Healing Services out and about…..

Photo L to R

Billy McAlpine, St Donard’s Parish, Belfast; Rev Pat Mollan, Church’s Ministry of Healing; Canon Paul Hoey, Rector St Canice’s Parish Eglinton.

Sunday 17 October 2021

At the invitation of Canon Paul Hoey, I travelled to Eglinton, Co Londonderry,  to take part in a Healing Service on Sunday 17 October, 2021, at St Canice’s Parish Church, Eglinton, accompanied by Billy McAlpine from St Donard’s Parish Belfast.  It was raining as I left Downpatrick to collect Billy in Belfast, but as we travelled the weather improved.  The Glenshane Pass welcomed us with splashes of sunshine illuminating the hills, encouraging us past extensive roadworks, but that was nothing to the warm welcome we received at St Canice’s.  It was so lovely to be back ‘on the road’ again travelling throughout the province to tell of the work of CMH and join in healing prayer with a congregation.  Billy had come with me to tell some of his journey through bereavement accompanied by the Christian Family.  After praying for the Bishop and the Rector, but remaining socially distanced, the congregation came forward to form a large circle round the chancel.  As we approached each person  they said their name and were prayed for individually by name and received a blessing.  So many people wanted to come forward that we had to repeat the process!

What a wonderful way to mark St Luke’s-tide!

Visit of the Primate and Archbishop of Armagh

Thursday Prayer  

Each Thursday the CMH Board prays between 7.00 and 8.00 am for the Ministry of Healing, and we invite you to join us…….

Church’s Ministry of Healing -The Mount

Hour of Prayer for Our Ministry — 9 December 2021

“The Psalms are the songs of a journeying people” (Esther De Waal)

As she reflects upon the central place that the Psalms occupy in contemplative lifestyle Esther De Waal offers the following personal insights:

“The psalms are the songs of a journeying people and I can identify in them many of the feelings on my own journey with God.”

“Whatever the mood of the psalms, or whatever my own mood, saying the psalms day in and day out, for year after year after year, no matter how I feel, unites me with thousands of men and women across all divides of time and place who have shared them with me”

(From: “A Life-Giving Way” (pp.66 & 67), Canterbury Press, 2013).

Our contemplations during Advent (and beyond) will bring to mind many particular journeys which we will be able to define as “Pilgrimages” in their own right.  The Christian life in general, when it is lived intentionally and therefore in the awareness of movement in The Divine Presence, is by its nature a perpetual journey of pilgrimage.  There are many “ups and downs” and unexpected developments along our course of travel.

In Psalm 107 we find a broad template for the pilgrim’s path.  That Psalm offers us, in a series of case studies, much upon which the traveler may profitably reflect.  I suggest that for this week we take up its first half, that is Psalm 107:1-22.

Before setting out the traveler must consider the nature of the terrain to be covered.  Nevertheless, we are called to journey with confidence for as Verses 1-3 demonstrate we have a sure guide.  Hazards will nevertheless present; these verses evoke three kinds.

There first is the temptation to wander unwarily into “desert wastes” that will leave us hungry.  Secondly there is the temptation to wander into self-assured by-ways, taking the course that seems best to us without consulting and heeding the guide; we will need to be delivered after much pain.  Thirdly there is the willfully sinful path which is perhaps best illustrated in the impulsive life choice of the “younger son” from Luke 15, full hearted repentance will represent our only hope.

In all instances God is faithful and, whatever the cost in suffering that we bring upon ourselves, he is gracious to redeem and restore.  The wise traveler will from the outset guard against all danger and stay close to their guide and protector.

Psalm 107 offers to us a double call.  Firstly, to be faithful, individually and collectively.  Beyond that comes our call to service in God’s kingdom; we must be ready to reach out to others who have been overtaken by misadventure.  We offer our response totally dependent upon God’s grace and mindful towards others that “There, but for the grace of God, go I”

May God bless and make fruitful our prayer and contemplation before him.  Please remember the CMH Board as it meets today, hoping to be honoured by a visit of Rt. Rev George Davison, Bishop of Connor.

David (M)