On Sunday 28 September 2025 in a service at Canterbury Cathedral, candidates will be admitted to the office of Reader in the Church and licensed to exercise that ministry in our diocese. All are welcome to attend the service at 5:30pm, or alternatively a livestream of the service is available online.
Readers are lay ministers of The Word with a passion for sharing The Gospel. Like their clergy colleagues, they have completed a process of discernment and theological studies as part of their ministerial formation.
They are licensed by the Bishop to exercise a varied ministry which will include: teaching the faith; enabling mission in everyday life; and leadership in church and the wider community.
All sorts of people are called to Reader ministry because disciples of Jesus come from all walks of life. The ministry of Readers (or ‘Licensed Lay Ministers’) is a transferable and voluntary ministry within the Church of England.
Meet our readers to be licensed this year below...
Susan Brearley
"During the interregnum at St Mary's Eastry, a small group of us regular worshippers were asked by our Curate to lead a monthly Lay Led Sunday Service. The church couldn’t stay open otherwise and, though we were unprepared, we rose to the challenge. In preaching and leading each month, I experienced my calling to Ministry, and it is with immense joy and relief – following two years of training – that I am to receive my licence on Sunday 28 September."
Angie Frost
"I was originally licensed as a Licensed Lay Minister (Reader equivalent) in The Diocese of Rochester over ten years ago. In the last four years, I have worked and worship in The Diocese of Canterbury in the parish of St Martin's, Maidstone, and it feels like my home (even though I don't live there). I feel that God is calling me to serve this community. I feel The Holy Spirit is guiding me to be fully a part of this wonderful parish, and that is why I feel being licensed as a Reader in The Diocese of Canterbury is the right thing to do."
Andrew Snowdon
"In retrospect I feel that God was tapping me on the shoulder from an early age, as I studied Divinity for A Level and then went on to take a degree in Theology at Kings College London.
"Later, when I joined the staff at Kings College School as Housemaster and Head of Religious Studies, the Headmaster also asked me to be Lay Chaplain – and the same happened at my next school, The New Beacon, in Sevenoaks.
"In our recent interregnum, the churchwardens asked me if I would lead some services, and then suggested that I might consider becoming a Lay Reader. Tap, tap tap! I feel that I am now answering God’s call that perhaps I should have answered a long time ago!"
Victoria Friedrich
"My call to be a Lay Reader has grown out of a lifelong search for God’s purpose for me. I’ve journeyed through a series of meaningful and worthy occupations, each offering its own lessons and blessings, yet never quite feeling like the destination.
"That search – sometimes restless, always sincere – has now led me to lay ministry, and in this space I feel as though I’ve come home.
"Preaching is at the heart of my calling: opening Scripture in ways that speak to today’s world, making the gospel accessible, relevant, and alive. I believe The Good News of Christ is not just ancient truth, but present hope – and I’m passionate about helping others encounter it in ways that resonate with their everyday lives. Through this ministry, I seek to encourage faith, spark reflection, and invite others into a deeper relationship with the living God."
Stephen Ringer
"I have been a member of the congregation/choir of St Laurence for nearly 30 years, during which time I have spent a total of 8 years as churchwarden and many more on the PCC. I have also been called to study theology over this time completing an MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission in 2023. It was then suggested that I study to be a licensed Reader, a course which I have enjoyed immensely and now hope to be able to serve the parish in that capacity for many years to come."
Ruth Jones
"When I stepped down as Church Administrator in March 2020 after 25 years, I began to think and pray about future ministry. I increasingly felt a desire to use my previous experience and theological training in The Lord’s service.
"This led to me leading services, enquiring about ministry training, and seeking the blessing and authority of the wider church. With the encouragement and support of my vicar and the PCC, I attended a discernment morning and was recommended for Licensed Lay Ministry (Reader) Training. I can see The Lord’s hand in my calling and His leading every step of the way."
Feeling called?
If you are interested in exploring Reader minsitry, contact Nigel Collins to find out more.