I seem to tick off the days and weeks in pills of one sort or another these days alongside taking regular blood pressure checks- or just waking up each morning with the exciting prospect of discovering if a new bit is hurting. In the midst of all that medical stuff I know I am far from alone in our world of Reader ministry.. we, as a group are getting older and fewer! (On a divergent note: does anyone have any experience of, or advice for reapplying for a driving license following a stroke? It is amazing how frustrating it is not to be able to jump in the car and pop out to see people or go on a course etc without finding someone to drop what they are doing and drive me!) The words of Donovan spring to mind from the score of the rather dated film about St Francis by Franco Zeffereli….. “Do few things but do them well, take your time go slowly!” here is a link to the clip from the film.
We Readers 0r Licensed Lay Ministers are described as community theologians, preaching, teaching and encouraging everyday faith. The current course is quite a commitment involving seven weekend courses in Plymouth reflective practice groups in Turro, the expectation of doing the foundations (FICM) course first and of course the post licensing year when there is a god deal of practical work using microphones, hints of preaching, funeral ministry etc etc (I am grateful to Jane Darlington who has covered the chaplaincy side of the latter this year)
A number of Readers have posed questions in discussion and conversation and I add the main issues here for your thoughts rather than try to give any answer which is something well beyond my ((no)) pay grade.
Worship Learders have a six week course and although not supposed to preach they can give talks or read reflections- why would anyone need to do reader training?
Do Worship Leaders do enough training in half a dozen sessions?
Who monitors what Lay ministers (of all sorts) actually do and who calls them to account especially when there are lengthy periods of transition when there is no incumbent?
with congregations getting smaller and those in the pews getting older where are we to find younger Licensed Lay Ministers especially if they have young families for example and cannot commit to weekends?
Try the Monday Morning Zoom or send in your solutions…… 🙂