How to become a Lay Reader: Discerning the Call

Posted Thursday 8 April 2010

How to become a Lay Reader: Discerning the Call

Many people are involved in discerning whether a person has a call from God to be a Lay Reader: the candidate, the congregation, the Vestry, the Rector, the Warden of Lay Readers, the Bishop. Usually, a person has to have been in a congregation for at least a year to enable people to observe the necessary skills and talents. There is also a general rule that during a vacancy the process is not started until the new Rector arrives, since a Rector must have the choice about who serves as a Lay Reader in support of the Rector.

Given these circumstances, the normal procedure is for a Rector to invite the Warden of Lay Readers to conduct a vocation assessment interview with a candidate. Often the Warden is accompanied by a Warden from another Diocese. If the Warden is satisfied that the candidate has the required gifts and a clear call from God to investigate the vocation further, then a recommendation for training is made in a report to the Rector and the Bishop. The Bishop will then interview the candidate and the Bishop has the final say.

Lay Readers do a two year course and are trained alongside ordinands. Elements include academic modules, ministerial reflection, placements, residential weekends and a summer school. Training is overseen by the Diocesan Ministry & Education Group in conjunction with TISEC.

For more information please email the Diocesan Office .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)