JOURNEY TO “A SERVICE OF WHOLENESS”:
Introducing
and Implementing a Ministry of Healing in the Church
Letter to Senior Pastor and Church Council
Presentation to Church Council
Ø PowerPoint
Presentation
Newsletter & Bulletin Info
Sermon “You Are Not Alone” (Outline)
Three Week Sunday Evening Class
Ø Week
1: What is Healing?
PowerPoint Slides 2-4
Ø Week
2: Healing in the History of
Christianity
PowerPoint Slides 5-7
Ø Week
3: Healing as an Act of God’s Self-Giving
PowerPoint Slides 8-10
A Service of Wholeness
Ø Order
of Worship
Bibliography
Endnotes
+++++++ MEMO
TO: Senior
Pastor
Church
Council
FROM: Intercessory Prayer Team
We have been meeting weekly to pray for the church and have experienced an increasing movement of the Spirit as we have been called upon more frequently for healing prayer. Recently, we have been asked to visit people in their homes in order to pray for various forms of healing. As we have interacted with people seeking healing, we feel there is a certain amount of confusion surrounding the word “healing” and what it means. For this reason, we have been investigating the subject of healing prayer.
Our own understanding has deepened considerably, and our conversations with the Senior Pastor have helped us discern a need of the people that God is calling upon us to meet as a communal Body of Christ. The Senior Pastor has expressed his willingness to be a part of this process, and we are appreciative of his support and participation. At this point, we feel called to share our discoveries with you and to seek your support as we begin a healing ministry in the church.
We humbly request time at your next meeting to make a PowerPoint presentation which will include historical background and theological rationale for your consideration. We will also provide a comprehensive plan for the introduction and implementation of healing ministry in the church, culminating in our first “Service of Wholeness.”
Sincerely with our thanks, Cindy Serio, Intercessory Prayer Leader
+++++++ CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 1
On behalf of the Intercessory Prayer Team I want to thank you for letting us make this presentation called Journey to “A Service of Wholeness” for your consideration. The two main reasons we believe so strongly that we need to pursue the ministry of healing is quite simply that people are searching for the wholeness that can be found only in their relationship with God. We also believe that the church needs to recover the healing ministry of Jesus Christ because it was so central to his ministry and because he gave authority to his disciples to continue ministry to the sick.
We have structured this presentation to include three sections which we will use in a special Sunday night study for the three weeks prior to “A Service of Wholeness.” Included in your materials is a project timeline to give you our overall plan. Please note the Senior Pastor has agreed to present a sermon called “You are Not Alone” on the morning of our first class. In addition, you will find the Order of Worship we intend to use. We basically followed the UMBOW, but drew in another resource called Praising God. This enabled us to change some of the language as we designed the service to have inclusive appeal.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 2
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 1
Slide 1
When we began our exploration, we found that each of us had unique ideas about what healing meant. A few of us had resistance to the idea of healing in the church, but we came to understand our struggles emerged from fear of the unknown and lack of trust. We asked the question, “Who are we to offer healing?” We decided to study the word “heal” beginning with Scripture which led us to a Greek word-study. We found it interesting that the expression “made whole” was used often in the KJV, whereas in the NRSV the expression “made well” or “heal” was used more often. We were intrigued by the relationship between “salvation,” “restoration,” “wholeness, and “healing.” There were also numerous occasions of the concept of “cure” which seemed to be the plain meaning of the English in our culture. Our lack of knowledge of Greek hindered us but we felt we understood enough to turn to commentaries and other resources.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 3
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 1
Slide 2
As we began to look at healing more
in the sense of “wholeness” rather than “cure” our fears began to decrease and
our trust began to increase. We find
that intentional use of the word “wholeness” gives people an added dimension
with which to understand the concept of healing in the Christian community.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 4
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 1
Slide 3
The answer to our question “Who are
we to offer healing?” was answered as we began to confront our
misconceptions. “All Healing is of God.”[3] It was so obvious yet we didn’t see it. We are simply God’s instruments of love. A Healing Theology understands divine power
primarily in terms of love and creative transformation.[4] It is a mystery, and we are not meant to
understand it. We are simply meant to
trust and accept.
