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Church of the Apostles Instructions for Readers
(Revised March 8, 2007)


Goal: to serve God by delivering the story of God’s people to the congregation.
Objective: to show up when scheduled and to read clearly and meaningfully so that people can hear and receive the words of Scripture.

Specific Instructions:

  1. If you know of travel plans, let the scheduler for your ministry know about your inability to serve on those dates BEFORE you receive your schedule.
  2. When you receive your schedule, highlight your name and the dates and post it somewhere visible, and/or put the information on your calendar where you will remember.
  3. If you have a conflict and cannot serve AFTER you have received your schedule, call another reader on the schedule. Once you have found a replacement, call the church office so that the office volunteers can change the information on the web site.
  4. If you switch places with someone, don’t forget to show up as scheduled!
  5. If you lose your schedule, or never received it in the mail, check the parish web site www.ApostlesChurch.net under the Sunday Morning Ministries Schedules to see when you are scheduled. DO NOT wait until Sunday morning to see if you are on!
  6. On the week you are scheduled, look for your reading on the parish web site and left click on the upper right hand corner where it says “Readers: click here for Lectionary.” Go to the date when you are reading and click on RCL . The Episcopal Church voted at its last two General conventions to use the Revised Common Lectionary instead of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) Lectionary. If you do not get to a calendar, try going directly to the web site: www.io.com/~kellywp/. Once you are there, save it as one of your Favorites or Bookmark the page.
  7. Remember that the FIRST reader reads the first reading and the second reader will read the Prayers of the People, unless you are instructed via email to lead a  read a second reading.
  8. If you are reading a lesson,
  9. On the Sunday for which you are scheduled, please be in the church 15-20 minutes before the service. Let the deacon know you are there, and check the podium to make sure your reading is marked in the lectionary book. Note that the introduction you should use is typed out and paper clipped to the reading, as well as the words after you finish reading.  If you would like to use your own marked copy of the reading, unclip the introduction and closing and clip them on your reading. Leave your copy of the reading on the podium when you arrive, rather than bringing it up at the time that you read.
  10. Look at your bulletin to make sure that your reading is the same as the one listed. Note that there is also an Order of Service, so you can see what precedes the reading (or Prayers of the People) that you are doing. If there is a discrepancy, ask Liz what you should do.
  11. If you are reading a lesson, be sure to sit on the aisle, so that you can get out easily. Start walking to the podium while the previous prayer or psalm is being said.
  12. When you arrive at the podium, take the time to move the microphone up or down so that it is level with and just in front of your mouth.
  13. Take a deep breath, and read the introduction provided for you. You will not give the chapter or verses of the reading, just the main Book, such as the Book of Exodus or the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Epistle readings are always letters, such as Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, or the Letter to James (when it is not believed that Paul wrote it).
  14. Read deliberately, and not too fast, but with a natural speaking voice. “Read like you speak” is a good rule to remember. Read with meaning, and a sense of awe and excitement, as though you were relating the news of God’s work in people’s lives to people who don’t know the story. You are!
  15. When you finish reading, use the closing sentences provided. At 7:30 a.m., it is always “Here ends the reading.”  At 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. it is always “Hear what the Spirit is saying.”
  16. After the congregation has responded, introduce the psalm, or if there is no psalm and you are not reading another reading, go back to your seat. Practice saying the word “Re-SPON-siv-ley” so that you don’t say “Responsibly”. We usually read the psalm responsively by half verse, which means we go back and forth, with the reader reading the first half of each verse, and the congregation RESPONDS by reading its half verse. Sometimes we will read the psalm in UNISON, which means that we read the psalm together after the reader has started.
  17. If you scheduled to read the Prayers of the People, get the handheld microphone from the sound booth as soon as you arrive at church, Find the “On” button, and turn it on.  If you cannot tell whether it is on, ask the sound booth volunteers for help. They will have you on mute until it is time for you to read, and so you don’t have to fumble with turning on the microphone when it is time for you to read.
  18. When the time comes for the Prayers of the People, read from the bulletin or the screen. If it says “Silence” after a prayer, pause AT LEAST 10 seconds for people to pray silently. We are also going to begin adding names that are in the bulletin, so be sure to pause long enough for the deacon or priest to name those people. You are also welcome to add names yourself!
  19. As with the Lessons, read in a deliberate and somewhat reflective voice. You are asking for God’s assistance with the problems of the world, for the parish. It is an awesome responsively. Let your voice indicate that!
  20. Return the microphone to the sound booth after the service.
  21. Thank you for you ministry of the word. Remember always that your voice may be an instrument that leads someone into a deeper relationship with God -- which is why we do what we do!