St Michael’s Church
Glassenbury Drive
Bexhill-on-Sea
Glassenbury Drive
Bexhill-
St Michael’s Church
Bexhill Parish Team Ministry
Charity No 1131504
WHAT ARE THE COMMON FORMS OF HEALING MINISTRY?
Public and private prayers of intercession. Christian worship has always included prayers of intercession customarily addressed to the Father, through the Son and in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Intercessory prayer, in which we pray individually and corporately . For those who are suffering, combines our love with God’s love and our will with his will, so as to cooperate with him in fostering his kingdom.
The laying on of hands. Actions can often speak louder than words and touch conveys a message of love and assurance as well as being a link with Christ’s command to heal the sick. Hands of those ministering are used as a channel of God’s healing power and are usually placed gently on or side by side of a person’s head, or on his or her shoulders. Accompanying prayers are said quietly and reverently. The love of Christ is received through his form of touch making a sick person feel less fearful or alone in their suffering.
Anointing. We pray that as we are outwardly anointed with oil, we shall be inwardly anointed with the Holy Spirit. It is customary for a priest to anoint a person with thumb or forefinger, making the sign of the cross, with a small amount of oil on the forehead and sometimes the palms of the hands. Anointing is often accompanied by the laying on of hands and sometimes Holy Communion and reconciliation.
Reconciliation and absolution. Confession is increasingly seen as an act of reconciliation which begins with God calling us back to himself. The Anglican tradition values the use of confession as a communal act in the liturgy and makes provision for private confession to a priest. Private confession may be made in a formal or less formal setting and may include spiritual advice and counsel as well as absolution.
Friendship, forgiveness, listening, acceptance and affirmation can also have a healing grace. So in different ways we are all able to take part in the Church’s healing ministry, looking forward in faith to the kind of healing God wills for those for whom we are praying.
The Christian healing ministry is available in the
following ways:
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In the course of the Church’s normal worship. |
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At healing services, including the Eucharist, in institutions such as hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, residential homes for the elderly and disabled people, prisons etc and at Christian healing centres and related conferences. |
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Privately within the home, hospitals and hospices and discretely in church side chapels etc. |
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Ecumenically across the denominations, including local services, the hospital and prison chaplaincies |
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In cooperation with the medical and caring professions
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