Readers’ Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions that Readers frequently ask, together with the answer that normally applies. If you would like more information on any of these questions, or you have a question which is not shown here, please contact the Hon. Secretary of Readers who will be pleased to help you. At the end of this document there is a list of people who can help you

I am a licensed Reader from another diocese who has arrived in the Diocese of Chichester. What should I do?

Contact the Transfer Secretary (see the list below), who will send you the appropriate form for you and your incumbent to complete, and tell you what to do next.

I am a licensed Reader in the diocese of Chichester, but I am about to move to another diocese. What should I do?

Assuming that you want to continue in Reader Ministry, when you are settled in your new parish, contact the Secretary of Readers for your new diocese. You can find their details on the national Reader’s website. It would also be a help if you could contact the Chichester Hon. Secretary of Readers (see the list below) so that we can update our records and prepare a reference to send to your new diocese.

I am a licensed Reader in the diocese of Chichester, but I am getting too old to carry on. Is there anything that I should do?

If you wish to resign as a Reader, you should contact the Hon. Secretary of Readers (see the list below), enclosing your licence.

What is a Reader Emeritus?

This term means different things in different dioceses. In this diocese the title of Reader Emeritus is awarded to those retired Readers who have made an exceptional contribution to the diocese.

I am a licensed Reader in the diocese of Chichester, but I am now well into my 70s. I would like to carry on, but do I need special permission?

Age is no barrier to ministry – there is one Reader in the diocese who is over 100 – but once you reach the age of 70, you need Permission to Officiate in order to continue. Every three years the status of all Readers is reviewed and those over 70 will be contacted to ask if they wish to continue. If they do, and their incumbent is happy with this, Permission to Officiate will be granted by their area bishop. In the unlikely event that you have been overlooked, please contact the PTO Secretary (see the list below), who will send you the appropriate form for you and your incumbent to complete.

I am the next of kin or executor of a Reader in the diocese of Chichester who has died. Whom should I contact?

Please contact the Hon. Secretary of Readers (see the list below).

Help! I’ve lost my Reader’s licence. What do I do?

Please contact the Hon. Secretary of Readers (see the list below), who will arrange for a replacement to be issued.

I am a Reader in the diocese of Chichester and I have moved to a new parish within the diocese. What should I do?

Contact the Transfer Secretary (see the list below), who will send you the appropriate form for you and your incumbent to complete, and tell you what to do next.

I am a Reader in the diocese of Chichester and we now have a different vicar from the one who was here when I was licensed. Do I have to do anything?

You should agree with your new vicar a written definition of your duties. At the end of the year your new vicar will be asked to sign your Annual Report to indicate that (s)he is happy for you to continue.

What services are Readers allowed to take in this diocese?

A Reader’s Licence in the Diocese of Chichester authorises you:

to preach at any service
to lead worship including Morning and Evening Prayer, appropriate parts of the Holy Communion service, and such other services as may be authorised or allowed by the Canons of the Church of England or approved by the bishop;
to read the Old or New Testament readings, Epistle or Gospel at any service, to lead intercessions, to receive and present the offerings of the people, to distribute consecrated bread and wine to the people, to take Communion to the sick and housebound and to publish Banns of marriage in the absence of a priest;
to officiate at funeral services in a church, cemetery or crematorium but only, in each case, with the goodwill of the persons responsible, at the invitation of the minister of the parish or place (or, during a vacancy, the Rural Dean);
to undertake pastoral and educational work;
to give such other assistance to any minister as the Bishop may direct.
The administration of Communion by Extension is not generally authorised in this diocese. Regulations for its use were approved by Diocesan Synod in May 2008, but it must be authorised in writing by the area bishop and this will only be done if he is satisfied that there is sufficient pastoral need, that appropriate teaching has been given, and that the regulations will be strictly observed.

I have taken a funeral, and the family of the deceased have given me a cheque for the fees. Can I keep it?

Funeral fees are “assigned fees” and, after deduction of any out of pocket expenses incurred (and not reimbursed by the funeral director), are to be passed to the incumbent or otherwise at their direction, to be paid to the Diocese, as with all other assigned fees.

I am new to the diocese, but I understand that my area bishop has signed the form approving my transfer or Permission to Officiate. Do I really have to come to the annual Licensing Service when I was licensed many years ago in my original diocese?

The form signed by the bishop only gives you temporary Permission to Officiate. To continue as a Reader you must have a Licence or Permission to Officiate formally presented to you by the bishop when he has heard your oath of assent. This is normally done at the annual Licensing Service, though occasionally other arrangements may be made.

Why do I need to be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau? I have been a Reader for years with no trouble.

The House of Bishops’ Policy on Child Protection states that all Readers who hold the bishop’s licence or permission to officiate must sign a Confidential Declaration and seek an enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau. This is in no way a reflection on you; it is to protect you and those you work with in the event of any unfair accusation.

I have a CRB disclosure form which I obtained fairly recently for another rôle or in another diocese. Do I have to go through the disclosure process again to be a Reader in this diocese?

There are a few circumstances where an existing CRB disclosure can be reused, but in nearly every case a new disclosure is required. Contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (see below) for more details.

I am a Reader involved in all the churches in a multi-parish benefice, administered by five different PCCs. Do I have to get forms signed by all ten churchwardens or can I just pick two of them?

Talk to your incumbent about this. Under normal circumstances the signatures of the churchwardens for the parish where you usually worship (who will know you best) are sufficient; but if you, or your incumbent, have any reason to suspect that there may be parts of the benefice where your ministry may be unwelcome, please seek further guidance from the Director of Studies.

Names and Contact Details

Warden of Readers: The Revd Canon Nick Wetherall Tel: 01444 454007

Director of Studies: Joy Gilliver Tel: 01273 425691

Hon.Secretary of Readers: Patricia Deane Tel: 01323 873778

Transfers Secretary: Position Vacant

PTO Secretary: Mike Streeter Tel: 01444 414516

Safeguarding Adviser: Shirley Hosgood Tel: 01273 421021

[1] You may only act as a Lay Minister of Communion if your Reader training included the appropriate training. Otherwise you must attend the diocesan Lay Ministers of Communion Course.

[2]A Reader who publishes Banns should sign the Banns book but not the Certificate of Banns, which must be signed by a clerk in holy orders, normally the incumbent.

[3]If the Reader has not completed the approved diocesan funeral training course, the minister or the Rural Dean must secure the authorisation of the Area Bishop on each occasion the Reader is to officiate at a funeral.