"Healing Graces" Uses God's Energy to Heal

Healing Graces is a loving space where we invite God's energy to promote healing. During this process the body relaxes, allowing all systems to shift towards balance. When the body receives healing energy this can allow unresolved issues, previous trauma, physical and emotional pain to be released, leaving the individual feeling refreshed with a peaceful state of mind, body and spirit.

Healing Graces is located at Grace Church in room 15 on the first floor past the Small Assembly Room. Currently, it is staffed Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm by Reiki Master Bill Tarter and Healing Touch student Candace Moxley. Contact Candace Moxley (513-376-7044, candy.moxley@icloud.com) to make an appointment.

The Healing Graces room is available to all healers to help make this a community blessing. All modalities are welcome. For scheduling, contact Candace.

This ministry is free, but donations to Grace Church are always welcome.

Healing Graces is another ministry that's part of the Spirituality and Healing Center at Grace.

Intercessory Prayer

How do we pray for our sisters and brothers when we are asked to offer intercessory prayers on her/his behalf?

That is a difficult question to answer because the bottom line for all prayer is that one prays in ways that are authentic to one-self. Our personalities and dispositions often impact how each of us prays. So pray for others however it is that the Holy Spirit leads and guides you to pray. That is what is most essential.

When I lead workshops on healing prayer and teach healing team members to pray for others, my first admonition is to remember that it is God who heals. We are not the healers. Our job is to hold a brother or a sister in God’s presence. We don’t fix the problem or solve the prayer request. That part is God’s work.

Healing prayer is quite easy to do. We invite God to come and be with the person receiving intercessory prayer. We ask God to minister to that person in whatever ways she/he most needs God’s presence at this time. Alternatively, we may imagine the person being surrounded with God’s light, grace or love and then filled to overflowing with God’s healing, life-giving presence. Our inner attitude is one of trust that God will do more for the person who is receiving intercessory prayers than we could hope or imagine!

One does not need to know details about a person’s needs or situation. As intercessors, we do not pray the problem. We pray that God will move in the person’s life to restore that individual to wholeness, health, and harmony. In short, to become more fully the person God created that sister or brother to be.

- Hawley Todd TSSF, Minister of Christ Healing

- Exec. Dir. – Episcopal Healing Ministries

Sermon at Grace Church Healing Service November 18, 2012

By Hawley Todd, TSSF

Readings:

Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25

Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," and since then has been waiting "until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

"This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,"

he also adds,

"I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?" Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, `I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs."

Sermon: Great Expectations: Faith

Welcome again to Grace Church for our Celebration of Wholeness and Healing.

Who is Jesus? More specifically, who is your Jesus? And more importantly what do you expect of Him? As followers of Jesus, we are in some kind of a relationship with Him, so what do you expect? What do you anticipate He will do? Will He participate in your life in any way here on earth? Do you have any expectations for the life to come? Is your Jesus real? Does He exist still today? Or was He simply a great moral teacher who lived 2000 years ago and was a good example of what it means to be a human?

Who is Jesus? Your answers really do matter. They are of ultimate significance.

Our reading from Hebrews tells us something about who Jesus is. He is seated at the right hand of God. He is our Great High Priest and he has offered a sacrifice once and for all to wash us clean of our sins.

And in Mark Jesus warns us saying that many will come in His name saying that they are He and that we need to be careful not to be led astray.

Scripture and Tradition tell us many other things about who Jesus is and what we might be able to expect of him. Yet in your beliefs and in your experience, who is your Jesus? And while we're at it, Who is God? Who is the Holy Spirit?

Maybe here is a simpler question: What is Faith? After all, faith is an important topic for Christians and followers of Jesus. Jesus often says to a healed person – “your faith has made you well.”

So what is faith? The word faith has been used in many ways. There is faith which refers to the teaching of our traditions. But the faith that Jesus is referring to is an inner disposition of our hearts and minds. It is a stance we take in relationship to God. At its core faith is what the word Trust means in the common language of our day.

Years ago one of my teachers explained to me that to have faith is to open one’s heart and mind to whatever one has faith in. I like that explanation of faith. To have faith in Jesus is to be open to and trusting in Jesus.

So if we are open and trusting in Jesus, what are our expectations of Him? I expect him to show up. I expect Him to heal, touch, and bless each one of us. Both my reading of the tradition and my life experiences lead me to those expectations.

On Wednesday night, we looked at a very difficult scripture which is found in all three synoptic Gospels.

The key point was in Matt 13:58 where it says of Jesus in his hometown “And He did not do many deeds there, because of their unbelief.”

My sermon last Wednesday evening focused on what Science calls the “Nocebo Effect.” 

The nocebo effect is more or less the opposite of the placebo effect..

The placebo effect says that our expectations that good things will come from inert substances like a sugar pill often bring positive benefits to a patient. 

Medical researchers studying the Nocebo effect have shown that our negative expectations of a treatment program can influence the outcome in non-beneficial ways. Let me give you two quick examples.

In one test, researchers told a group that they were testing the effects of a drug to see if it had any analgesic effects at all or whether it was just totally ineffective. In reality, it was a proven pain killer. Yet many of the patients reported it has not effect at all.

In another test conducted in Italy, two groups of test patients were recruited for a lactose intolerance test. One group was lactose intolerant and the other group was not. They were told that they would be given a lactose pill to see its effects on the gastro-intestinal system. In reality they were given glucose which has no impact at all on the digestive system. Yet 44% of the lactose group and 26% of the non-lactose intolerant group reported digestive problems as a result of the pill.

Our expectations can be very powerful. In the first example, lack of belief got in the way of a powerful pain killer doing its job. In the second example, an expectation that problems might occur helped to bring those issues about in patients’ lives.

So what is our faith, our trust in Jesus, our openness to receiving the Grace and gifts He has for us today? When you come to receive healing prayer today, come with an open heart expecting the fullness of all good things God has in His heart for you.

I would like to close with a prayer that Paul prayed for the community in Ephesus

…I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Why Hold a Healing Service?

Preached 4/29/12 at Grace Church by Hawley Todd, TSSF.

Scripture readings for the day

Acts 4:5-12
The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, wth Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-- they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.

1 John 3:16-24
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us--and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

John 10:11-18
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away--and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. Th hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

The Sermon

If you are new to Grace church, you may wonder why we have a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing as our primary service on a Sunday Morning. After all, most liturgical churches have Holy Eucharist/Communion as the principle worship service on Sundays. And we are in keeping with that tradition most Sundays of the month. And many Protestant Churches have services where the preaching of the Word of God is the central focus. Yet once a month, we have this service.

So why does Grace have a healing service on Sunday mornings? I will give you two answers to that question but first let me put it into context. I am the Executive Director for Episcopal Healing Ministries and as part of my job, I help priests and parishes establish healing ministries. Priests and folks interested in healing seek my advice and counsel because they want to put Jesus’ teachings into action.

My first task is to listen and get to know the parish. What are its values? How do people relate to God? What are the preferred modes of worship?

And then I work with a parish to develop healing ministries and services that are authentic to the life of the parish.

For instance, at Grace we have two different healing services.

The one this morning is taken from the Irish Book of Common Prayer and is a traditional Anglican service. It follows a clearly delineated litany & structure and is done in a reverent & dignified manner. It is geared to the norms and sensibilities of traditional Episcopalians.

Our Wednesday evening Celebration of Wholeness and Healing is quite different. It is geared to seekers and individuals who are wary of organized religion. While reverence and worship of God are still paramount, I work to create an atmosphere that welcomes and honors individuals from many spiritual traditions.

