Reader Ministry
Reader Ministry is a long-standing and respected ministry within the Church of England as a whole
What is Reader Ministry?
Readers are lay people who exercise a vital ministry in the Church. They are licensed to preach, teach and lead worship but they also work in a huge variety of other roles, in pastoral work, in training and education and much more. Perhaps most importantly, they are theologically trained lay people who act as a skilled resource for the church. Readers also carry out the vitally important ministry of being informed lay people living out their faith in a huge variety of different walks of life - as a lay ministry, it shouldn’t just be centred around ‘churchy’ activities. There are just under 500 licensed Readers in the Diocese of Chester - one of the highest figures for a Diocese in the Church of England.
Reader Ministry as whole in this Diocese is under the care of the Warden of Readers, who works with a team of people to support Reader ministry. There is an assistant warden for each archdeaconry and each local deanery has a sub-warden of Readers, whose task is to help the Readers in that deanery to work and grow together.
Subwardens are involved in the regular process of Ministry Review for Readers. For more specific information on the Reader Training course you can contact:
Revd Liz Shercliff, Director of Studies for Readers Contact details: tel: 07703 800030
Email: liz.shercliff@chester.anglican.org
or
The Warden of Readers, Revd John Knowles tel: 01625 526531 Email: john.knowles@chester.anglican.org
A Reader's Story
Reader Training in the Diocese of Chester
2012 Reader AGM and Licensing Service
News and Training Opportunities for Licensed Readers
Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD) In-Service Training Grants
Downloads
Reader Handbook Revised April 2013
Reader Council Members February 2013
Links
Sub-wardens and Representative Readers
Who’s Who
The Warden of Readers is Revd John Knowles Contact details: 15 Clare Avenue, Handforth, Wilmslow SK9 3EQ
Tel: 01625 526531 Email: john.knowles@chester.anglican.org
John works with two Assistant Wardens:
Revd Cheryl Coverley is Assistant Warden of Readers for the Chester Archdeaconry and is also vicar of Newton West Kirby Contact details: St Michael’s Vicarage, 56 Queensbury, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 6EP Tel: 0151 625 8517 Email: cheryl.coverley@tiscali.co.uk
Revd Mike Turnbull is Assistant Warden of Readers for the Macclesfield Archdeaconry and is also vicar of Wistaston. Contact details: The Rectory, 44 Church Lane Wistaston, Crewe CW2 8HA Tel: 01270 665742/567119 Email: mfturnbull@gmail.com