Perhaps the hardest thing to accept
is that healing does not necessarily mean cure and that God does not promise
cure, even to those who are abundantly faithful. Yet in Jesus Christ there is grace. And in the journey of sanctifying Grace, God
does promise wholeness. In our openness
to the possibilities we acknowledge that physical healing does happen, but more
deeply we can experience inner healing – spiritually and emotionally.
Through rites of confession and
reconciliation we can experience relational healing through the sharing of our
burdens of sin and shortcomings.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 5
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 2
Slide 1
Healing was one of the central acts that
Jesus performed. In Jewish tradition, no
one is credited with more healing accounts than Jesus Christ.[5] Even though scholars are divided in their
belief about whether the healing incidents happened as they were written with
all of the fine details, there is definitely a “historical core” in the
Scriptural witness. Although most of the
men, women, and children he healed may have been composite characters, we can know
with almost certainty that Jesus was well-known for his gifts of healing and
exorcism, which was a working and a sign of the power of the indwelling Holy
Spirit.[6]
Jesus healed in many different
ways. He healed, he cured, and he cast
out demons (up close and from a distance).
He healed with touch, with saliva, with mud. He healed when he was touched. He healed with words. He healed by forgiving sins and encouraging a
different lifestyle. He attributed
healing to the faith of the person being healed or to their friends. Jesus was open to all of the possibilities. Perhaps we should be open to the
possibilities, too!
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 6
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 2
Slide 2
It is clear from the study of
Scripture that Jesus shared the power of the Spirit and the ministry of healing
with the disciples while he was with them.
With the authority they were entrusted with, the disciples continued a
ministry of healing and wholeness in the early church.
Although there are no instances in
Scripture of Jesus using oil when he healed people, anointing with oil was
common in Jewish tradition as testified to in Scripture and other sources.[7] There is no reason to object to the use of
anointing in the ministry of healing today, especially since there is ample evidence
in Scripture that the early church used oil in their rites of healing. James
makes a specific connection between anointing the sick and prayers for
healing. He also makes a connection
between confession and healing, which leads us to the issue of reconciliation,
or relational healing.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 7
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 2
Slide 3
Source: Introduction to Christian Worship in the section entitled “Ministry to the Sick.”[8]
We recognize that “not only was the
healing ministry of Christ passed on to his community of disciples, but
Christ’s own power to heal was given to [all] those who believe.”[9] The uneven and uneasy history of the
ministry of healing should not deter us from pursuing a call to serve the
community with love in the name of Jesus Christ. It seems that many of the problems with the
issue of healing in the past arose from avoidance of theological struggles not
unlike those we have been engaged in.[10] Many of these problems can be dealt with by
entering into a communal dialog, conversing with one another as we hope to do
after this presentation and in the class we will present. As we
explore healing as a journey to wholeness in body, mind, and soul we recognize
“the need to … [promote rites of healing] that are not spectacular, that do not
make extravagant claims, but do take seriously that God does act in self-giving
in public worship.[11]
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 8
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 3
Slide 1
In Jesus Christ, we experience God’s
deepest act of self-giving. Have you
accepted this gift of love with your “whole” heart?
God’s love for you and for me, indeed
for all of humanity, is abundant, endless, and complete. Do you know how much God “wholly” loves
you?
We can trust God “wholeheartedly” to
work always and everywhere for loving good purposes in the world and in all
people. Do you trust God’s “wholehearted”
loving purpose?
It is God’s desire for each one of us
to be “made whole” in body, mind, spirit, and relationships. Do you want to be “made whole?”
The act of “healing is an expression
of God’s basic gift – life itself … the [act] of healing does not always have
the fruition that we might desire but that which is best for us in God’s wisdom
for us.”[12] Are you ready to let go of your desires so
that you can embrace “wholeness” as God self-giving act?
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 9
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 3
Slide 2
When we view healing as an act of
God’s self-giving, we envision God as the supreme giver of all good gifts, and
we are the receptive vessel of God’s love and grace. Yet our response to God can also be seen as
an act of self-giving. As we respond to
God with acceptance, we become channels of God’s love and peace, and the
community of faith becomes God’s self-giving sign of love in an often unloving
world.
