TV5999 : St Mary's eagle lectern
taken 7 years ago, near to Eastbourne, East Sussex, England
The use of Eagles as Lecterns in churches certainly predates the reformation, and they are amazingly common. The Eagle is said to represent St John the Apostle, whose soaring symbolism makes the 4th gospel the most literary of the descriptions of Christ's ministry.
In the 5th century St Jerome used the Eagle as a metaphor for Christ's ascenscion, and an early legend held that the eagle would periodically renew its youth by flying near the sun and then plunging into a lake or fountain. On this basis the eagle became a symbol for the Resurrection as well as the Ascension. And, of course, the outstretched wings are a very convenient form for a lectern.
There is a brief Wikipedia article here: Link