Our number one core value at Grace Church is to welcome everyone and treat each person as a child of God. Look at the front of the bulletin for our values! We welcome everyone and honor their unique expressions of who they are. Moreover, value #5 says: “Honor everyone’s age, race, economic situation, sexual orientation, family configuration and religious approach.

So having two different kinds of healing service makes perfect sense at Grace. Grace is an inclusive parish and our services reflect who we are and what we value!

I counsel each parish to pay attention to how God is being worshipped and made manifest in its midst.

For instance, St Tim’s in Anderson wanted me to recreate our Wednesday night service there. I said: “no, we need to find a form that is authentic to St Tim’s.” And they did just that and have a wonderful contemplative healing service.

None of this though answers the question of “why have a healing service on Sunday morning?”

One can begin to answer the question by studying the Gospels and seeing what Jesus did. How did he spend his time? Read any Gospel and you will be struck by the fact that Jesus spent his time healing and teaching. That is what he did.

There are 72 accounts of healing in the 4 Gospels. Depending on how you understand healing, between 1/5 to 1/3 of the Gospels are specifically concerned with Jesus healing. And it wasn’t just Jesus who spent his time and effort healing. What did he instruct his disciples to do? Luke 9:2 is specific – Jesus tells the 12 to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. In the 10^th chapter of Luke, Jesus expands the commission to the 70. In Mark 16, he expands the commission to any believer.

Look at our readings for today. John tells us to love in truth and action. He tells us that if we love God, we will work to meet the needs of others. There are many ways to meet the needs of others. Healing applies to whatever is amiss in our physical, emotional, mental and/or spiritual lives. And the hallmark of it all is love.

We believe in the name of Jesus. We know the reality of the risen Christ – the Jesus who is here with us today – the Jesus who abides in us. And we ask and pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for one another to move more fully and deeply into relationship with God.

Look at the 4^th chapter of Acts. What had Peter and John done to get themselves arrested? Were they holding a dignified Anglican service? Actually they were proclaiming the good news of the resurrection of Jesus. And they were doing what Jesus had taught them to do. They had the audacity to be involved in the healing work of Jesus and actually put Luke 9:2 into word and deed.

Why have a healing service on Sunday morning? The answer is quite simple. We are doing what Jesus taught us by word and the example of his life. We are being obedient to his command to heal the sick and preach the kingdom of God.

The question is not so much why have a service that is explicitly dedicated to healing on Sunday morning but why should such a question even arise in the first place? Are we so removed from the heart of Holy Communion that we have forgotten that it is fundamentally a healing service? We celebrate with a healing service once a month so that we may do what Jesus spent his life doing. Healing!

We also do it to remind ourselves that all sacraments are healing services!

Christmas Story

The outline of a sermon preached at the Celebration of Wholeness and Healing on Wednesday evening, January 11, 2012, by Hawley Todd, TSSF. 

The Reading

The Hour of the Unexpected

She was five, sure of the facts, and recited them with slow solemnity, convinced every word was revelation –

She said they were so poor they had only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat. And they went a long way from home without getting lost. The lady rode a donkey, the man walked and the baby was inside the lady.

They had to stay in a stable with an ox and an ass (hee hee) but the three Rich Men found them because a star lited the roof. Shepherds came and you could pet the sheep, but not feed them.

Then the baby was borned, and do you know who he was? Her quarter eyes inflated to silver dollars.

The baby was God!

And she jumped in the air, whirled around, dove into the sofa, and buried her head under the cushion, which is the only proper response to the Good News of the Incarnation.

-John Shea

 

She was five, sure of the facts, and recited them with slow solemnity, convinced every word was revelation.

I have been studying healing and the various ways learned folks teach about it for over 40 years.

Do you know how old all us learned teachers are?

We are about 5. Sure of the facts. And we repeat them for our students with slow solemnity. And most of us are convinced the words we speak are revelation and truth. If we haven’t received them from some sacred scripture or some inspired teacher, we got our teachings from our spirit guides or ascended masters or God directly.

There is immense wisdom in much of what I have learned and been taught by others. Yet it never ceases to amaze me how certain we all can be that our way is the truth.

I prefer to look at all the different healing modalities and religions as languages. We learn a language so that we can communicate with others who speak that language. We use our language and words to help us make sense of the world around us and give structure to what we experience. Languages are the vessels in which we hold life.

Yet there are other ways we communicate with each other. We are can communicate by a smile or a gesture. We can touch or share in other ways. Yet even those ways are often processed in our consciousness through our chosen language.

So why do I share this with you tonight?

Years ago I had a very wise mentor in healing. While her normal mode of instruction/discipleship was to teach a concise, orthodox Christian understanding of Christ’s healing ministry, she gave me a very different path to follow. Perhaps she knew I was skeptical of all folks who claimed to know the truth. Or maybe she knew that after teaching World religions for five years in a university setting, I might approach things differently. Who knows?

Yet the counsel I received was to study with as many different “healers” as I could find. Sit with what they taught. Take it into my heart and see what resonated with the Holy Spirit within me. And do what seemed to be what God was leading me to do.

People are forever asking me questions about healing and how to do it right. So here is my Epiphany advice.

Be your authentic Self. Work on becoming the person you were created to be. Don’t worry about how others are doing it or the paths they follow. Follow your path. And at least somewhere in the early stages of formation, choose a path and stick to it.

Two of my other primary teachers were a Hindu saint named Baba and a Tibetan Buddhist Tulku known as the 16^th Karmapa.

Both of them impressed upon me that it did not matter what tradition I choose--I just needed to choose and practice one. Then, after practicing it and perfecting it for 20 years or so, then branch out. So I did that and worked exclusively in Christian healing for about a quarter century.

I now hold all systems very loosely and at times envy the certitude of the five year old who knows the truth and is sure of the facts.

And as you follow your path, make self-care a priority.

Grace Healing Authentic and Whole

 

Homily by Hawley Todd given at a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing at Grace Church, 12/14/2011.

Exodus 3:13 – 15 the Divine Name Revealed

But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.” ’ ¹⁵God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations.

Open with prayer invoking the Holy Spirit

Welcome and explain context of the service

Who are you?

Think about it for a moment. Who are you?

How would you answer that question?

What I really want you to think about is how you would answer that question to yourself. It does not matter how you answer it to me. Where it really matters is how you answer it to yourself.

Healing is at its deepest center Becoming the Persons God Created Us to Be

When Moses asked God what his name is, Moses was asking “Who are you?”

What a perfect answer “I am who I am”

Are you “who you are” “who you were created to be in your truest sense” or are you somebody else?

Healing is about becoming real – becoming authentic – becoming whole.

I doubt if any of us have arrived at complete wholeness – it is a journey – a process that may take us all our life (lives).

Yet it is the journey to which each of us is called.

We are called to become real, whole, and truly ourselves.

There is so much healing that is needed in our lives – to live into becoming who we truly are.

We spend so much time and effort creating illusions and images of ourselves so that others will like us – so we can get ahead in the world – so we can receive some degree of acceptance from others – or whatever else your particular need may be.

During childhood and adolescence we strive to fit in.

Parts of us that don’t receive the approval of others get stifled or broken.

So who are you?

When Jesus told us to “love others as we love ourselves” – He was telling us that an essential aspect of loving is to Love and Honor who we are!

The more we grow into becoming whole, real, and authentic – the more we can encourage and allow each other to be real and authentic.

Conversely, the deeper we allow ourselves to be split off from being who we were created to be – the more we try to force others to conform to become what we think they SHOULD BE.

I don’t know who you were created to be.

However I do know that the more we enter into relationship with God – with the Divine Spirit – the more we are empowered to grow and become authentic.

So take time this Advent season – yes it is Advent: Christmas doesn’t start until at least Christmas Eve – to honor your self.

