Guidelines for Lectors

When you step to the lectern, you are not simply reading aloud. You are opening the Word of God before
the assembled people of God. The Scriptures read in worship are not a preamble to the sermon. They are
the living voice of God who continues to speak to his people through his written Word. The early church
understood this: the public reading of Scripture was itself an act of proclamation (1 Tim 4:13).
Because this ministry is sacred, it demands preparation. The congregation trusts that when you stand to
read, you have spent time with the text. They are hearing words they will carry with them through the
week. The goal is for those words to land clearly, beautifully, and with weight. That requires your
investment before Sunday morning.

Read the passage every day
From the Sunday prior to the Sunday on which you are scheduled, read your assigned passage at least once
a day. Daily familiarity with the text is not excessive; it is the baseline. A passage you have read seven times
will sound entirely different from one you encounter for the first time at the lectern.

Understand the passage
Before you can read a text with meaning, you need to understand what it is saying. Ask yourself:
• What is the overall subject or argument of this passage?
• Where does it come from in the story of Scripture?
• What is the emotional register: lament, praise, warning, comfort, promise?
Understanding the passage helps you read it with appropriate weight, pace, and expression, rather than
reading every sentence in the same flat tone regardless of content. If you need help with this, please ask Fr.
Michael.

Look up every unfamiliar word and name
The readings in the lectern notebook now include phonetic pronunciations for biblical names and
difficult words. Use them. If you are still uncertain about a pronunciation, look it up online (a simple
search for “how to pronounce [name]” will usually provide an audio example). There is no shame in not
knowing how to pronounce Jehoshaphat on sight. There is, however, a problem with mispronouncing it in front of the congregation because you did not prepare. Confident, accurate pronunciation
communicates to the congregation that you know what you are reading.

Read aloud at home
Reading silently is not the same as reading aloud. Practice your passage out loud at home, at the pace you
intend to read it in the service. This will surface any stumbling points you missed when reading silently
and help you find the natural rhythm of the text.

Please arrive at least fifteen minutes before the service begins. Use that time to do the following:
• Find the lectern notebook and locate your assigned reading. Confirm it is the right passage.
• Read through the passage one more time at the lectern, if possible, to get a feel for the space.
• Be aware of who reads before and after you so that transitions move smoothly.
Do not leave arrival to the last minute. Rushing into the service without a chance to settle yourself and
review your reading is the enemy of a confident, prepared delivery

Before you begin reading, make sure:
• The green light on the microphone is on. If it is not on, press the button to turn it on.
• The microphone does not need to be directly in front of your mouth, but it does need to be angled
toward you.
• You are standing close enough to the lectern that you can read comfortably without stooping or
leaning.
Adjust the microphone before you announce the reading, not while you are speaking. A moment of quiet
adjustment is far less distracting than missing the first sentence of a reading because the microphone was
not ready.

Approach
Please sit somewhere near the lectern when you are assigned to read, and please be ready to head to the
lectern as soon as the previous reader has completed their reading.

Slow down
The most common mistake among readers is reading too fast. When you are nervous or unfamiliar with a
text, you naturally rush. Resist this. The congregation needs time to hear the words, process them, and receive them. Read more slowly than feels natural to you, especially at the opening of a passage when
people are just beginning to listen.

Speak clearly and project
Even with a microphone, good diction matters. Enunciate clearly, open your mouth, and do not drop
your volume at the ends of sentences. Many readers begin sentences at full volume and trail off at the end,
losing the very words that carry the most weight.

Read with expression, not performance
The goal is not a dramatic performance. The goal is a natural, attentive, human reading of the text. If a
passage contains a lament, let it sound like a lament. If it contains a promise, let it sound like a promise.
Read the way you would read aloud to a friend who had not heard the passage before and needed to
understand it. Avoid a monotone reading, but also avoid theatrical excess.

Pause at the end of sentences and sections
Use the punctuation. A period is a pause. A new paragraph is a longer pause. These moments of silence are
not dead air; they are giving the congregation time to receive what they have just heard.

When you step to the lectern, announce the reading clearly before you begin. The standard form is:
“A Reading from [Book], beginning at the [X] chapter, the [Y] verse.”
After the announcement, pause briefly before you begin reading. Give the congregation a moment to
settle and listen.
At the conclusion of the reading, say clearly:
“This is the Word of the Lord.”
The congregation will respond, “Thanks be to God.” Wait for that response before you step away from
the lectern. Do not rush away while people are still responding.
The only exception is when there is a reading from the Apocrypha, which will end:
“Here ends the reading.”
After which, the congregation does not respond.

When you finish your reading, turn the page in the lectern notebook to the next reader’s passage before
you step away. This small act of courtesy prevents the next reader from having to search for their place at
the lectern and ensures a smooth transition in the service. The last reader should put the binder into the
lectern for the preacher.
Return to your seat quietly and without haste. The service continues; your movement should not draw
attention.

The same principles of preparation and delivery apply to those who read the Prayers of the People. Review
the prayer form in advance. Be familiar with the responses the congregation is expected to make so that
you pause at the right moments and give people time to respond before continuing.
If the prayers include a time for open intercessions from the congregation, pause with intention and give
people adequate space to offer names and petitions. Do not rush through that silence. It is not awkward; it
is prayerful.

The Passion Narrative is one of the most significant readings of the entire church year. On Palm Sunday,
the narrative of Christ’s trial and crucifixion is read in full. On Good Friday, the same narrative is read
again, solemnly, at the heart of the Triduum. These readings require additional preparation.
Readers for the Passion Narrative are assigned specific parts (narrator, speakers, crowd). Know your part
thoroughly. Practice the transitions between readers. The Passion Narrative should feel seamless, as
though the story is unfolding in real time before the congregation. This is not the place to sight-read.
If you are assigned to read the Passion, treat it as you would a major responsibility. Read through the full
narrative several times so you understand the arc of the story, even the portions that are not your own
assigned sections.

We use Planning Center/Church Center to manage the schedule. Please:
• Log in to Planning Center (or the Church Center app on your phone) to view your upcoming
assignments.
• Accept or decline assignments promptly so coordinators can plan accordingly.
• Block out dates you know you will be unavailable in advance, rather than waiting until you are
placed on the schedule.
• If you cannot serve on an assigned date and cannot find a substitute, contact Joyce Mattison as
soon as possible.
If you are unfamiliar with Planning Center/Church Center, Fr. Michael or Pat will be glad to walk you
through it.