause!)

  • Most common error #3: “Children’s Story Hour” (Read, don’t act!)

  • Most common error #4: Thinking you’re too loud (Remember old ears!)

• Conclude the Reading

• Pause & Reflect

• Proclaim: “The Word of the Lord!”

• Do NOT respond to your own proclamation!

• Note: The proclamation, “The Word of the Lord” refers to the whole reading and hearing of the Word of God, not just to the Scripture.

• There is no response to “Here ends the reading.”

• After the last reading, close the Lectionary Book

• Move the Lectionary Book to the lectern-side credence table

• Special instructions

  • Where to go during the Psalm recitation?

  • What do I do about Apocryphal or Episcopal readings?

• Reciting the Psalms

  • Psalms are meant to be sung or recited, not read.

  • Psalm options: Direct; Antiphonal; Responsorial; Responsive

  • The asterisk means PAUSE * -- it does not signal response

5. There may be one, two or even three Lectors

• In the Holy Eucharist, a Deacon (or Priest) reads the Gospel

• First Lesson: 1^st or 2^nd Lector

• Psalm: Choir, Priest, Acolyte (or 1^st or 2^nd Lector if so desires)

• Second Lesson: 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd Lector

• In worship services other than Holy Eucharist, Lectors read all the readings, including those from the Gospels.

6. Lectors are neither Eucharistic Ministers nor Acolytes

• There are people who like to serve the chalice but who do not like to read aloud

• There are people who like to read aloud but who do not like to serve at the altar

• To assume Eucharist ministers will read prevents some people from serving as Eucharist ministers, and some Eucharist ministers from serving as Lectors

• Acolytes should not be lectors; Lectors should not be acolytes

• In the absence of insufficient number of liturgical participants, one person may fill several roles.

• Procession: Lectors do NOT process

• Vesting: Lectors do NOT vest