Licensed Lay Ministry in the Diocese of Oxford

In the Diocese of Oxford Readers are known as Licensed Lay Ministers.

Readers are lay people in the Church of England from all walks of life who are called by God, theologically trained and licensed by the Church to preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work.

This website exists both as a support for the community of Lay Ministers within the Oxford Diocese and to provide information about Lay Ministry to anyone else. We hope that you enjoy discovering this special ministry. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to know more.

Our ministry emphasises Preaching, Leading Worship and Pastoral Care, and as theologically articulate lay people in the workplace and in society we are regarded as an essential link between the world and the church. As such our work takes us into developing areas such as:

undertaking lay education in Christian faith and discipleship, and in knowledge of the Bible;
undertaking pioneering work in the community, and in chaplaincy work;
encouraging and enabling the development of lay Christian discipleship in service and ministry in the local church and in the world of work.