Anyone who knows Tyler Kinnerup can tell you that he has been committed to participating in services at his local churches for many years. Tyler Kinnerup entered the arena of religious services in 1998 when he was only in second grade. At eight years of age, he was the youngest member ever to read from the Bible at his church Brophy Chapel during a service. This experience was so influential for Tyler Kinnerup that he became a lector for mass at Brophy Chapel and another local church, the St. Francis Xavier Parish. Since 1998, Tyler Kinnerup has actively assumed this duty and continues to feel passionately about his lector duties.

The word “lector” when translated literally from Latin, means “one who reads.” With a religious connotation, a lector refers to an individual who reads Bible passages to a congregation during services. Tyler Kinnerup takes this role seriously, and feels honored to be able to participate in his religion in such a meaningful way. He explains, “Once I started to read for mass, my interest was sparked and I knew that I wanted to do it regularly.” In his impressive fifteen years as a lector, he has continued to enjoy his work and maintains fervor for his faith. “I get a great sense of comfort out of reading the Bible to members of my church,” he explains, “I think it’s a really therapeutic experience for everyone.”

Tyler Kinnerup frequently thinks back to the first time that he read the Bible out loud during services. “It must have seemed funny to the audience,” he says, “because I was so short that I couldn’t reach the microphone and needed to use a stool.” Despite his young age, Tyler Kinnerup delivered an impressive reading which continues to motivate him to dedicate time to his faith. Although he was nervous at first before his first public reading, he knew afterwards that this was something that he would be good at doing. “I can’t imagine my life without the church, as it’s always been a significant part of who I am as a person,” he explains.