We experience mutual love
relationships as we gather to share our struggles and our suffering in the
context of God’s self-giving love. We
invite one another to enter into the mystery of God and trust that we are on
the journey to healing and wholeness even if we do not understand how that
happens. How difficult for modern
technologically savvy people who are driven to “fix” anything that is broken or
to discard it for something new if it can’t be fixed!
In “A Service of Wholeness” the
specific means of expressing the act of both divine and human self-giving is
through both words and actions.[13]
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 10
SUNDAY EVENING CLASS 3
Slide 3
As we embark on this adventurous Journey to “A Service of Wholeness” we
acknowledge that healing is God’s self-giving act of love. As we gather together in community, we will
use several specific acts which appeal to the senses of hearing, seeing,
speaking, smelling, and touching.
Together we will respond with our own words of self-giving love through
prayers of intercession, songs of praise and thanksgiving, and the reading and
hearing of Scripture passages related to healing, wholeness and love.
As we listen, we will encourage the
interaction with one another with actions that comfort and reassure those who
are suffering. The healing power of
touch can be experienced through Anointing and Laying on of Hands with prayers
of intercession. There will always be a
sense of invitation rather than coercion.
As the culminating act of God’s self-giving love, we will celebrate the
sacrament of Holy Communion together as we encourage all persons to look toward
the future redemption of the world.
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 11
CHURCH COUNCIL PRESENTATION
Slide 12
Slide 13 and Sunday Evening Class 3
Slide 4
In conclusion, I invite each one of
you to consider joining us in this Journey
to “A Service of Wholeness.” You are
the leaders of the church and with your support we can join together to meet
the needs of a hungry and seeking community at the same time we take up the
ministry of healing that Jesus Christ entrusted to the Christian
Community. Thank you!
AUGUST & SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER + BULLETIN INFORMATION[14]
JOURNEY TO A SERVICE
OF WHOLENESS:
Introducing and Implementing a Ministry
of Healing in the Church
Start Date PowerPoint Presentation to Church & Council
Join us on Sundays to take the
Journey with us:
Begin 2-4 weeks after PP
Week 1 Sermon: "You are not alone"
Week 2 Class Meeting 1: What is Healing?
Week 3 Class Meeting 2: The History of
Healing in the Church
Week 4 Class Meeting 3: Healing as an Act
of God's Self-Giving
Week 5 A Service of Wholeness
YOU ARE WELCOME AT ONE OR ALL OF THESE
EVENTS!
BRING YOUR BIBLE TO CLASS!!
Sponsored by the Intercessory Prayer Team
POTENTIAL SERMON OUTLINE (for
discussion with Pastor): “You Are Not
Alone”
Begin discussion here with encouragement for Pastor to change scripture and focus to fit local circumstances and congregation.
Scripture: James 5:13-16
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.
The Preaching Worksheet[15]
- What
does this passage say to me?
Depending on the situation, people suffer,
people are joyous, people are sick, and
people sin. In whatever situation a
person is in, he/she is called upon to
communicate with God and with others in prayer, praise and confession. Prayer
is powerful, touch is powerful and sharing is powerful. When one shares
their life in community, there is healing through the journey to wholeness.
- What
does this passage say to the needs of people in our time?
We are not alone in our suffering. God has given us a community of faith within which to share our suffering. God still heals today to bring us to wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.
- What
is the “bad news” in the text? What
is the “bad news” for our time?
Technologically, we may believe we can fix
all things. However … suffering, sickness and sin are real and we must face
them as well as our own mortality.
- What
is the “good news” in the text?
What is the “good news” for our time?
Our circumstances do not
have to rule our lives. Even though we
do suffer, God promised, in Jesus
Christ, never to leave us in our suffering.
If we so choose, we can
face both the good and the bad with God and with each other.
- Behavioral Purpose Statement
I propose to show that God calls us to join together in community to explore the ministry of healing and to share our
suffering, sickness, and sin with one another
in gatherings of prayer and worship
to
the end hearers will seek to experience the journey to healing and
wholeness
by joining the community and
sharing themselves.
- Strategy for Celebration
a. What
shall we celebrate?
We shall celebrate the presence of God in Christ through the power of
the Holy Spirit who is always with us, working for healing and wholeness in the
world and in our lives.
b. How
shall we celebrate our response to 6a?
