Licensed Lay Ministers (LLM), also known as Readers, are part of the nationally
recognised public ministry of the Church of England. Approximately 160 people provide
this voluntary ministry in our diocese. They are trained in theology, pastoral work and a
variety of other ministerial skills. At the heart of the role there is a ministry of the word,
of teaching, preaching and leading worship. However, Readers also engage in other
elements of church life, including chaplaincy and community involvement.
Peter Buchanan, LLM at All Saints’ Church, Malvern, said: “I was licensed as a Reader
over 27 years ago. All those years ago my then vicar recognised that I might be useful
at the front of the church and almost instantly I found myself training. For me, the
glory of the role is that each of us can use and develop the particular gifts we have
been given. For me, that means a teaching and discipleship type of preaching. Several
churches regularly invite me and seem to think I have useful things to say and say them
in an interesting way. I thank God that I can use His gift.”
Next weekend, Readers in the Diocese of Worcester have been invited to come
together for the Readers’ Weekend at Holland House, to explore the theme of ‘Learning
to become better teachers of faith’.
Please pray
for all Readers
who minister
to us, support
us and seek
to encourage
other people’s
gifts.
Dudley Deanery – Rural Dean: Dominic Melville; Lay Chair: Anne Penn
Southwark: Bishop Christopher Chessun with Bps Richard Cheetham (Kingston),
Jonathan Clark (Croydon), Karowei Dorgu (Woolwich)
Björgvin (Norway): Bishop Halvor Nordhaug
The Anglican Church of Kenya: Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit
