Worship Duties: Reader

A couple of weeks ago we went over instructions for helping out with worship duties like Communion Assisting and Greeting.  Today we're going to look at being a Reader for worship.

In many ways this is the easiest ministry of all.  In fact the hardest part for most folks is simply deciding to do it.  Getting up in front of people can be nerve-wracking for some.  Things to remember:

1.  All you have to do is read.  You don't have to make up a Shakespearean Sonnet on the spot up there.  Everything is written down for you.

2.  Everyone is rooting for you.  I've not heard a person yet sniff, "Well, THAT reader ruined the service for me!"  We're all in this together and people love it when you give them the gift of sharing the Word in this way.

3.  We've all made mistakes up there.  I have.  Everybody who has ever read has as well.  Mistakes don't matter.  Having someone to share God's Word matters.

Having the readings beforehand can help you prepare.  Blank bulletins are kept in a box in the kitchen by the copy machine.  You can find them there or you can always ask me or Phyllis.

People often ask how to pronounce tricky names.  There are a few odd places and people in the Bible and they do show up in readings from time to time!  I can tell you, but the better solution is just to pronounce them however.  Nobody who lived in that hard-to-pronounce city is going to come bursting through the doors and say, "That's WRONG!!!"  In most cases the hesitation while you fish around for the "correct" pronunciation is more awkward than just going ahead and saying it however.  Nobody will notice the difference between "Beth-sai-ee-da" and "Beth-say-da".  Everybody will notice when you pause and think, "Oh no!  What did Pastor Dave say again?!?"

With those things out of the way, here's how to do it:

• Make sure you have a bulletin and have at least skimmed through the readings.
• Walk up to the lectern at the appropriate time and make sure the microphone is properly placed 3-4 inches from your lips and pointing at them.  Too high is bad.  Too low is bad.  Either of those plus too far away is really bad.  The microphone is your friend.  Use it.
• Begin the first and second readings with, "The first/second reading comes from the book of [insert name here], chapter [insert number here]."  You can also say the verses but it's not required, especially when the reading is split between several.  "The first reading comes from the third chapter of Isaiah" is much easier on the ears than "The first reading comes from Isaiah, Chapter 3, verse 16-24 and 39-48b."
• Begin the psalm with, "We will now read responsively from Psalm [number], found in your bulletin."
• It's appropriate to finish the second reading with, "Here end the readings" or some similar phrase.  You can also say that after the first reading and psalm but in my experience, most people know that.  Saying it after the second reading provides a nice mental break point in the service.

And that's it!  Pre-read your readings at least once, come up when it's time, USE THE MIC, and introduce each reading properly.  Easy enough.

We always need readers, so be sure and sign up on the worship help sheet!

--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)