The
structure should lead the listeners to the recognition of community as a nurturing place for those who are
hurting and should kindle a desire to know more about the experience of healing
God offers.
c. What
materials of celebration shall we use?
I would suggest the honest and
vulnerable sharing of an instance of inner healing where the speaker has experienced
the presence of God in the community of faith and was able to
recognize God’s loving care in the midst of pain and suffering.
JOURNEY TO “A SERVICE OF HEALING” CLASS
MEETINGS
Week 1: What is Healing?
Gathering with Opening Prayer (Lighting the Christ Candle)
Light
of Christ, shine on our path.
Chase away all darkness and lead us to the
heart of God. Amen.
Informational Questions: (Call for response after each question) What
was Bartimaeus seeking from Jesus when he cried out in his suffering? When he cried out, how did the community
respond? What do you think his place was in the community? How did Jesus respond to his request? When Jesus responded, how did the community
react? How was the man healed? What is his place in community now?
Formational Questions: (Call for silence after each question) When
someone cries out in their suffering and asks for healing, what are they really
seeking? Silence. What is the role of the community when there
is someone who is suffering in their midst?
Silence. What is your responsibility to those who
suffer? Silence.
Invitation: Share a word or phrase that
describes the call you hear in this passage.
PP Class Slide 1/Commentary: What are some of the new words you hear that
add dimension or depth to your understanding of healing? In verse 52, G4982 sozo = NRSV “has made you
well” … KJV “has made [you] whole”
Assignment: Individually, look up the
verses for each word to see how they are translated to share with the
group. Insights?
PP Class Slide 2/Commentary: “The root of the word healing in New Testament Greek, sozo, is the same as that of salvation and wholeness.”[16] Insights?
PP Class Slide 3/Commentary: Present modern misconceptions and call for
any other examples from the class participants.
Present the word wholeness as the word that may best describe healing in
today’s culture … (Be prepared for disagreement
and be open to diversity. Model respect
and reconciliation within community at all times) … Invite all to return the
next week and bring a friend!
Sending Forth with Blessing: May God bless you this week with hope and
wholeness as you walk in the Light of Christ.
Week 2: Healing in the History of Christianity
Gathering with Opening Prayer (Lighting the Christ Candle)
Light
of Christ, shine on our path.
Chase away all darkness and lead us to the heart of God. Amen.
Scripture
Informational Questions: (Call for response after each question) Who
is it that seeks healing in this passage?
What is the role of the man’s community of faith? How does Jesus heal the man? What is the impact of the healing on the
community?
Formational Questions: (Call for silence after each question) From
the way Jesus converses with the paralyzed man, what kind of healing does he
need? Silence. What reasons might the man not have asked for
healing … instead letting his friends carry him to Jesus? Silence.
What is your responsibility to those in your community who don’t seem to
be able to approach God for healing?
Silence.
Invitation: Share a word or phrase that
describes the call you hear in this passage.
PP Class Slide 1/Commentary: Jesus healed in many different ways.
Assignment: Individually, look up the
verses/passages that describe healings that Jesus performed. Share with the group details about the
healing.
PP Class Slide 2/Commentary: The disciples were given the authority to
carry on the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.
Assignment: Individually, look up the
verses/passages that describe commissions to heal or healing acts performed by
the disciples or the early church. Share
with the group details about the ministry of healing in the early church.
PP Class Slide 3/Commentary: Where have
you seen an emergence of people hungry for healing and wholeness? Where have you experienced public displays of
healing? How were they different from
the ways of healing we are talking about?
How are they the same? (Be prepared for disagreement and be open to
diversity. Model respect and
reconciliation within community) … Invite all to return the next week and bring
a friend!
Sending Forth with Blessing: May God bless you this week with the care of
faithful friends as you walk in the Light of Christ.
Week 3: Healing as an Act of God’s self-giving
Gathering with Opening Prayer (Lighting the Christ Candle)
Light
of Christ, shine on our path.
Chase away all darkness and lead us to the heart of God. Amen.
Scripture
Informational Questions: (Call for response after each question) How
is God’s love made known to us? Who will
separate us from the love of God in Christ?
