A Lector is one who reads the scripture and prayers in Church. It is a great responsibility... it is your voice, but it is God's word.

Not everyone who goes to church reads the Bible, so what they hear read on Sunday may be the only Bible they know. It is important that they hear and understand what is read!

Helping the congregation hear the Bible is the ministry of the Lector. This requires two things from the Lector:
1) Understanding what you read so it makes sense to you and the hearer.
2) Good projection and good diction.

Preparation Prior to Sunday Morning
The Lector must study and practice before reading at the service. To be an effective Lector, it's more important to be a good listener than a good reader. You must listen to and understand what the Bible is saying.

To help you understand the Bible, study your passage in a good New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Annotated Bible. Suggested are: The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (NRSV) Read the introduction to the book of your reading, the footnotes and the comments at the bottom of the page.

To read well, you have to have a good understanding of what your passage means. When was it written, why, to whom, by whom? Who are the characters and where are the places? What kind of literature is it? (Poetry-Psalm 23, Narrative-Genesis 1, Letter-Romans 1:7-12, Sayings-Proverbs 25:1). What happens before and after your passage?

You might also use a Bible Dictionary, a Bible Commentary, and/or a regular Dictionary to help you.  

Read the passage aloud to yourself to hear what God is saying. Remember, the way you listen and understand the words you are saying directly affects the way the person in the pew understands and makes sense of it.

At the Lectern
Project your voice, articulate so people can physically hear you.

• Adjust the microphone before reading.
• Use the step if the lectern and microphone are too high for you.
• Keep your feet flat.
• Breathe deeply.
• Look at the people and take a breath before beginning.
• Don't rush through the reading.
• Think of the person in the back pew who doesn't hear well and keep the sound going back evenly to them.
• Practice in the church; bring someone with you to help and provide feedback.
• Pause at the end before leaving the lectern.

The Readings
Prior to the service, the Lectern Bible should be open to the first reading. The readings should be marked in the Lectern Bible. Check this before the service to be sure. 

The MC will turn the Bible to the second reading upon completion of the Psalm.

If you need to use a separate sheet, please insert in into the Bible prior to the service so that it will appear you are reading directly from the Bible.

Scripture Introductions:
State simply and clearly:

• A reading from the Book of Genesis
• A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
• A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Church at Corinth

After you finish the Scripture reading, stop and take a breath before reciting the ending (The word of the Lord).

Scripture endings:

• The word of the Lord
• Here ends the reading (The People give no response)
• Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's People
• Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches (Epistle)

Melita Thorpe – Lector Trainer
(408) 279-5588