Seek healing for those parts of yourself that are damaged and broken – especially for those wounds that inhibit you being real.

And give yourself the precious gift of love.

Give yourself permission to DO what nourishes your soul and spirit.

“No” is a wonderful word. It really is okay to say “no” when others are sucking you dry.

This is such a busy time of the year. And people place so many demands and expectations upon one another.

Here is a novel concept for us to consider as we prepare for the Christmas season. Perhaps the best gift we can give to those we love is to love who we are and become the persons God created us to be.

Let us pray

[prayer time to ask the Holy Spirit to come and heal and bless us to become whole]

Grace Church Celebrates Wholeness and Healing Wednesday Evenings

Grace Church's Wednesday evening Celebration of Wholeness and Healing combines traditional laying-on of hands with vibration therapy of African Drumming and the employment of the universal life force energy through the Japanese practice of Reiki. This healing service takes place the second Wednesday of every month. Drumming begins at 6:30 pm; a short formal service begins at 7 pm; it's over when everyone has left, sometimes as late as 10 pm.

While many are familiar with the traditional healing service found in many Episcopal churches, the combining of this with the non-traditional healing services is unique.

The drum has been used to heal people in tribal cultures for thousands of years. The history of The Drum and Sound Therapy is that tribal societies, both eastern and western have long recognized the connection between drum energy and their physical & emotional health. Many cultures from all over the world have used this tool and now we use the energy of drumming to help us make the changes we need in our body, mind and soul.  Sound Attunement Therapy or (SAT) is simply the use of vibration energy, in this case, The Drum. This vibration energy helps promote, heal and restore a person's natural health and bring the body, mind & spirit/emotions into harmony.

Many scientific studies attest to the power of the drum to reduce stress, promote pain management and boost the immune system to combat the spread of disease. Another interesting study suggests that drumming produces increased NK or natural killer cell activity in cancer patients. Modern science has documented that drumming significantly reduced feelings of stress, fear, anger, confusion, fatigue and depression among others. In addition, participants in the study experienced an enhanced sense of emotional and physical well being after exposure to drumming.

A Japanese healer first propounded Reiki in the early 1900. It combines the employment of the universal life force energy in a concentrated method to promote healing.

All three of these methods have many testimonials to their effectiveness.

Adapted from the press release announcing the first healing service on September 12, 2007.

The Sacrament of Healing

Outline of a sermon preached at a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing on Sunday, July 3, 20121, by Hawley Todd, TSSF.

My homily today will be about what we are doing in this service--this Celebration of Wholeness and Healing.

First, we are celebrating the graduation of eight wonderful people from EfM – Education for Ministry. (I’d rather it was called Formation for Life.) While we spend four years studying and worshipping together, EfM is first and foremost a formation process. It is a time when people set aside what others have told them to believe and to struggle with the tough questions of life. There are no fixed answers and each person is responsible for his or her own journey of faith.

Yet we here today are all in that same boat. These eight people have just been intentional about coming to terms with their beliefs and how those beliefs are becoming manifest in their lives.

In EfM we study many things.

The first year we study the Hebrew Bible. Notice I said Hebrew Bible and not the Old Testament! We study the Sacred Scripture of the religion to which Jesus belonged. And that religion was NOT Christianity. So we study it to learn what a good Hebrew might have understood it to say!

The second year we study the New Testament – the sacred scriptures of Christianity.

The third year we study the history of the Christian faith. All the fights and battles and politics about how we came to believe and do what we do. It is messy and continues to evolve! It changed and changes over time and location.

The last year we look at theology and how theologians of the past two centuries have tried to make sense of Christianity to the world around it.

Let’s just consider one of the many topics we have discussed in EFM.

What about sacraments?

Every Sunday, most Episcopal Churches come together to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. Yet I am sure that at least a few of you remember when Morning Prayer was more typical in southern Ohio on a Sunday morning.

So what is a sacrament? Give me the definition ….

A sacrament is an “outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.” (Page 857 Book of Common Prayer)

We all know "outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace."  How often do you think about the second half????? "Given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace." As a Sure and Certain Means by which we receive that Grace!

Please hear me that there is no uniformity in Christianity as to which “sure and certain means” are the “sacraments” or who is qualified to administer them. Denominations make those decisions.

Typically Baptism and Holy Communion are regarded as sacraments.

The Catechism in the back of the BCP is actually quite enlightening. It breaks the sacraments (baptism and Holy Eucharist) and the sacramental rites (confirmation, ordination, holy matrimony, reconciliation of a penitent, unction of the sick) into outward and inward aspects.

While the outward forms differ and the purpose for each sacrament differs, there appears to be one common element in all of them. They are the sure and certain means by which God grants us Grace and we come into God’s presence.

Page 861 of the Catechism asks “is God limited to these rites?”

And then answers “God does not limit himself to these rites; they are patterns of countless ways by which God uses material things to reach out to us.”

So why does Grace Church have a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing on a Sunday morning? Why aren’t we worshipping the way most of you are used to doing and have the sacrament of Holy Communion?

On one level, it is pragmatic. The hierarchy of the Episcopal Church restricts the Eucharist to priests and Bishops. Similarly, it restricts confirmation to Bishops.

Not all denominations do it that way. If we were in a Disciples of Christ Church, any of us could consecrate the bread and wine. Yet I would need to be ordained to stand up here and preach.

However since I am not ordained and I am playing by the rules of the Episcopal Church, I will not ask the Holy Spirit to come and consecrate the elements.

Yet the Episcopal Church does allow in its rubrics (the rules) for lay people to do other sacramental actions.

We can have a healing service. Healing is the process by which we become the people God created us to be. We are restored in God’s image-- male and female. We are brought back to harmony and balance in body, mind, emotions, spirit, and in relationships.

Actually all sacraments are in some sense the same.

In all sacraments, we come into God’s presence. We invite God to come into us. We seek God’s grace to transform us to become who we were created to be. We use some external mechanism to receive the Holy Spirit/Jesus. We are renewed in God’s Love. We are restored in God’s image.

So when we have the laying on of hands today, come in simple faith. Come in that same expectancy that I hope you have each week as you receive the Body and Blood of Jesus when you go to a Eucharist. Come expecting to receive Jesus deep into your heart and soul.

Rather than a priest saying the Epiclesis (invocation of the Holy Spirit) over the bread and wine, today, we will be saying our own “epiclesis” over each and every one of you who comes forward. We will ask that God fills you with his presence and blesses you in whatever ways you most need God’s presence. That today and for the remainder of your life, you may become the REAL Presence of Christ to the world.

All is Sacrament

The outline of a sermon preached at a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing on Wednesday evening, June 8, 2011, by Hawley Todd, TSSF.

Our reading for tonight is from the Book of Common Prayer, from the section called the Catechism.

On page 857 we read:

Q. What are the sacraments?

A. The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace.

Critical issue is sure and certain means by which we receive that grace

Many people of different religions and spiritual practices get all concerned about what is and what is not a sacrament.

How many of you were baptized?

If you are Buddhist, how many have taken refuge in the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha?

If you have practiced Hinduism, have your received diksa?

How many of you have taken Healing Touch?

Reiki?

Other healing traditions?

Almost all traditions have initiation ceremonies and various rituals.

Rituals are just another name for sacraments.

What I love about the BCP is that it continues on pp 860-61 and talks about other sacramental rites.

And on p. 861 it asks

Q. Is God's activity limited to these rites?

A. God does not limit himself to these rites; they are patterns of countless ways by which God uses material things to reach out to us.

Isn’t that awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

Several months ago, I gave everyone here, who wanted it, some Frankincense Essential Oil. Pure 100% Frankincense. We anointed ourselves with that oil. That was a sacramental act!

