Healing Group - Constitution
Membership
This is a working group accountable to the St Albans Diocesan Board for Church and Society. The Bishop or one of his suffrogans will be invited to act as Patron of the Group. The chairman shall be appointed by the Diocesan BCS on the recommendation of the group. The group will work together with the Board on matters relevant to its interests and will report to the Board on its activites. Membership should aim at including people from both counties who share a common commitment to furthering the aims of the group, and who represent a range of experience, both lay and ordained, medical and psychiatric. Ecumenical representation will be welcome.
Aims
1. To act as a resource for the Diocese by keeping informed of relevant literature and developments in this field; including the relationship between medical, psychiatric and spiritual healing; promoting occasional conferences, seminars and other events; responding to requests for information and advice from parishes; and providing teaching and training for those involved in this ministry.
2. To promote the ministry of healing as (a) a normal part of the ministry of the Church to its members, and (b) as a sign of the power and truth of the Gospel in Evangelism.
3. To declare that the ministry of healing should be a regular part of the ministry in every congregation.
4. To support the blessing and provision of oil for the anointing of the sick and to encourage priests to make this a regular part of their ministry.
5. To further the recognition that 'All the baptised and not only the clergy can be involved in the Church's ministry of healing'.
- In this context to encourage intercessory prayer by members of every congregation, and the development of intercessory prayer groups, remembering our Lord's promise about agreeing together in prayer.
- To foster the use of laying on of hands with prayer by the clergy and members of the congregation, and the creation of 'healing teams'.
- Since 'there are those to whom the Holy Spirit gives special gifts of healings' to encourage the development and exercise of such charismata within the discipline of the body of Christ.
6. To develop ministries concerned with inner healing and the healing of relationships, and encourage provision for the ministry of absolution and the assurance of forgiveness.
7. To give appropriate assistance in relation to the 'provision and oversight of ministries of deliverance from demonic oppression'.
8. The Group endorses the code of practice in both 'A Time to Heal' (produced by the House of Bishops) and 'Forward in Healing' (Grove Booklet).
