"A Time to Heal "
After a long period of decline in the church's healing ministry, the past few years has seen its rediscovery. " A Time to Heal" was the first official Church of England report on the subject for over forty years. Such is the change over those years that the report has become an Anglican best seller!
In the gospels, other than the accounts of his crucifixion and resurrection, no part of Jesus' ministry is detailed more than his works of healing. Over 30% of the gospels are taken up with this aspect of his ministry. Again and again we read of how Jesus had time for the people who came to him broken or in need of help. He met them as they were and brought them wholeness and peace.
It is also evident that he expected his followers to continue this work. When Jesus commissioned the disciples at the end of the gospels, he sent them out to put into practice all they had seen him do.
"A Time to Heal" asks the basic question of whether the ministry of healing is an appropriate ministry for the church in the twenty-first century. Dominic Walker, one of the report's authors, wrote "Some people would argue that God has now given us a greater understanding of human physiology and psychology and that the ministry of healing has passed to the medical professions. Whilst agreeing that God's activity is not restricted to the Church, we also recognised the need to affirm that we are spiritual people as well as physical and psychological beings and that ultimately all healing is from God. Jesus was a healer who calls his church to continue his ministry in the world today. "
It is our task to pray for the healing of individuals, but also for the reconciliation of a broken world as well. As the leader of the Corrymeela Community in Ireland said, 'If the church has nothing to say about reconciliation; the church has nothing to say'. Our support of Christian Aid this month, therefore, is an integral part of our prayer for a creation that is out of joint with itself.
Our Benefice has a special Away Day on Sunday 18th. May when we will have chance to learn and reflect more about praying for healing. After our morning services we will go to Charterhouse and have lunch together. The afternoon will be led for us by Martin and Cesca Cavender, who recently moved to Axbridge. Martin is Director of ReSource, a national organisation which supports and equips churches in its mission. Cesca is much involved in Harnhill, a Christian centre for healing near Cirencester. Please let me know if you would like to come.
We trust that this will be a step for us in discovering how God wants to heal us.