What will not separate us from the love of God in Christ? What do you know about the love of God in
Christ from reading this passage?
Formational Questions: (Call for silence after each question) Who in
your life models this kind of love for you?
Silence. Think about a time when
you didn’t feel this depth of love from God in Christ. Silence.
Is there anyone in your life who needs this kind of love right now? Silence.
Invitation: Share a word or phrase that
describes the call you hear in this passage.
PP Class Slide 1/Commentary: Let the
question hang … Silence
PP Class Slide 2/Commentary:
PP Class Slide 3/Commentary:
Invitation: I
invite you to join me in an experience of Anointing & Laying on of Hands.
PP Class Slide 4: James 5:14-16a …
A moment of Silent Confession
Assurance of God’s
love: Hear the good news: Nothing in all creation, neither what we do
nor what has been done to us, can separate us from the love of God made known
in Jesus Christ and poured out on the church through the Spirit. Praise God!
Amen. (PG)
Thanksgiving over the
Oil: Holy Source of life and
wholeness, we give you thanks for the gift of oil, sign of your Spirit’s power
within and among us. We thank you for
Jesus Christ, your anointed one, who healed the sick, raised the dead, brought
good news to the poor, and proclaimed the year of your favor. Anoint us now by your grace, that we may
receive the healing and wholeness you intend for us, and so be renewed to be
your people in the world. In the name of
Jesus Christ, we pray. (All) Amen.
(PG)
Invitation to Prayers
for Healing and Wholeness with Anointing & Laying on of Hands: You are invited to come forward for
healing prayers, anointing and/or laying on of hands. Feel free to state your desire regarding the
rituals. Only participate in what you
feel comfortable with at this time. You
may come forward if & as you are led.
Prayer of Anointing: May the power of God’s indwelling presence heal your body, mind, spirit, and relationships so you will experience wholeness, enabling you to serve God and others with a loving heart. Amen. (BOW)
Invite all attend “A Service of Wholeness” next week
and bring a friend!
Sending Forth with Blessing: May God bless you this week with peace as you
walk in the Light and Love of Christ.
A SERVICE OF WHOLENESS[17]
Gathering
Greeting: May Grace and peace be yours in abundance in
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
We have come to lift up our brothers and sisters before the Lord that
they might receive healing and wholeness of body, mind, spirit, and
relationships. Let those who seek God’s
healing touch open their hearts to the Spirit of God. (BOW)
Hymn of Praise Spirit of the Living God UMH 393
Opening Prayer (All): We lay down our need before you, Holy and
Loving God of compassion and grace, trusting in your great love for us and for
all creation. We bear wounds, and we
ourselves have wounded others. We open
ourselves to the work of your Spirit among us to free us from all that is not
of you and to recreate us in your image.
Praise and thanksgiving, honor and blessing be to you, divine Source of
healing and love, through your Word of grace made flesh, and your Spirit of
holiness and power. Amen. (PG)
Scripture: Luke
17: 11-19 11 On the way to
Witness to God’s
Healing Power: The people are
invited to share words of thanksgiving for what God is doing in their lives and
in the community. (PG)
Hymn of Thanksgiving: We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise FWS 2031
Call to Confession: James 5:14-16a 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. (NRSV-BOW)
A moment of Silent Confession
Assurance of God’s love: Hear the good news: Nothing in all creation, neither what we do nor what has been done to us, can separate us from the love of God made known in Jesus Christ and poured out on the church through the Spirit. (PG)
Response (All): Thanks be to God! Amen.
Thanksgiving over the Oil: Holy Source of life and wholeness, we give you thanks for the gift of oil, sign of your Spirit’s power within and among us. We thank you for Jesus Christ, your anointed one, who healed the sick, raised the dead, brought good news to the poor, and proclaimed the year of your favor. Anoint us now by your grace, that we may receive the healing and wholeness you intend for us, and so be renewed to be your people in the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. (All) Amen. (PG)
A Time of Intercessory Prayer: All are invited to share their supplications and petitions for healing and wholeness with the community … After each request, the leader will say: Lord, in your mercy. The community will respond: Hear our prayer.
