First Church of Christ, Scientist - Albuquerque, NM

Description 

 

The​ ​First​ ​Reader​ ​conducts​ ​the​ ​Sunday​ ​services​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Wednesday​ ​evening meetings.​ ​​ ​The​ ​Second​ ​Reader​ ​assists​ ​the​ ​First​ ​Reader​ ​in​ ​conducting​ ​the Sunday​ ​services.

 

Duties

 

The​ ​Readers​ ​shall​ ​thoroughly​ ​study​ ​and​ ​adhere​ ​to​ ​Article​ ​III​ ​of​ ​the​ ​​Church Manual,​ ​​“Duties​ ​of​ ​Readers​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Mother​ ​Church​ ​and​ ​of​ ​its​ ​Branch Churches."

 

1. The​ ​position​ ​of​ ​Reader​ ​requires​ ​a​ ​metaphysical​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​our 

congregation.​ ​This​ ​focus​ ​should​ ​also​ ​be​ ​cognizant​ ​of​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​our 

community.  

2. Readers​ ​shall​ ​disengage​ ​from​ ​church​ ​committees​ ​and​ ​other​ ​church 

responsibilities​ ​while​ ​serving​ ​as​ ​Reader. 

3. Readers​ ​shall​ ​meet​ ​together​ ​at​ ​least​ ​once​ ​a​ ​week. 

4. Both​ ​Readers​ ​must​ ​sign​ ​the​ ​calendar​ ​in​ ​their​ ​Reader’s​ ​Room​ ​each​ ​service​ ​to 

provide​ ​the​ ​Treasurer​ ​with​ ​a​ ​written​ ​record,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​payment​ ​may​ ​be​ ​issued 

appropriately. 

5. If​ ​absent,​ the ​Reader​ ​must​ ​secure​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Substitute​ ​Readers 

list.​ ​Each​ ​Reader​ ​is​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​confirming​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​at​ ​least​ ​one 

week​ ​before​ ​the​ ​service​ ​or​ ​meeting​ ​in​ ​question,​ ​unless​ ​the​ ​absence​ ​is 

unplanned.​ ​Each​ ​Reader​ ​should​ ​notify​ ​the​ ​Clerk​ ​and​ ​their​ ​Board​ ​contact 

when​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​is​ ​scheduled.​ ​Substitute​ ​readers​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​offered​ ​the 

opportunity​ ​to​ ​read​​ ​​in​ ​alphabetical​ ​order​ ​except​ ​when​ ​the​ ​absence​ ​is 

unplanned.​ ​​ ​Readers​ ​should​ ​advise​ ​substitutes​ ​how​ ​to​ ​check​ ​microphone 

volumes​ ​during​ ​rehearsal.  The​ ​Clerk​ ​is​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​providing​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​substitutes​ ​to​ the ​Reader, including​ ​current​ ​information​ ​on​ ​how​ ​to​ ​contact​ ​them.​ ​Guidelines​ ​for​ ​how to​ ​select​ ​a​ ​substitute​ ​are​ ​included​ ​on​ ​the​ ​list. You can find the roster of substitutes here.

6. Wednesday​ ​evening​ ​meetings​ ​should​ ​allow​ ​at​ ​least​ ​a​ ​half​ ​hour​ ​for 

testimonies.  

7. Coordinate​​ ​​with​ ​the​ ​musicians​​ ​​and​ ​ushers​ ​regarding​​ ​​various​ ​cues​ ​for 

conducting​ ​the​ ​service.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​especially​ ​important​ ​on​ ​Communion 

Sunday,​ ​when​ ​the​ ​Order​ ​of​ ​Services​ ​is​ ​different,​ ​also​ ​when​ ​substitute 

musicians​ ​are​ ​performing​. 

8. The​ ​benediction​ ​should​ ​be​ ​an​ ​unconditional​ ​blessing​ ​of​ ​the​ ​congregation.

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Music

 

1. The​ ​First​ ​Reader​ ​is​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​selecting​ ​appropriate​ ​hymns​ ​for​ ​Sunday 

Services​ ​and​ ​Wednesday​ ​Evening​ ​Meetings.​ ​​ ​Frequent​ ​use​ ​of​ ​hymns​ ​by 

Mary​ ​Baker​ ​Eddy​ ​is​ ​recommended. 

