MY UNCOMFORTABLE WORDS: PUBLIC READING AND PERSONAL DISASTERS

Photo by Stephen Radford on Unsplash

“Your Reading Was Dull.” Not quite the feedback I expected. In this case, the reading was now immortalised on YouTube, after two attempts at the recording, which the supervisor had filmed. However, frustrations aside, the summary was accurate. The reading was dull. And, in person or online, a dull reading is a sure-fire way to lose people. 

The congregation walked out of my worst reading in church. But two-year-olds in a crèche can be quite harsh. The young toddler sat by me soon made it clear that he preferred the lively, animated reading that the mother at the other side of the room was giving, in contrast to my rather less exciting reading of this laminated children’s book. One of the things I soon realised, in the initial stages of parenthood, was the importance of reading well. As we grow, the focus turns from being able to read, to being able to read silently. Reading out loud becomes a sign that you are “behind”. And so I found myself reverting to that younger version of me, reading in a monotone way, petrified I would lose the line I was reading, acutely aware of the pressure of all of the people watching me as I read. 

Having been an accomplished teacher, as Assistant Principal of a large secondary school and sixth form, presenting to large audiences, in assemblies, and parents’ evenings, public speaking was nothing new to me. In fact, I like to think I was rather good at it. I thrive on the dynamic and energy of being in conversation with such large groups, such as at the whole school communion, to 1000 young people, through to late-night presentations about the transition to high school. Not being able to read a bit of text to a camera seemed to suggest that everything else been a charade. But it is an entirely different game. You do not come to reading the word of God with the idea that you are going to engage with the public. Reading the Bible has always been a deeply personal thing. It is about the relationship and personal change between the text, God and I. Bringing a whole congregation into this dynamic is not something I remember signing up to! So how can you be personal in such public situation? 

We can move from these personal disasters with uncomfortable words, to a place of confidence, and engagement? My deep foray into the world of online guides to liturgical reading, instructional videos from actors, and other professionals who read aloud, have precipitated into four steps that have helped me get comfortable with reading. Each of these things, that mother, in that crèche, was doing. They are not hard. They are not far from us. And they do not take much. 

Reading the Word of Lord is important. It has always been read aloud. It is meant to be read out loud. It is more than just acting. It is a holy and sacred ministry. Reading as a ministry clarifies reading in church. It implies that we need to take time to prepare, and that there are skills to learn. And once we have done these things, we can get comfortable with reading. So how do you get comfortable with reading? It turns out, it is not that far from the dynamic of teaching and preaching. 

1. Get Comfortable with Your Voice 

This seems overly simple. But crucial. Public speaking uses a different part of your voice. It has different demands to the normal use of your voice. I am a tenor, so I know my voice will never be “an octave lower than God’s”, as William Lance LeGault’s voice was once described.  Yet, just like in a choir, there is a range to your voice available to you. One of the things that I find helpful is to practice this range. Explore the depth of your voice. Explore the differences in the tone and timber of your voice. Because it is these aspects to your voice that will bring the readings to life. What is your voice like during times of joy? What is your voice like during times of sorrow? What notes do you hit? Spending time getting to know your voice is helpful because then you know the tools that you are working with. And from that knowledge comes confidence. And a confident speaker is never dull. 

2. Get Comfortable with the Ideas in the Reading 

Get comfortable with the reading. Pre-read the text. What is happening? The Bible is a divine library; a collection of laments, poetry filled with love, gossips of despair, chronicles of victory, parables to ponder…. Your reading is part of that library. So, what do you learn from this reading? What is happening? What are the emotions in this story? How does it make you feel? How would it have made the people hearing it for the first time feel? And now, what does this mean for your reading? Where are the inclinations of your tone? 

As you reflect on the above, you will be able to gain new insight into the reading. You will be able to have an increased confidence in what you are saying and the direction it is going. And that, coupled with the comfort of knowing your voice, will lead to a richer reading for all. 

3. Get Comfortable with the Words

Everybody shifts uncomfortably, when they find they have got an Old Testament reading with names that stretch your tongue. So, get comfortable with them as you prepare for the reading. Slow down to practice them, write them out phonetically, print off the reading with these pronunciations, so you know they sound right. However, words can make us uncomfortable in more ways than one. 

Another thing that we lose growing up is the idea of following the words with your finger or hand. I commend it to you, having seen bishops and leaders in the church do the same. You will be more comfortable reading by holding the Bible in one hand and keeping your finger on it the other hand. And use a reader’s Bible; with a slightly bigger font, so that it easier to follow the words and the line spacing. 

Most importantly of all, practice. Use the Bible you are going to read from. So, then you know where the page turns are. You know when you can take a break to breathe. You are familiar with the layout. You know this text. You are comfortable. And you are confident. Practice reading. And do not sweat the small stuff — as with all ministry, you will feel more comfortable in being able to make and rectify mistakes if you have prepared properly. 

4.Get Comfortable with the Act of Reading 

Reading in church is a social thing. We read to share with our siblings in Christ gathered. It is a relational moment. So, relate to the people around you. You are already using your finger if you need to see where you are, so look up. Make eye contact. Our eyes are the windows to our souls, so it has been said. Connect with those around you. Speak the word of God to the people assembled. 

This will also help you pace yourself as you read. Being able to pause and read at a pace so the people in the back can distinguish each of your words, is helped by taking the small gaps. Because in the small moments you are helping people to digest and connect with the word of God. 

The act of reading has physical aspects to it. Do you know where the reader sits if that is somewhere particular? Where will you read from? What will be there for you to use? Using a lectern is a great help. With the weight of the Bible supported, you can make some movements as you read, for a passionate reading. One of the most helpful things I have found is to visualise the reading. See all the things you need to do to get to the point where you are reading. And to imagine the act of the reading as well so you can see anything that might be an issue before it comes to reading. Because confidence follows comfort. 

Get comfortable with your Voice. Get comfortable with the Text. Get comfortable with the Words. Get comfortable with the Act. 

And, just like that mother, in that crèche, the uncomfortable words will become comfortable, and the words of your reading will come to life, as they have always done, for over two thousand years. Funnily enough, these are the same things that I tend to do when preparing a lesson or preparing a sermon. Maybe ministry is not that uncomfortable after all.