As far as I am concerned that was a sure and certain means by which we received God’s Grace.

When Bob plays the drums and we all join in, we are engaged in yet again another sacramental activity. The vibration of the drums sets up frequencies that facilitate our receiving the holy.

I have been trained in a number of different healing modalities.

Christianity calls anointing with oil and the laying on of hands a sacrament in some denominations and in the Episcopal Church it is a sacramental rite.

The name or the word we use for it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that it is a sure and certain means of Grace.

Guess what? I have been trained in both Healing Touch and Reiki.

We have our rituals too!!!

For many years when I worked at St Thomas Church, my primary time of worship and receiving God’s Grace was the weekly Healing Touch session I received from my friend Judy Bowers. Judy was a nurse, worked on my healing team at St Thomas, and also was a Healing Touch Practioner.

Yet for me the most holy time of the week did not take place at the parish where I worked, but it took place on her table during those weekly healing touch sessions.

Granted, I experienced God’s presence daily at my parish. Yet what I want you to hear is that God uses many material means as sacraments – as means of Grace.

They are not limited to the church or to Reiki or to Healing Touch or to Holy Oils.

Lately God has been blessing me with the special energy and vibrations in various rocks and stones.

How many times have you been blessed by watching the clouds or seeing a sunset or sitting on a beach? They are all sacraments. The Grace is there. It is free – simply open your heart and mind and receive it!

When Jesus held up the bread and wine and said this is my body and this is my blood, he was not limiting grace to just those material items.

Ask the Holy Spirit to be manifest for you in everything! Bless everything and be blessed by it in return.

A Celebration of Wholeness and Healing

[Conducted Sunday, February 13, 2011 at Grace Church, Hawley Todd, TSSF, Liturgist]
[Service adapted from A Celebration of Wholeness and Healing, Church of Ireland BCP 2004.]

Processional Hymn What a friend we have in Jesus LEVAS 109

The Gathering of God's People

GREETING

In the name of Christ, we welcome you.
We have been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light.
Grace and peace be with you
People: and also with you.

The love of God has been poured into our hearts,
Through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us:
We dwell in him and he lives in us.
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;
People: make known his deeds among the peoples.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
People: and speak of all his marvelous works.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty;
People: who was and is and is to come.

THE COLLECT said together

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Proclaiming and Receiving the Word

Hymn: Yahweh, I Know You Are Near vs. 1 & 4 LEVAS 16

Sirach 15:15-20

Reader A Reading from the Apocryphal Book of Sirach

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every human action. He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.

Matthew 5:21-37

Reader A Reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.

You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”

Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.

THE SERMON Hawley Todd TSSF

Offertory Hymn Spirit Song LEVAS 118

Representatives of the congregation bring the people’s offerings of money or other gifts to the altar. The people stand while the offerings are presented and placed on the Altar.

Litany of Healing

God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation.
People: We praise and bless you, Lord.

God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly.
People: We praise and bless you, Lord.

God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your presence.
People: We praise and bless you, Lord.

Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being.
People: We praise and bless you, Lord.

Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured or disabled, that they may be made whole.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant to all who are lonely, anxious or depressed a knowledge of your will and an awareness of your presence.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant to all who minister to those who are suffering, wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Mend broken relationships, and restore to those in distress soundness of mind and serenity of spirit.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Sustain and support those who seek your guidance and lift up all who are brought low by the trials of this life.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Grant peace and a holy death to those who are dying, and uphold by the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are bereaved.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by human sin, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world.
People: Hear us, Lord of life.

You are the Lord, you perform mighty wonders.
People: You have declared your power among the peoples.

With you, Lord, is the well of life
People: and in your light do we see light.

Hear us, Lord of life,
People: heal us, and make us whole.

Let us be silent before God.

A period of silence follows

O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people;
in the multitude of your mercies look with compassion
upon us and all who turn to you for help;
for you are gracious, O lover of souls,
and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

Laying on of Hands and Anointing

Our help is in the name of the Lord
People: who has made heaven and earth.

Blessed be the name of the Lord:
People: now and forever. Amen.

Blessed are you, sovereign God, gentle and merciful, creator of heaven and earth. Your Word brought light out of darkness, and daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth. When we turned away from you in sin, your anointed Son took our nature and entered our suffering to bring your healing to those in weakness and distress. He broke the power of evil and set us free from sin and death that we might become partakers of his glory. His apostles anointed the sick in your name, bringing wholeness and joy to a broken world. By your grace renewed each day you continue the gifts of healing in your Church that your people may praise your name forever.

Hear the prayer we offer for all your people. Remember in your mercy those for whom we pray: heal the sick, raise the fallen, strengthen the fainthearted and enfold in your love the fearful and those who have no hope. In the fullness of time complete your gracious work. Reconcile all things in Christ and make them new. Restore us in your image, renew us in your love, that we may serve you as sons and daughters in your kingdom; through your anointed Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit we lift our voices of thanks and praise:

People: Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation, now and forever. Amen.

Come forward if requesting the laying on of hands and anointing or to receive a blessing. Come with an open heart and mind. You are welcome to pray for others or have quiet meditation during this time.

Hymns:

Sweet, Sweet Spirit LEVAS 120
I want Jesus to walk with me LEVAS 70

After the laying on of hands and anointing, the leader says

The Almighty Lord, who is a strong tower for all who put their trust in him, whom all things in heaven, on earth and under the earth obey, be now and evermore our defense. May we believe and trust that the only name under heaven given for health and salvation is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER Sung LEVAS 264

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Visitor Recognition, News to Share

Going Out as God's People

God who said: 'Let light shine out of darkness',
People: has caused his light to shine within us

to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
People: revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels
People: to show that the power belongs to God.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with us and remain with us always. Amen.

The Leader says

Go in the joy and peace of Christ. Alleluia, Alleluia
People: Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Recessional Blessed Absalom vs. 1, 2, 6 & 7 LEVAS 44

THE PEACE

God has made us one in Christ. He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts.

The peace of the Lord be always with you
People: and also with you.

A Healing Service?

Notes for a sermon by Hawley Todd, TSSF, Sunday,July 11, 2010, at a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing.

[Open with a prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to come and be present]

Good morning and thank you all for coming today.

Why are you here today?

Why did you come to Grace today?

[Take a few moments and see if anyone responds]

Episcopal Churches do not normally have a healing service as the principle worship service on a Sunday morning.

I would hazard the guess that we may be the only one.

Most will have either Holy Communion or Morning Prayer.

Some will have a Baptism Service and others may have a Confirmation Service.

I doubt though if there are many healing services being held this morning.

Again, why are you here today?

Behind many of the answers we can give, there is an expectation that we will somehow encounter the presence of God.

Holy Communion has been the principle liturgical service throughout Christian history because there is an expectation that Christ/God will be present in the bread and wine.

Reformation theology moved the presence of the Word/Jesus from the sacramental body and blood to the Word broken as the preached Word.

Protestant theology has an expectation that God will be encountered in the Word broken by the preacher.

Morning Prayer is based on this assumption – that we will encounter God in the homily.

So why have a healing service as our principle service on a Sunday morning?

The first reason is simply logistical.

We need a priest to have either Holy Communion or a Baptismal Service. We need a Bishop for Confirmation.

The other reasons are theological.

Please bear with me as I try to explain some of them.

First of all, both Holy Communion and Baptism are in their essence “healing services.” We don’t call them that but they are.

In our culture, we often confuse two words – healing and curing.

Curing is fixing an identified problem.

In the bio-medical paradigms, the problem is often seen in isolation and the cure is deemed to have occurred when the presenting symptoms of that problem have been resolved.

