Dear friends,

Since the start of the pandemic, we have not been able to offer the ministry of healing in the ways that we did prior to March.  Of course, all of us are praying for God’s help and healing for our whole suffering world, and every Sunday we offer prayers for those in any need or trouble.  But we have not been able to hold Wednesday healing services, nor have we been able to set up our prayer stations on Sunday mornings to offer individual prayer and anointing.  I miss those ministries, and I’m guessing many of you do, too.  It is both ironic and poignant that in this time when so much healing is needed, we haven’t been able to offer the sacramental rite of the Unction of the Sick. 

The staff and I talked about this situation today and decided on some ways to offer healing prayer even now while we are still worshiping from afar.  I hope you will find them helpful:

·     Inclusion of a healing prayer in the weekly Prayers of the People:  As noted above, our Sunday prayers always include prayers for God’s healing, but my guess is that many people do not include prayer for their own healing in their petitions.  Our Sunday Prayers of the People every week will now include a prayer from the healing service that specifically asks for God’s healing for us and others.

·     Monthly Sunday use of the healing litany:  One Sunday a month, our Prayers of the People will be the Litany for Healing.

·     Individual healing prayer: Beginning in February, on the first Sunday of the month, a member of the healing prayer team will be available at the Main Street door from noon to 1 PM to offer individual healing prayer so that parishioners can receive communion and also healing prayer with one trip to the church. Because of the pandemic, the prayer team member will not be using oil for anointing and will maintain social distancing, but God of course is not limited by those changes! Meanwhile, Marc and I are always glad to offer individual prayers for healing for you and or loved ones, either in person or by phone.  Please don’t hesitate to call, email, or text us at any time if you would like us to pray with you.

God yearns for our healing and wholeness.  All of us are imperfect, broken people; all of us need God’s healing in one way or another.  Through the tender compassion of our God, may you experience Jesus the healer at work in your life and in the lives of those whom you hold dear. 

Blessings,

Anne