Every week someone asks us to pray for them. People in need are glad to have someone standing alongside them in support and occasionally, and very joyfully, we are asked to give thanks for someone’s recovery or significant improvement.

The church has been engaged in the healing ministry and prayer ministry since the day of its birth. Somehow or other, this news has been forgotten. So, as we at St Mary’s are about to increase the possibilities for such prayer, we thought we’d better let it be known what we do. As part of our regular work we:-

• pray in our general public prayers for sick and bereaved people at every service in church, and every Monday afternoon in St Mary’s Centre at our Prayer Group.
• pray specifically on a confidential one-to-one basis with anyone after the morning services on the 2nd and 4th Sunday each month.
• pray, with the Laying-on of Hands (and sometimes with Anointing with Oil) in a one-to-one confidential way, in the 6.00pm Communion Service, which is usually on the 3rd Sunday of each month.
• pray for bereaved people in the context of out twice-a-year Thanksgiving & Remembrance Service.
• pray with individuals as, and when, opportunities arise.

There is no shortage of opportunities – but we realise that we are still only scratching the surface. We would love to be used more often. To this end, in our 10.30am Service on Easter Sunday (April 8th), we shall be Commissioning two ladies from our regular congregation to work with the clergy in this work. As this team develops we shall be available to be alongside more and more people. If you need us to help you by praying for you, please ask – we shall be delighted to respond.

David Ainge