On the other hand, healing is the process of becoming the person God created us to be.

Healing, wholeness, and salvation are all intimately related.

One might say that healing in this life is becoming “whole” and healing in the next life is “salvation.”

Wholeness and healing happen as we invite God’s presence into our lives.

At its essence, prayers for healing are simply putting oneself in an attitude and position where one is open to receive God deeper into one’s life.

And healing is holistic. It involves the body, emotions, mind, and spirit of a person. And not only that, but it involves all of one’s relationships with others and creation.

With that understanding of healing, it is fairly obvious why I said Holy Communion and Baptism are healing rites.

So why have a healing service on Sunday mornings?

Healing is what Jesus did.

Read the Gospels again and pay attention to what Jesus is doing.

How did he spend his time and what did he do?

Healing is important to Jesus

1/5 to 1/3 of the Gospels describe Jesus involved in healing.

72 accounts, 41 distinct instances

3779 verses in the 4 gospels

727 relate specifically to healing

In Luke 9 Jesus sends the 12 out to do his work.

And what is that?

Luke 9:2 tells us explicitly: “and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.”

Why have a healing service?

Because healing and proclaiming the kingdom of God were what Jesus was all about.

The early church knew and understood that wholeness and healing are at the heart of Christ’s teaching and ministry.

At least one reason to have a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing as our principle service on some Sunday mornings is to lift up the fact that Christianity offers healing and wholeness.

So what happens when someone comes forward for prayer?

Typically those offering prayer will ask if the person has any special concern or request.

Also the person will be asked if touch is okay. Please note that we do not need to touch in order for the prayer to be effective. So please feel free to convey your level of comfort to those praying.

The goal is for you to receive God, so whatever we can do to facilitate that, let us know!

Also please know your requests will be keep confidential.

We won’t share them with others and we won’t initiate conversation with you about your requests at a later time.

We will pray for whatever you requested.

Also, I normally pray for the person to be filled with the presence of God and that God will minister to that person in whatever ways he/she most needs God’s power, love, and grace.

In Holy Communion, the priest prays for the bread and wine to be filled/blessed by the Holy Spirit to be the real presence of Jesus. And we receive Jesus/ God’s presence in the bread and wine.

In a Healing Service, those praying ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill/bless the person receiving prayer. That may be embodied through the prayers, or through touch or through anointing with Holy Oil.

I love healing services.

I have seen God so clearly as a result of participating in these services.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God – Abba, Son, and Holy Spirit - is alive and present here with us NOW.

I don’t know what God will do in your life.

I do know that God will touch and bless you.

I do know that God seeks wholeness and life for us all.

That God desires us all to be restored in God’s image.

And I do know that I always need God’s healing presence and power in my life because I am not anyway near the person God created me to be.

In closing, your typical Sunday service homily talks about the readings.

We all have heard innumerable sermons on the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus gave us the two commandments: to love God and to love our neighbors as our selves.

Most preachers stress the issue of who the good neighbor was and that we should be that person.

Yet what did the good Samaritan do?

He healed.

He bound up the persons wounds and he used oil and wine to heal.

Oil and wine were what people at that time used for healing.

Who is the true neighbor?

One who out of compassion lives and cares for those in need.

Why do we have a healing service on Sunday morning?

To show by what we do that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all strength, and with all our mind and that we love our neighbors as ourselves.

So come in simple faith, truly trusting in the unbounded love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If there is any aspect of you that is not yet as God has intended you to be,

If you feel that any part of you needs to be restored to the image of God,

Come and receive God’s love and presence.

May Jesus bless us all!

Healing Prayer Frequently Asked Questions

By Hawley Todd TSSF

Introduction

One of my earliest questions was “why did God heal my back?” I had had a miraculous healing of scoliosis of my spine but I had wanted God to heal my prostate. I needed answers. Why did God heal a part of my body that did not matter to me and seemingly leave untouched another area that mattered greatly to me? As I prayed through my anger at God for not doing what I wanted, I came to realize that the healing of my back was actually an answer (healing) to my wife’s petition to the Lord. My wife was a registered nurse and was skeptical about the benefits of prayer to God for healing. Her prayer had been often “Lord, help my unbelief.” She was one of three people who had been praying for my back when my spine was straightened. At that moment, she clearly saw the Lord heal in ways that her training as a nurse could not answer or predict. The healing of my back showed that God exists and is active in the world but that fact opened up a whole new set of questions. Many of those questions follow.

What is healing?

Healing is becoming the person God created us to be. We are all created in God’s image. One way to look at healing prayer is that it is a process of being restored in God’s image. It is important to know that healing and wholeness are intimately connected. Healing is restoring us to wholeness in mind, emotions, body, and spirit. Our relationships are an integral component of our wholeness and healing. Healing is holistic and never treats one aspect of who we are in isolation from the totality of our being. In short, healing empowers us to be restored in God’s image and renewed in God’s love so that we can love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, and spirit and love our neighbors as ourselves.

What is healing prayer?

Healing prayer is any form of prayer that seeks to promote healing. One may petition the Lord for healing for oneself and/or intercede in prayer for others and anything in creation.

Will I be healed?

Healing prayer is always beneficial to those receiving it. However the specific outcome of the prayer is not under our control. God heals in God’s own manner and timetable.

Will I be cured?

Healing and curing are different. Healing is a process of bringing all the aspects of who we are into harmony and balance with one another. Curing, in a medical model, is about fixing one aspect of who we are. One can be cured without being healed and one can be healed without being cured. Most often they go hand in hand in the process of becoming whole.

Will God perform a miracle in my life?

Miracles do happen. Most stories about curing and healing are actually miracle stories. They make a great witness to God’s power and grace but create an expectation that miracles are the norm. Miracles are when the process of becoming well is done in ways that are not normal. The Apostle Paul distinguishes between the gift of healing and the gift of miracles. In healing prayer, God always acts but not always in instantaneous ways that could be labeled miracles.

What are the benefits of healing prayer?

Each person is a unique creation and God blesses us through prayer in whatever ways that person most needs God’s love, grace, and power. Typically people become aware of God’s abiding love and experience a deep sense of peace, shalom. While a person may experience dramatic improvements in areas that directly relate to that person’s prayer requests, God may touch other areas of a person’s life first in order to restore balance to the whole person. In healing prayer, one cannot manipulate God in order to receive a specific result. The benefits of healing prayer are often cumulative and impact all areas of a person’s life. It can help to clear the mind, reduce stress, restore the body, and refresh the spirit.

What about the medical profession?

Healing prayer is a transformative process of inviting God to be present in our lives. It supports and enhances medical treatments. Many medical modalities focus on curing/fixing a particular disease or issue. Healing prayer can be used in conjunction with both biomedicine and complimentary traditions of intervention to treat a specific condition because God’s presence touches the whole person and helps to align all aspects of one’s being. Moreover, one can pray for caregivers as well as patients!

Should I see a doctor?

Healing prayer is one aspect of a holistic approach to wholeness. It works hand in hand with medical science. Always use every approach available as you seek to become whole and healthy! Yes, see your doctor!

Is healing prayer just for the sick or critically ill?

Many people who seek healing prayer on a frequent basis have prayer requests that focus on giving praise and thanksgiving to God. Others realize that healing prayer helps them to maintain a close relationship with God. Others see it as promoting a healthy lifestyle and acting as a preventative health measure for optimal functioning and wellbeing. Healing prayer is for everyone who desires more of God’s presence in their lives!

Who should pray for me?

