Lectors have the responsibility of reading the Scriptures in the Worship Service :
The Lessons and Psalm at Morning and Evening Prayer.
The Old Testament, Epistle, and Psalm at the Eucharist,
They may also be asked to lead the Prayers of the People at the Eucharist
Preparation of the voice
Develop and practice breath control.
- Practice breathing and speaking or singing with the muscles of the abdomen rather than the chest.
Breathe in - push the belly down and out to full inflation; hold at full inflation for a few seconds; breathe out by contracting the belly muscles and bringing the belly back in slowly; rest a few seconds at empty; breathe in again. Keep the belly muscles firm while breathing in and out slowly. - When the muscles are toned and working smoothly, choose a note at a comfortable pitch, and speak or sing it at a steady loudness and pitch while breathing out. Aim to breathe slowly and smoothly, not rapidly or jerkily.
- If possible, practice reading aloud from the Lectern in the Church, with a friend sitting towards the back of the pews. Can you be heard clearly?
- If a microphone is to be used, learn how to use it correctly - the person in charge of the sound-mixer should be able to give you some help with this
Preparation as a Lector
Practice reading the Scriptures aloud.
- Read a few verses aloud each day - not necessarily from the Sunday readings, but as part of a habit of daily Bible reading and study.
- Think about the meaning of the passage, and let the voice reflect the meaning and feel of the text.
- If there are unfamiliar or difficult words, slow down, take them a syllable at a time, and repeat them a few times until they no longer give trouble.
- If the meaning of a word is not clear, look it up in a good dictionary or Bible Dictionary.
- If names are unfamiliar, use a Bible which has pronunciation helps. Practice saying the name aloud until it comes easily to the tongue.
- There are some words which are potentially troublesome. Special care should be taken when encountering them :
- statutes (laws and commandments) / statues (sculptures)
- immortality (eternal life) / immorality (immoral behavior)
- The word "bow" has two different meanings, according to its pronunciation. When pronounced "b-Oh" it can refer to "bow and arrows", "rainbow", "bow, as in ribbons and bows". When pronounced "b-ow" it means to bend before, or make obeisance to someone. When encountering this word in a reading, glance ahead, to be sure of the context, and decide how it should be pronounced.
- The word "show" is spelled "shew" in the Authorized (King James') Version. Both spellings are pronounced "shohe"
- The word "saith" is pronounced "seth" (similarly to "said") - not "say-eth"
- The word "err" is pronounced "er" rather than "air". See the hymn "God moves in a mysterious way" for "err" as a rhyme for "interpreter"
- The word "the" is usually de-voiced ("e" pronounced "uh"). "The" is only pronounced "th-ee" before a vowel or for exceptional emphasis of the following word
- The word "a" is de-voiced - pronounced "uh"
Preparation for a particular Reading
- Whenever possible, find out in advance what portion of Scripture you will be reading.
- The readings are listed in the back of the BCP (Book of Common Prayer). There are two sets of readings - one for use at the Eucharist (and also generally used for Morning Prayer on Sundays when there is no Eucharist), and one for use with daily Morning and Evening Prayer.
- It is useful to read the sections : "Concerning the Lectionary" - page 88 of the 1979 BCP and "Concerning the Daily Office Lectionary" - pages 934-935 of the 1979 BCP
- The purpose of your reading is to convey the meaning of the passage, so you need to understand the passage, and to understand it in its context. If you do not understand the passage, consult a Bible Commentary and/or your Clergy.
- The Readings generally use the RSV - the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
The RSV can be downloaded from the InterNet, in several file formats suitable for word-processing to give a large-print copy, or a copy for reading practice. Check with your clergy, or with the person leading the Service, as to which translation to use - Consider whether the passage is self-explanatory, or if it should have a few words of introduction to set the scene.
- The Churches of the High Plains' Team Ministry have books of suggested introductions for each of the readings.
Before the Service
- Consult with your clergy as to whether or not you should wear vestments, and whether you should walk in the procession. If you will be seated in the congregation, ordinary street clothes and well-polished shoes are appropriate. If you will be seated within the sanctuary, cassock and surplice are appropriate.
- Check that the Lectionary Book is on the Lectern, open at the right page.
- If leading the Psalm, check that a Prayer Book, open at the right Psalm, is on the Lectern.
- Position yourself in the congregation so that you will be able to move smoothly to the Lectern when it is your time to read.
- Be sure that you know when your reading comes in the order of the Service, and be prepared to move to the Lectern promptly. If you are in a large building, you may start moving from your seat as the previous reading comes to its conclusion
- Consult with your clergy as to whether or not you should genuflect, reverence the Altar, etc. on approaching the Lectern.
- Make sure that you know how you will introduce the Reading
- At Trinity, Portales, there is usually also a book with suggested introductions to the Readings.
The Reading itself
- Reading should normally be done from the Lectionary Book on the Lectern.
- It is better not to use Bulletins, Pew-Sheets, or other formats - there are sometimes typos or alterations to the text with the commercially-prepared Pew-Sheets.
However, for readings by children and Junior Lectors, it may be easier to use a large-print copy.
Liturgical presence - the general stance, pace of speech, eye-contact
- Posture should reflect the serious nature of reading the Scriptures in Public Worship.
- Try to be alert but not stiff; relaxed, but not slouching.
- Read with vitality. Use emphasis as appropriate. Vary the voice to reflect the message of the text, but avoid being overly dramatic. There is power in the word of God, and you are the instrument of speaking that word to the people
- Try to project the voice and speak to the center back wall or row of the congregation.
- If using a microphone, be sure that you know how to use it, and position yourself so that the microphone will pick up your voice correctly. Be careful of sibilants (letters such as "s" which can give a hiss), and plosives (letters such as "p", which give a puff of air onto the mike). A cardioid mike with a breath screen is best for close-up speech
- Try to have occasional eye contact with the congregation. Practice reading and remembering a complete sentence, to enable you to glance up at the congregation while still completing the sentence.
- The pace of speech should be quite a bit slower than that used for normal conversation - your hearers are further away, and there are more potential distractions.
The longer the building, the slower the tempo.
Slow down by using longer pauses between words, rather than by dragging out the individual words
Pause at commas and other punctuation marks, and where the sense of the text calls for a break.
eg. "O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully to hear us . . "
should be read as
"O Lord, . . . . we beseech Thee, . . . . mercifully to hear us..."
not
"O Lord we beseech Thee mercifully . . . . to hear us....."
(The Lord hears mercifully, not we that are beseeching mercifully)
Introducing the Reading
- If the Lectionary gives a choice between a full reading and an abbreviated reading : The longer reading is for use at the main Service.
- If the reading consists of several sections, with parts skipped over : the bridge passages may be included in the reading if wished.
- Announce the Reading as "chapter ..., beginning at verse ..." rather than listing all the sections.
- If the Reading begins with pronouns, it is recommended to substitute the names of the people involved, so as to give better sense to the Reading, or to use an introduction which will explain who the persons are.
- If using an introduction, make clear where the introduction ends and where the Scripture starts.
eg. A Reading which begins "They said to him . . . "
could be read as "The Israelites said to Moses . . .", "The disciples said to Jesus . . ", etc.
or
"The setting for the Old Testament Reading is at the time of the Exodus, when the Israelites were questioning Moses. (Pause)
A reading from the Book of Numbers, chapter . . . beginning at verse . . . (Pause)
They said to him . . . "
