12. Jurisdiction (Up-dated June 6, 2004)

12.1 The license issued by the Bishop to a Diocesan Lay Reader authorizes the Lay Reader to function within the Diocese at the pleasure and under the supervision of the Bishop, within the Deanery under the supervision of the Archdeacon, and within the Parish under the supervision of the Incumbent.

12.2 The covenant between an incumbentand a Parochial Lay Reader authorizes the Lay Reader to function within the Parish under the supervision of the Incumbent.

12.3 Parochial Lay Readers may serve in parishes other than their own at the request of the Bishop or Incumbent of that parish and with the express permission of the Incumbent under whose supervision and direction he/she is covenanted

12.4 Nothing in this Handbook shall be construed as preventing other laity from reading the scriptures during worship.