• Churchwork
• Stop Press
• Bishop's Office
• Archdeacons Office
• The Diocesan Office
• Committees
• Hereford Deaneries
• Ludlow Deaneries
• Mission and Ministry Development
• Ministry of Deliverance
• Readers
  • Readers Committee
  • Readers Bulletin
  • 2015 Readers comments
• Safeguarding Children & Adults
• 2015 Consultation
• Vacancies in the Diocese of Hereford
• Factsheets
• Hereford Diocesan Counselling Service
• Board for Church & Society
• Communications Report part 1
• Clergy Handbook

You are here » Home» Churchwork» Readers

HEREFORD DIOCESAN READERS ASSOCIATION

ORGANISATION

President: The Rt.Revd. Anthony Priddis, Bishop of Hereford
Warden: The Revd. Preb. Andrew Talbot-Ponsonby 01989 565003
There are Sub-Wardens allocated to each Deanery. To contact your nearest please ask at the Diocesan Office 01432 373300 or the Warden as above.

READERS have completed a three year course in theology and ministry, with practical sessions on such as preaching and pastoral work. After that they are licensed by the Bishop and work within a parish or group of parishes. In the same way that Ordained Priests minister in schools, hospitals and places of work, so do Readers. I intend to include occasional articles in this web-space detailing the specialist ministries that Readers perform. Ministry at the local level is carried out by various tiers of ministers. There is the Ordained Priest, the Reader, other Licensed Lay Minister and Lay Service Leader. The latter has not completed a recognised course and is not licensed by the Bishop, though they are approved by their priest. All 'Lay Ministers' are approved by the parish PCC and all serve to bring the gospel to whoever will listen.
Readers can be found in all walks of life, without 'clerical collars' they are able to meet, minister and mix in a more relaxed manner than is often afforded to priests. Being part of parish life Readers work with the priests as part of a team.
All Readers in the Diocese of Hereford, once licensed, become members of the association. We meet annually, usually in October, to worship together and with the Bishop of Hereford, to welcome new Readers. We take the opportunity to have a business meeting complete with a speaker on some topical issue. The annual meeting alternates between the City of Hereford and Church Stretton set amongst the South Shropshire Hills..

VOCATIONS. If you believe that you are called to join the ranks of Readers please in the first instance talk to your Parish Priest, or contact the Diocesan Vocations Advisor. Tel: 01989 565003 E-mail: maryloutoop@lineone.net , or contact he Deanery Sub-warden for your area. details from the Diocesan Office..

The READERS COMMITTEEmeets quarterly; Readers receive a quarterly bulletin with a summary of business and news. Readers' events are posted on the Diocesan Web-site Notice Board. Details of the committee ar to be found on another page.

Link to the Church of England Readers site