- Don't start talking until you have arrived at the lecturn, stopped and looked at the congregation.
- Know what kind of Bible reading it is. If you are reading a declaratory, call-to-worship opening reading, then don't tell people the reference and wait for them to turn to it, and don't read it like it's a menu. Declare it in a Thus-saith-the-Lord way.
- Don't tell me the page number. Even if you are using a pew Bible, lots of churches have at least two editions in their pews.
- Wait for all the rustling of pages to die down. All of them. If you are not used to being up the front then this may feel like it takes forever and ever.
- Announce the reading twice. I like it if the first announcement is the full title: "The Gospel According to John, Chapter 1 verses 1-8" or "Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 3 Verses 22 to 28". I like the second announcement (after people have found their page) to be briefer: "John 1 verse 1" or "1Corinthinas 3 verse 22".
- Pause briefly before leaving the lecturn.
- If you are using the microphone, project your voice just as much as if you weren't using a microphone.
