St Mary's Church, Dymock

The church exists first to offer worship (honour) to God and to thank him for the gifts he gives us, and secondly to honour and support each other, because we're all fellow creatures of God and so by honouring each other we honour him too.

As well as the Seasons and Major Festivals which help us worship God, the church celebrates several 'Special Days' throughout the year to remember, honour and support each other and our work in God's world. Celebration of the "Special Days" is usually optional, Christians chose which they want to remember, not all churches celebrate all these days....

Reader Sunday is usually held in June and celebrates the Office of 'Reader' in the Church of England. In many churches, Readers are often invited to preach the sermon at the main Holy Communion Service or to lead a non-Communion Service on that day as part of the celebration, and many dioceses arrange for a parish that doesn't have it's own Reader to receive a visiting Reader to preach the sermon or to lead the Service on tht day.

Readers were created as 'Lectors' in the time of Elizabeth I when there were not enough priests of the new Protestant faith to be allocated to each parish ('Lector' comes from the Latin for 'Read'). When there was no priest to take a Service in a church, suitable men of sober behaviour and sufficient learning were licensed to read the Service of Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer from the new Prayer Book. Originally they were not allowed to preach, merely to read the Service, and they were not allowed into the Sanctuary (the area around the altar table) so they had to leave the collection plate on the floor at the entrance to the Sanctuary. The Office of Lector had died out by the time of Oliver Cromwell (17th century) but was resurrected in 1866 when the Bishop of Gloucester licensed the first modern 'Lay Reader'. At first just men were allowed, but women were admitted in 1968 and the ratio of men to women is now about equal. Gradually over time, the title has changed to just 'Reader' and the duties of a Reader have been expanded so they're now allowed to lead a whole non-Communion Service and do much as a priest can (including entering the Sanctuary!), except they may not 'preside' at Holy Communion (ie: bless the bread and wine), conduct marriages and baptisms, absolve sins, or give a blessing.
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The priest's ministry is principally concerned with the Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Communion and 'Extreme Unction' on death), plus the absolving of sins, and 'pastoral care' for the souls of those in their parish. The Reader's ministry is principally concerned with Teaching and Preaching plus leading non-Eucharistic Services such as Morning Prayer (Matins) and Evening Prayer (Evensong) or 'Family' Services.

In some dioceses (such as Gloucester) the Reader is licensed to take funerals, and they often assist the priest at Holy Communion, Baptism and Marriage Services.

A Reader is not the 'vicar's little helper' but is a separate ministry (calling), although most Readers operate under the authority of a priest. You may see a Reader helping the priest in their role, leading a church Service, or visiting in the Parish, or leading a House/Study Group, but you will also see a Reader doing those things on their own. Readers are trained in Theology and Ministry, often on the same course as priests, although they are not ordained (set-apart) but remain part of the laity, supporting themselves through full-time employment.

Consequently, Readers can be found not just in parish churches but as Chaplains in prisons (technically 'Assistant Chaplains'), and old folks' homes, schools, etc. There are now as many active Readers in the Church of England as there are priests (over 10,000), and there may even be more Readers!
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