Anyone can pray for you for healing. Family and friends typically make very good intercessors. Medical professionals are another possibility but due to ethical considerations, the patient will need to initiate that as an additional component of the care-giving relationship. One of the very best places to seek healing prayer is in religious settings such as a church or retreat center. Ask and see what the options are in that locality and then choose the ones that best fit your needs. What is offered will differ from place to place. Some religious groups will provide structured sessions to receive individualized prayer. Many churches incorporate healing prayer opportunities within their liturgies. In those instances, prayers may be offered by clergy or trained laity as part of a healing team. Some localities have only clergy who are available for prayer.

When I seek prayer from others, what do I have to do?

If you are requesting healing prayer in a liturgical setting, briefly share what kind of prayer you desire and what your prayer concern may be. Then relax and trust that God will be present and bless you in ways better than any of us could hope or imagine.

Will anyone else know what I have requested?

Prayer requests and the content of the prayer session are strictly confidential. Clergy and lay healing team members cannot share anything that occurs in the healing session with anyone else unless directed to do so by the person seeking prayer. The only exception to that rule is where state or federal laws would require a minister to break rules of confidentiality.

Will anyone approach me about my requests at a later time?

The prayer session is completely confidential and confined to that time frame. Unless you explicitly give the persons praying with you permission to discuss the session with you in the future, they will not initiate a conversation about anything you shared. Those who pray with you are deeply concerned for your health and wholeness and would like to know how you are doing but will not intrude upon your privacy.

What about the laying-on-of-hands?

Jesus often touched others when he prayed for them. The laying-on-of-hands has been standard practice since the earliest days of the church. However, touch is not necessary for healing prayer to occur. Jesus healed others without touching them. Tell those praying for you if you have any preferences. Some like to hold hands. Others prefer the more traditional approach of having hands placed on one’s head or shoulders. The critical factor is to convey to those praying for you your desires.

What about anointing with oil?

Anointing with oil has been connected closely with healing throughout the Christian tradition. James 5:14 states: “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” While many people find that being anointed with blessed oil and the laying-on-of-hands are beneficial in the healing process, neither are required for one to receive healing.

Do I have to kneel?

The prayer session is your time with God. However you are most comfortable praying is fine. Some people like to stand. Others like to kneel. Still others prefer to sit in a chair.

Do I have to believe in healing prayer?

You do not have to believe in healing prayer in order to benefit from it. God loves each one of us and will be present in the prayers. One can try it simply as an experiment or as an opportunity to grow in God’s grace. Have an open heart and mind and watch to see what God will do. Sometimes the effects of prayer can be very subtle as God seeks to restore harmony in our lives. At other times, the impact may be immediate and profound. Trust that the process does not rely on what you believe.

Do I need to have faith?

While faith can be an important component in healing prayer, the persons for whom faith is critical are those who are offering the prayers for you. Jesus healed people who were not even aware that he was praying for them. Many times faith is a gift that people receive after having had healing prayers. In short, one does not need to have faith to receive healing prayers!

What about painful or traumatic memories?

God cannot change the events that have occurred in our lives. Healing prayer can take away the sting and hurt of those events and free us to live fuller lives. Prayers for the healing of memories and life’s hurts often take time to bear fruit. However there is no aspect or event in our life that is beyond God’s redemptive touch.

Is illness a result of sin?

It is critical to note that while some sickness may be a natural consequence of bad choices, many people experience suffering and disease through no fault or sin of their own. Repentance and confession are excellent forms of healing prayer to restore a person to wholeness through the forgiveness of sins. Human beings are made up of body, mind, emotions, and spirit and all aspects of our being are connected. Sin is a form of sickness or illness that takes place in our spirit. A problem in one area may impact other areas of our lives.

What about death?

Every single person that Jesus healed in the Gospels eventually died. Healing, wholeness, and salvation are all linguistically connected in both Hebrew and Greek languages. One way to look at healing is that healing in this life is wholeness and that healing in the next life is salvation. Death is a point of transition from life as we know it now to life in the fullness of God’s kingdom. While those of us on this side of death grieve the loss of our beloved ones, death is often the doorway to complete wholeness and healing for those we love. God will be there with us in our sorrow and grief and will never abandon us.

Can I pray for the same thing twice?

Persistence in prayer is often a key to healing. Even Jesus had to pray twice for a blind man to regain his sight. Prayers for healing are simply a way to seek the nourishment of God’s grace and love in our lives. Pray often and gives thanks to God for what is already happening.

What else should I know?

The most important healing that any of us can receive is the gift of experiencing God’s unconditional love. That sense of knowing in the depth of one’s being that God loves me is the foundation of becoming whole! It changes everything in one’s life. To know and experience God’s love is priceless!

© Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation, www.episcopalhealing.org

Contact Information

If the reader would like to dialogue further, please feel free to contact Hawley Todd TSSF.

Hawley Todd TSSF 513-967-6581 Email: todd@episcopalhealing.org

The Episcopal Healing Ministries Christ Church Cathedral 318 East Fourth St. Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

web: www.episcopalhealing.org Email: info@episcopalhealing.org

Mediating the Healing Love of God

 

Explanation: God is the healer. The love, grace, power, and presence of the Lord are what heal. We are the mediators, the presence through which God’s love flows. As intercessors, our task is to be as open as possible to God’s presence in our lives and through our lives to others. We become a vehicle of God’s grace to the other person. However, first we must connect with God, so that Christ’s love may become alive within us.

Exercise

1. Take several deep breaths and relax.

2. Sit in a comfortable position which you can maintain easily without having to shift around.

3. Turn your attention and awareness to God – Abba, Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit.

4. Ask God to pour the Holy Spirit and the divine love of Jesus deep within your heart and mind.

5. Feel the presence of God’s love filling your heart.

6. Feel the presence of God’s love expanding in your chest, like a well, a spring of living water bubbling up from the depths of your heart.

7. Simply sit in the awareness of divine love permeating your very being, saturating every breath you take.

8. Let the love of Jesus slowly radiate out, filling every cell in your body.

9. God loves you. You are precious in the sight of Jesus. You are created in God’s image. You become one with the love of Jesus.

10. As your prayer times comes to an end, praise and thank God in whatever ways you choose.

11. Offer yourself to be an instrument of God’s love to the glory of God – Amen

There is no right or wrong way to do this exercise. As best as you can or feel able, give your heart to Jesus and set your intention to receive God’s love. Leave the rest to the Holy Spirit. Spend at least 5 minutes each day resting in God’s love.

© Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation, www.episcopalhealing.org

Grace and the Celebration of Wholeness and Healing

A unique healing service occurs at Grace Episcopal Church on the second Wednesday of each month. We intentionally combine several modes of healing to provide opportunities for God to move and bless those who come. The operative theology behind this service is that God is greater and deeper than any of the limitations that our human systems of thought can imagine. It is the divine energy or presence of the Holy Spirit that heals; and as participants in the service, we invite God to come, touch and bless those who are present. We seek a synthesis of western medicine with insights and practices from the complimentary healing communities.

At its inception three years ago, the Celebration of Wholeness and Healing combined three healing modalities: Reike, African drumming and traditional Christian laying-on-of-hands, all incorporated within an Episcopal healing service. During the three years that this service has been offered, the scope has broadened to include all healing modalities that seek to allow the divine love of God to be active and present. On any given Wednesday night, numerous modes of healing will occur. The common thread is the desire for each person to become the person he/she was created to be–to become whole–to be fully alive in the divine Spirit of the living God. Hence one might find a Healing Touch practitioner working alongside both a Reike master and a Franciscan.

The tangible love that is shared among those who come and the inclusiveness of this service have contributed to its growth. While most services have about 40 participants, the April service had an all time high of 86.

All are welcome to attend and participate as led by the Holy Spirit. Drumming begins about 6:30 pm and the liturgy begins at 7 pm. The structure of the evening is very fluid and participants come and go as they desire. Typically the service concludes about 10 pm.