All: God of Healing and Wholeness, we trust ourselves, our friends, our families, and our world to your keeping. We open ourselves to your healing power. Make us instruments of your peace, through the power of your Spirit and the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen. (PG)
Hymn of Grace: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace FWS
2171
Invitation to Prayers for Healing and Wholeness with Anointing & Laying on of Hands: You are invited to come forward for healing prayers, anointing and/or laying on of hands … there are three stations available. Please let us know if you have special prayer concerns. And feel free to state your desire regarding the rituals. Only participate in what you feel comfortable with at this time. You may come forward as you are led.
Prayer of Anointing: May the power of God’s indwelling presence heal your body, mind, spirit, and relationships so you will experience wholeness, enabling you to serve God and others with a loving heart. Amen. (BOW)
Holy Communion: A Service of Word and Table III (UMH 15)[18]
Hymn of Communion: In Remembrance of Me FWS 2254
Sending
Sources: BOW=United
Methodist Book of Worship
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The
Historical Jesus & The
Heart of Contemporary Faith.
Duck, Ruth C. and Patricia
Wilson-Kastner. Praising God: The Trinity
in Christian
Worship.
Epperly, Bruce G. Healing Worship: Purpose and Practice.
Press, 2006.
Fink, Peter J. ed. Alternative Futures for Worship: Anointing
of the Sick. Collegeville,
MN: The Order of St. Benedict, 1987.
Thomas, Frank A. They Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The
Role of Celebration in
Preaching.
White, James F. Introduction to Christian Worship. Third
Edition.
Press. 2000.
- - - Sacraments as God’s Self-Giving. Second Edition.
Wuellner, Flora Slosson. Prayer, Stress and our Inner Wounds.
Room. 1995
ENDNOTES
[1] The United
Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing
House, 1992) 613.
[2] Flora Slosson Wuellner Prayer, Stress and our Inner Wounds( Nashville: The Upper Room,
1995) 15.
[3] UMBOW, 613.
[4] Bruce G. Epperly Healing Worship: Purpose and
Practice (
[5] Marcus J. Borg, Meeting
Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of
Contemporary Faith (New York: HarperCollins, 1996) 31.
[6] Borg, 36.
[7] Walter H. Cuenin “History of Anointing and Healing in
the Church” in Alternative Futures for
Worship: Anointing of the Sick (Collegeville, MN: The Order of St.
Benedict, 1987) 66.
[8] James F. White Introduction
to Christian Worship Third Edition (
[9] Peter E. Fink “Introduction” to Alternative Futures for Worship: Anointing of the Sick (Collegeville,
MN: The Order of St.
Benedict, 1987) 12.
[10] White, Intro 273.
[11] White, Intro 275-276
[12] James F. White Sacraments
as God’s Self-Giving Second Edition (
[13] White, Sacraments
21
[14] My aim in Newsletter and Bulletin is for clarity. Most people will not read paragraphs but they
will skim for interest and they will post schedules. If there interest is piqued, they will seek
information or show up.
[15] Frank A. Thomas They
Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching. (Cleveland:
The Pilgrims Press, 1997) 75. The
Worksheet is printed in regular type with my reflections in bold print. Because I believe it is incredibly important
to have the full support of the Senior Pastor, I would not offer to preach this
sermon, but I would feel comfortable sharing my reflections with him in a
discussion about how best to invite the congregation to journey with us toward
an understanding of healing and wholeness and the role of the church in that
journey.
[16] BOW, 613
[17] This order of worship is an adapted blending, of “A
Service of Healing I” in the UMBOW,
615-621 and the “Service of Healing” in Ruth C. Duck and Patricia
Wilson-Kastner Praising God: The Trinity in
Christian Worship (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999)
165-171. I identified and cited the
sources as (BOW) and (PG) in the Order of Worship. Much has been copied verbatim from the sources,
yet I freely exchanged words and phrases in order to make the service relevant
to our purpose and our community.
Unfortunately, this would have made the use of quotation marks
excessive, confusing and unacceptable in an Order of Worship.
[18] The Healing Service in the BOW locates Holy Communion
before the Prayers, Anointing, and Laying on of Hands. However, in the sense of response I moved it
to the end as some of the other sources I have looked. It seems the ultimate response of sharing and
thanksgiving before the Sending Forth.
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