THE FORM AND MANNER OF MAKING READERS IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST

Bp. Joseph Making a Reader in the Ancient Manner

As Appointed in the Missionary Diocese of East and Southeast Asia and the Anglican Vicariate of the Orthodox Archdiocese of America

When the day appointed for the making of Readers is come, the Candidates, vested in Cassock and standing in the midst of the Church before the Chancel, shall be presented unto the Bishop by a Presbyter or Deacon, saying unto him:

PRESENTATION

Presbyter/Deacon: Reverend Father in God, I present unto you these persons to be admitted to the Order of Reader.

Bishop: Hath due examination been made of their manner of life and learning, and are they found to be apt and meet for this ministry?

Presbyter/Deacon: So far as human frailty doth allow, they have been examined and found worthy.

Bishop: Thanks be to God.

¶ Then the Bishop shall command the names of the Candidates to be read aloud, and the people being silent, the Choir shall chant:

INTROIT—Psalm 101:1-3

“I will sing of mercy and judgment: *unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? *I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: *I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

Bishop: The Lord be with you.

People: And with thy spirit.

Bishop: Let us pray.

COLLECT

Almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy Holy Spirit dost illumine the minds of the faithful, granting them understanding of Thy Word; Look mercifully upon these Thy servants, whom we do now set apart to the office of Reader in Thy Church. Endue them with wisdom and holiness, that, meditating upon Thy precepts, they may be made meet for Thy service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end.

People: Amen.

THE LESSON—Nehemiah 8:1-8

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose... And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Bishop: The Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

HYMN—“Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire”

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, 

And lighten with celestial fire; 

Thou the anointing Spirit art, 

Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart. 

Thy blessèd unction from above, 

Is comfort, life, and fire of love; 

Enable with perpetual light 

The dulness of our blinded sight. 

Anoint and cheer our soiled face 

With the abundance of Thy grace;

Keep far our foes, give peace at home; 

Where Thou art guide, no ill can come. 

THE GOSPEL—Luke 4:16-21

And Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Bishop: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

THE EXHORTATION

¶ The Bishop shall then address the Candidates, saying:

Dearly beloved, the Office of a Reader is one of great solemnity, being ordained of old for the service of the Church. Ye are called to be Stewards of the Divine Word, that with clear voice and faithful heart ye may read the Holy Scriptures in the midst of the congregation, that all may be instructed and edified thereby. Take heed, therefore, that what ye proclaim with your lips, ye do also confirm with your life, walking ever in the fear of the Lord.

THE TONSURE

¶ The Candidates kneeling, the Bishop shall take Scissors, and, cutting the hair in the form of a Cross, shall say:

May the Lord clothe thee with the new man, created after God in righteousness and true holiness. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

People: Amen.

THE HANDING OF THE BOOK

¶ The Bishop shall deliver unto each Candidate a Bible or Lectionary, first placing it on their heads, saying quietly “Let this mind be in you,” and then saying loudly:

Receive this Book, and be thou a faithful Reader in the house of God, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

People: Amen. 

THE PRAYER OF SETTING APART

¶ The Bishop shall then place his hands above them, careful not to fully rest his hands on their heads, saying:

O Lord, who didst inspire Thy holy Prophets and Apostles to declare Thy Word with boldness, grant unto these Thy servants, whom we do now admit to the Order of Reader, grace so to read Thy Scriptures that they may be a means of salvation unto many. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

People: Amen.

THE FINAL BLESSING

¶ The Bishop shall then bless them, touching their heads in the Sign of the Cross, saying: 

The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.

People: Amen.

HYMN—“Lord, Thy Word Abideth”

Lord, Thy Word abideth, 

And our footsteps guideth; 

Who its truth believeth, 

Light and joy receiveth. 

¶ The newly made Readers shall then take their place as the lowest rank among the Clergy, while singing the Te Deum or the Benedictus, and the service shall continue with the Creed and the conclusion of the Holy Eucharist.