Whether you are seeking an experience of God’s love or simply enjoy the beat of the drums, the Celebration of Wholeness and Healing may be for you! Come and join us!

Hawley Todd, TSSF
April, 2010

See pictures of this service here.

Guidelines for Ministers of Healing

Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministries

General Principles

All that is done is to be motivated by love for God and for those seeking healing. Everyone is to be treated with respect and dignity. Each person is a precious extension of the body of Christ. Whatever we do to the least of these, we are doing to Christ.

Everyone who serves in ministries of healing must make every effort to maintain the highest levels of ethical and pastoral standards. Ongoing training and maintaining a healthy spiritual life are normative.

Healing team members minister under the authority and supervision of the church in the locality in which they serve. One does not operate under one’s own “authority” or by being answerable only to God. Confidentiality is essential. Any information gained in a prayer session remains in that prayer session unless Federal or State law would require otherwise.

The healing ministry is practiced in accord with the canons, teachings, and worship of the Episcopal Church.

Ministries of healing are means by which God enables people to become whole. The focus is on providing opportunities for grace so that people can become the persons God created them to be!

Prior to the Prayer Session

Listen. Listen. Listen.

Ask clarifying questions only when needed. Make sure that those receiving prayer have given informed consent.

Give permission for those seeking prayer to be in whatever position is most comfortable. For instance, some may prefer to stand rather than kneel. Others may prefer to sit. Be sensitive to the wishes of those seeking healing as to whether the laying-on-ofhands is desired; and if so, what would be most appropriate.

The Prayer Session

Healing team members are to be a loving and welcoming presence. Their focus is on God and those seeking healing. Healing team members are representing Jesus Christ to those seeking prayer. In the mystery of intercession, it is easy for those seeking prayer to confuse who the healer is. God is the healer.

Content of Prayer

Pray out loud only for what has been named explicitly by the person seeking prayer. Pray out loud in a language edifying to the person seeking prayer. While at times praying in the spirit may be how one feels led to pray, one can do that quietly and in one’s spirit. Periods of silence during a prayer session are often appropriate.

Never speak for God or make promises in the name of God.

Never diagnose or give advice. Let God led the person into the truth that person “needs” to hear. It is not the job of the healing team member to fix or cure a problem. Never escalate a named problem. For instance, if someone has asked for prayers for a stomach ache, do not pray for healing of stomach cancer.

Never introduce the demonic into a prayer session. Please consult the Book of Occasional Services (2003 edition, p. 174) for specific guidelines on Episcopal Church Policy. Exorcism is a ministry under the direct supervision of the Bishop.

Never condemn or be judgmental in one’s prayers.

Trust that God knows what is needed and will do it.

After the Prayer Session

Maintain confidentiality. The person who sought prayer may initiate conversation about the session but not the caregiver. Unless required by law, never share information about the content of the prayer session without the express consent of the person for whom prayer was offered.

Only licensed professionals may give any form of counseling or medical advice. This is to be initiated at the request of the person who sought prayer.

Continue to pray as led by God.

Other Considerations

Prior to a prayer session and/or a public service of healing, explanations should be given so that all participants will have a clear expectation of what will happen. Written materials explaining the purpose and process of healing ministries should be available to all participants.

Christian modalities of healing are to be done in conjunction with medical science. Resources for referrals and follow-up should be planned in advance of sessions.

Contingency plans for medical and/or pastoral emergencies should be in place and known by those “working’ in the ministries of healing. Anointing with holy oil is one of the oldest modalities of Christian healing. Many Dioceses allow trained lay healing team members to anoint.

© Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministries

About Episcopal Healing Ministries

“The healing ministry is for all who seek a closer relationship with God; for all who seek to grow in grace and knowledge of Him. Christ is a healing Savior who heals all brokenness in every area of our lives.”

The Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal

Why were we founded?

Episcopal Healing Ministries was established in 1987 as a 501 C 3 charitable organization to implement the threefold healing ministry of Jesus Christ - to proclaim the kingdom of God, to teach, and to heal.

What is our mission?

The mission of Episcopal Healing Ministries is to proclaim by word and example the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by being obedient to his imperatives of teaching and healing. Episcopal Healing Ministries is devoted to training, instructing and preparing both clergy and laity to the highest professional standards of practice in ministries of healing. The staff of Episcopal Healing Ministries is available to lead ministries of healing through missions, retreats, liturgical services, and intercessory prayer.

What is our vision of healing?

All healing proceeds from God. Healing prayer is a sacramental activity. The best metaphor for prayers of healing is the epiclesis in the Holy Eucharist.

Who is Hawley Todd?

Hawley Todd TSSF is the Foundation Director and the Formation Director for Episcopal Healing Ministries. Having been mentored by the Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal from 1982 until her death in 1989, Hawley has 27 years of experience in the healing ministry. He was trained in the Anglican tradition at Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary, taught World Religions at McMaster University and has been an Education for Ministry mentor with the University of the South since 1996. He has been an Assistant Formation Director for the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis and was the Director of Christian Formation at St. Thomas Episcopal Church from 1990 - 2006. Also a trained spiritual director, Hawley has led retreats and missions in the United States and Canada.

Contact Information

Hawley Todd TSSF
Foundation Director & Formation Director
Episcopal Healing Ministries
Christ Church Cathedral
318 East Fourth St.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Phone: 513-967-6581

Email: todd@episcopalhealing.org
web: www.episcopalhealing.org

Care-givers and Healing Prayer

Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministries

Relationships are intrinsic to human existence. They are woven into the very fabric of who we are. At the core of all interactions, there is a mutuality of giving and receiving, of caring for one another. There is a continuum of how giving and receiving is balanced. At times the dynamics embody a relationship wherein one person becomes primarily a care-giver and the other becomes the care-receiver. The purpose of this tract is to offer insights for care-givers on how they might invite God’s presence into their human relationships, especially ones with care-receivers. It is critical to note that whenever God is invited into a situation there is a triad of relationships: God & the care-giver, God & the care-receiver, and the care-giver and the care-receiver. Whatever happens in any one of these relationships may impact the other ones.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Rightly, care-givers often focus on loving others and pouring themselves out in their love and service. Yet too frequently a critical aspect of what Jesus told us is overlooked. We often fail to love and care for ourselves. Self-care is the most critical need facing care-givers today. Consider the metaphor of a teapot. We often think of ourselves as whole and perfect teapots with an inexhaustible supply of tea. The reality is that we are all cracked and chipped teapots with only a limited capacity.

Healing prayer is an integral aspect of self care, of mending the broken teapots of our lives, and filling us with the life-giving presence of God. Healing prayer works in conjunction with medical science and care receivers should be encouraged to seek every means of healing that is available.

Self-Care

As we begin to consider the implications of healing prayer for self-care, it is essential to know that God created each one of us to be whole in body, mind, emotions, and spirit. We are created in God's image and are good. Healing is restoring every aspect of our being to balance and harmony and helping us to be the person God created us to be.

How do we begin the process of self-care? My first suggestion would be a simple prayer asking God to fill your heart and mind with the Holy Spirit and inwardly incline your dispositions to wholeness and healthy choices. Perhaps a first step might be getting enough sleep each night so that you are rested. Diet and exercise are also good places to begin. Basic common sense in applying life's lessons and actually doing those things that we all know promote health and wholeness are essential.

What about spiritual self-care? How do we take care of the spiritual aspects of our being? By caring for our body, mind, and emotions, we are already caring for our spirit. Health and healing in any one area promotes wholeness in the other areas.

Having been a spiritual director for almost a quarter century, my observation is that most people are not aware of where God is and has been moving in their lives. Many of us simply do not notice God's activity and presence even though it is all around us. The easiest way to to start the process of becoming aware of God is to contemplate the following questions and one's responses.