2. The​ ​musicians​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​given​ ​sufficient​ ​notice​ ​about​ ​hymn​ ​selections.​ ​​ ​This 

is​ ​accomplished​ ​by​ ​submitting​ ​the​ ​selections​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Clerk​ ​and​ ​the​ ​musicians 

by​ ​phone​ ​or​ ​email.​​ ​​Selections​ ​for​ ​Sunday​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​supplied​ ​by​ ​the​ ​preceding 

Thursday.​ ​​ ​Selections​ ​for​ ​Wednesday​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​supplied​ ​by​ ​the​ ​preceding 

Monday. 

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Supplies

 

Shortly​ ​after​ ​new​ ​Readers​ ​are​ ​elected,​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​Contact​ ​shall​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​they 

have​ ​the​ ​following: 

 

1. A​ ​set​ ​of​ ​books​ ​(Readers’​ ​choice):​ ​​ ​​Bible​,​ ​​Science​ ​and​ ​Health​​ ​(First​ ​Reader only),​ ​words-only​ ​​Hymnal​​ ​(First​ ​Reader​ ​only)​ ​and​ ​markers​ are ​to​ ​be​ ​ordered​ ​by

the​ ​Reading​ ​Room​ ​at​ ​the​ ​church’s​ ​expense. If Readers opt to read from other forms of the Lesson-Sermon published as such by the Christian Science Publishing Society, the Readers will receive a one-time reimbursement up to an amount equal to the price of Readers-edition books and markers. When the Readers present their receipts or invoices for these alternate forms, the church treasurer will reimburse them.

2. Current​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​the​ ​church​ ​Bylaws. 

3. Current​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​the​ ​church​ ​directory. 

4. Current​ ​Substitute​ ​Readers​ ​list. 

5. Church​ ​key. 

6. A​ ​sum​ ​of​ ​$50.00​ ​will​ ​be​ ​budgeted​ ​yearly​ ​for​ ​the​ ​purchase​ ​of​ ​miscellaneous 

materials​ ​used​ ​for​ ​reading. 

7. The​ ​sum​ ​of​ ​$300.00​ ​will​ ​be​ ​budgeted​ ​and​ ​available​ ​at​ ​least​ ​30​ ​days​ ​prior​ ​to 

the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​each​ ​Reader’s​ ​term​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​lessons​ ​from​ ​a​ ​professional 

reading​ ​coach.​ ​Total​ ​of​ ​$600.​ ​​ ​It​ ​is​ ​expected​ ​that​ ​newly​ ​elected​ ​Readers 

begin​ ​coaching​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​the​ ​first​ ​Sunday​ ​as​ ​Reader,​ ​or​ ​as​ ​soon​ ​as​ ​possible.

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Employment

 

1. To​ ​offset​ ​expenses​ ​incurred​ ​while​ ​reading​ ​and​ ​as​ ​a​ ​token​ ​of​ ​appreciation 

from​ ​the​ ​membership,​ ​the​ ​Readers​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​compensated​ ​financially​ ​and 

receive​​ ​​two​ ​weeks​​ ​​of​ ​paid​ ​vacation.  

2. The​ ​Readers​ ​are​ ​paid​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Treasurer​ ​on​ ​the​ ​first​ ​of​ ​each​ ​month​ ​for​ ​the 

previous​ ​month’s​ ​services.​ ​​ ​Payment​ ​does​ ​not​ ​involve​ ​any​ ​withholding; 

therefore​ ​the​ ​Readers​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​1099​ ​income​-tax​ ​form​ ​and​ ​are​ ​expected 

to​ ​comply​ ​with​ ​all​ ​applicable​ ​tax​ ​laws. 

3. All​ ​employees,​ ​including​ ​Readers,​ ​are​ ​required​ ​to​ ​read​ ​and​ ​adhere​ ​to​ ​our 

church's​ ​"Anti-Harassment​ ​and​ ​Equal​ ​Employment​ ​Policy."

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Notes for Second Reader

 

1. The​ ​Second​ ​Reader​ ​assists​ ​the​ ​First​ ​Reader​ ​in​ ​conducting​ ​the​ ​Sunday 

services. 

2. If​ ​the​ ​Correlative​ ​Scripture​ ​according​ ​to​ ​I​ ​John​ ​3:​ ​1-3​ ​is​ ​to​ ​be​ ​read​ ​from​ ​a 

translation​ ​other​ ​than​ ​the​ ​King​ ​James​ ​Version​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Bible,​ ​the​ ​Second 

Reader​ ​will​ ​notify​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​Contact​ ​as​ ​to​ ​which​ ​translation​ ​will​ ​be​ ​used. 

3. Silent​ ​prayer​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​long​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​for​ ​a​ ​thoughtful​ ​prayer​ ​for​ ​the 

congregation.

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