1. What gives me life?
2. Where do I experience love?
3. When do I experience joy, peace, and/or fulfillment?
4. What brings a smile to my face or lightness to my heart?

There will be an extremely high level of correspondence with the answers to these questions and where a person is most apt to experience God's healing presence.

For spiritual self-care, we all need to note our answers to these questions. Then we need to develop a plan of action to create the time and space to honor those special opportunities for grace. This needs to be intentional and is not optional. The degree to which we care for ourselves frequently determines the degree to which we can care for others. When Jesus said to love our neighbors as ourselves, he meant just that. Love and care for yourself and let that same love flow out to others.

Praying for Care-Receivers

As stated before, healing prayer for others always has a triad of relationships. The care-giver’s relationship with God typically includes thanksgiving, petition, and intercession for the care-receiver. Thanksgiving and adoration are keys to a healthy relationship with God. They help to manifest an atmosphere of love, trust, and expectation. Petition for guidance and discernment is essential. As we pray for others, we want our prayers to have the heart and mind of Jesus. Our goal is to harmonize our prayer with God's prayer for the care-receiver. It is as important to know what to avoid in providing spiritual care as it is to know what to verbalize and do.

Please note, healing prayers for a care-receiver can be silent. The effectiveness of a prayer does not rely in any way on its being said out loud or being heard by anyone other than God. God hears our innermost thoughts, feelings, and prayers whether we speak them out loud or say them in the quiet depths of our hearts. What we say, do, and pray out loud may have profound impact on the care-receiver! It will not control or determine what God does, but our prayers can influence a care-receiver's relationship with God. What is the image of God that your prayers are portraying? It is important to be extremely mindful of what we are conveying when we represent God to a care-receiver. A good guideline for healing prayer is simply to ask God to come and be present with the care-receiver and do whatever that person most needs to be made whole. If the care-receiver has vocalized a particular need or desire, offer it up to God for God’s love and grace to enter that request. Never escalate an issue or request, nor offer advice or counsel, or make a diagnosis in your prayers! At all times, let compassion and mercy be your guides. However, be very careful to avoid making any promises or pronouncements in God’s name. Only God knows the outcome of the prayers. As a care-giver, you are asking God to be present and helping to facilitate the relationship of God and the care-receiver. For more detailed instructions on how to pray for others, please consult Guidelines for Healing Ministers.

God and the Care-Receiver

Care-givers may at times wonder if their prayers for healing are effective. Healing prayers are always beneficial because in healing prayer the care-giver is inviting God to be present with and in the care-receiver. And that is an intercession that God always fulfills! God's desire for each and every one of us is wholeness and salvation. The mystery is how that will be accomplished best in the one for whom we pray. How God will respond in any given circumstance depends on a multitude of variables of which we will never know the full extent. Yet God does respond and will do for the care-receiver more than we can ever hope or imagine. At times, God's response may seem immediate, profound, and miraculous. At other times, it may be so subtle we hardly notice any impact at all. The critical factor to remember is that the results of our prayers to God do not depend upon how we prayed. Our training and expertise in praying for others is focused on how we may give honor, dignity, and respect to the care-receiver. May God bless those for whom you pray and restore them to the fullness of God's image.

© Hawley Todd TSSF, Episcopal Healing Ministries, www.episcopalhealing.org

About Episcopal Healing Ministries

Episcopal Healing Ministries was established in 1987 as a 501 C 3 charitable organization to implement the threefold healing ministry of Jesus Christ--to proclaim the kingdom of God, to teach, and to heal. What is our mission?

The mission of EHM is to proclaim by word and example the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by being obedient to his imperatives of teaching and healing. The EHMF is devoted to training, instructing and preparing both clergy and laity to the highest professional standards of practice in ministries of healing. The staff of EHM is available to lead ministries of healing through missions, retreats, liturgical services, and intercessory prayer.

What is our vision of healing? All healing proceeds from God. Healing prayer is a sacramental activity. The best metaphor for prayers of healing is the epiclesis in the Holy Eucharist.

Contact Information

Episcopal Healing Ministries
Christ Church Cathedral
318 East Fourth St.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Email: info@episcopalhealing.org
web: www.episcopalhealing.org

Hawley Todd TSSF
513-967-6581
Email: todd@episcopalhealing.org

Celebration of Wholeness and Healing

Grace Church conducts a monthly service that brings together traditional and non-traditional healing methods: healing prayer and laying on of hands for healing, together with  African Drumming and Reiki.  Drumming begins at 6:30 pm, the service begins at 7 pm on the second Wednesday of most months. Check the Grace Calendar.

The service is based on the concept of release of tension through African drumming, restoration of peace through quietness and solitude, and prayer for continued health through the laying on of hands.

In this service, we make space and time to allow God to move in our midst as we celebrate God's overwhelming love for each one of us. The service includes a liturgy of healing prayers and African drumming and culminates with opportunities for Reike and the traditional laying-on-of-hands and anointing with holy oil.

All are invited to worship and enter God's presence as moved by the Holy Spirit.

For background on the role of healing ministry in the life of the church, read About Grace Church's Healing Ministry

What People are Saying About this Service.

Grace Church Senior Warden David Mukasa (left) says, "I attended the healing/Reike/drumming service for the first time last week and I was swept off my feet! The involvement and passion of the participants is contagiously good, I even got to play the drum!"

"For those who have not attended the service I recommend that you do. It will be an experience." 

Liturgist Hawley Todd said of the October, 2009, service,  "The healing service last evening was truly blessed by the Lord.  … At the beginning of my homily, I did an invocation of the Holy Spirit.  I am not sure how good the homily was but the seekers and drummers liked it.  What I do know is that the Holy Spirit did come in an extremely powerful way.  It was amazing. Ray Betts, J White, and I prayed with many. It was wonderful to spend more time in prayer with each person than we are able to do on Sunday mornings.  It is a humbling experience to be with others as the Lord ministers to them!"

About the November, 2009, service, Reike Master Kevin Driggers said, "This was an AWESOME night the creator has given us. I can't believe the turnout that we had. It would seem there is a shift in going to church. "This ain't your Parent's" spirituality." Bob Laake and I feel very blessed to have been placed in the right place at the right time. It seems to be a  revival of old time religion. I thank all who attended for allowing us to be part of their blessings as we receive much more than we all give!"

About the Leaders.

This service is led by Hawley Todd, TSSF. Healing drumming is led by Bob Laake. Rieke is coordinated by Kevin Driggers.

Hawley Todd, TSSF, (right) is currently the full time Formation Director of Episcopal Healing Ministries. He has worked for 26 years in various healing ministries and was mentored by EHM founder the Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal from 1982 until her death in 1989.  He was trained in the Anglican tradition at Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary, has taught World Religions at McMaster University and has been an Education for Ministry mentor with the University of the South since 1996.  He has been an Assistant Formation Director for the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis and was the Director of Christian Formation at St. Thomas Episcopal Church from 1990 to  2006.  He is a trained spiritual director and has led retreats and missions in the United States and Canada. He is a licensed Worship Leader in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Bob Laake (left) has loved drumming since early childhood when he would drum on anything that would make a sound. He's played with many local bands in practically every style of music. However, it wasn't until he was diagnosed with stomach cancer that he discovered the power of the drum as a healing tool. He is now in total remission and is spreading the word of healing drumming everywhere he can. Learn more about  the power of healing drumming on Bob Laake's Drum for Healing page.

Kevin Driggers (right) is a Reiki Master/Teacher. He also works with crystals and other minerals as a form of alternative healing. He has been working with alternative healing since 1984.