Back to Church

Back to Church?

Now What? - Part 2

Sunday, August 20, 2023
Matthew 4:18-22, 10:1-8a

 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and throw out demons. You received without having to pay. Therefore, give without demanding payment.

Matthew 10:7-8

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

(note: My wife Rev. McKenzie Sefa & I are presently preaching the same series at our respective congregations. Due to some recording difficulty at my church, I have included her version of this week’s message below. Enjoy!)

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There is no question that the global pandemic of 2020 and 2021 had a significant impact on the way we do “church.”  In some ways, the ongoing move toward building online communities for worship, study and prayer has made church more accessible for many who were previously unable to participate due to health issues, job schedules, etc.  On the other hand, there is something about gathering together in person that can’t quite be replicated, no matter how good our online offerings may be.  I have heard from laity and clergy alike over these past few years that it’s time to stop making our services and bible studies available online because we need to “get people back in church.”

There are a few problems with this theory, well-intentioned as it may be.

1. Eliminating online offerings cuts off people including shut-ins who are not otherwise able to participate.

2. There will always be online opportunities for people to choose from.  People are less likely to return to “our church” than they are to simply find another one to watch online.

3. Though we may like to blame the pandemic for our lower attendance, the truth is that church attendance in the U.S. has been in rapid decline for over two decades.  The pandemic may have sped up the process a bit, but going back to the way things were before 2020 will not address the real problems.

As of 2019, Gallup polls report that only 46% of Americans belong to a house of worship (of any religion).  This is the first time since the 1930’s that the number has dropped under 50%.  What’s more, only 30 to 35% actually attend religious services at least once or twice per month, so “belonging” to a religious institution does not always translate to participation and attendance.  Furthermore, those who identify as “nones” or having no religious affiliation has risen to between 20% and 30% depending on the study. 

This may sound like bad news for the church, but I would argue that it may actually be good news in at least two ways.

1. It is a reality check that we can’t blame any one thing for our decline and it invites us to look at ourselves more closely to evaluate why so many have felt disconnected from our congregations for so long.

2. More importantly, it gives us an opportunity to rethink our metrics.  What if physical attendance in a religious service for one hour a week is not the marker of faith we thought it was?  What if God is at work in people’s lives outside our budlings the other 167 hours of the week as well, and dare we say, even among those who will never darken our doors.

What if getting people in church was never the point? 

Jesus doesn’t gather people to worship him and pray to him.  He gathers them to teach them, to equip them, and to send them out to heal the sick, to cast out demons and even to raise the dead. 

May we go out from our church buildings and do the same.

Back to Normal?

Back to Normal?

Now What? - Part 1

Sunday, August 13, 2023
Numbers 13:25-14:10, John 17:11-19

The entire community raised their voice and the people wept that night.  All the Israelites criticized Moses and Aaron. The entire community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt or if only we had died in this desert!  Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our children will be taken by force. Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”  So they said to each other, “Let’s pick a leader and let’s go back to Egypt.”

Numbers 14:1-4 

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

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Painting Pictures of Egypt

by Sara Groves

I don't want to leave here
I don't want to stay
It feels like pinching to me
Either way
And the places I long for the most
Are the places where I've been
They are calling out to me
Like a long lost friend

It's not about losing faith
It's not about trust
It's all about comfortable
When you move so much
And the place I was wasn't perfect
But I had found a way to live
And it wasn't milk or honey
But then neither is this

I've been painting pictures of Egypt
Leaving out what it lacks
The future feels so hard
And I want to go back
But the places that used to fit me
Cannot hold the things I've learned
Those roads were closed off to me
While my back was turned
The past is so tangible
I know it by heart
Familiar things are never easy
To discard
I was dying for some freedom
But now I hesitate to go
I am caught between the Promise
And the things I know

If it comes to quick
I may not appreciate it
Is that the reason behind all this time in sand?
And if it comes to quick
I may not recognize it
Is that the reason behind all this time in sand?

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How are you painting pictures of Egypt? 

What are some things that you cannot go back to?

Where does nostalgia for the past hold you back from living into the future?

What is God inviting you to leave behind in order to fully live into the next season of your life?

Miracles in Our Midst

Miracles in Our Midst

Back to School Sunday

Sunday, August 6, 2023
John 6:1-15

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said,  “A youth here has five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that for a crowd like this?”

John 6:8-9 

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

We often think of Jesus performing miracles and we often wonder why we don’t see miracles more often in our lives today.  Some claim that miracles ceased after the days of the apostles.  Others deny that miracles ever really happened at all and attempt to come up with other explanations for such supernatural stories.  Still others say that miracles happen all the time, if you only have enough faith.  This last thought has led to significant pain and spiritual harm to those who, like Job, appear to do everything right and still do not experience healing or wholeness in this life. 

There is one thing about Jesus’ miracles, however, that we tend to overlook.  Many of Jesus’ miracles depended on the involvement of others.  So many of the people Jesus healed were brought to Jesus by their friends, some with great difficulty and sacrifice like the paralytic lowered through the roof of a house.  Many were required to do something to complete the miracle, such as the lepers who were told to go and present themselves before the priests or the blind man who had to wash in the pool of Siloam.  Before Jesus turned the water into wine, Mary told those around him to do whatever he said.  Then he instructed them to fill six stone jars with water.  How many of these miracles, I wonder, would not have taken place without the cooperation of others?

That brings us to today’s miracle, the feeding of the 5,000.  When the disciples come to Jesus saying there is not enough food, they suggest sending everyone home.  Jesus likely knew that many of those gathered already suffered under poverty and may not have had a meal to go home to.  Even if they did, he was not about to send people away when they came to him hungry for something more.  So Jesus responds, “You give them something to eat.”

At this point the disciples begin to sound like a typical church council.  “We don’t have enough,” they say.  “It would be far too expensive.  It would take more than half a year’s salary to buy this much food and even if we had that kind of money, there is no place around here to buy it.  It’s impossible.”

Jesus simply tells them to give what little they have and see what happens.  And of course we know the rest of the story.  Their 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish turned into 12 full baskets of leftovers after everyone had their fill.  We focus so much on the miracle that we again miss that it required the disciples to give what they had and to step out in faith.

But John adds one beautiful little detail the other gospel writers appear to overlook.  In his telling, it was not the disciples who had the loaves and fish, it was a young boy, a child.  This boy is the one who is willing to give his measly little lunch if it can help someone else.  He doesn’t apologize for not having enough.  He doesn’t think his gift is too small.  He simply gives what he has with no clue what good, if any, it will accomplish.  Is this what Jesus means when he says we must have the faith of a child? 

Perhaps miracles are indeed still happening all around us, but if we want to see them, maybe we better stop worrying and complaining and simply start doing what Jesus says.

#BeUMC - Experiencing God

Experiencing God

#BeUMC - Part 6

Sunday, July 30, 2023
John 9:1-41, Psalm 34:8

Therefore, they called a second time for the man who had been born blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know this man is a sinner.”

The man answered, “I don’t know whether he’s a sinner. Here’s what I do know: I was blind and now I see.”

John 9:24-25

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

God's command to “pray without ceasing” is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air. Whether we think of; or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him. All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice… In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is a con1nual prayer…

 - John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Q 38, ¶ 5)

We are a committed people. (Acts 2:42)

We live into our commitment to God by being committed to one another. The very first Christians, whose stories the book of Acts shares with us, serve as an example to us still today. In this handful of verses we read about their commitments to learning together, meeting together, eating together, and praying together. They took care of one another, opened their homes, and “demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone.”

We are a Jesus—Seeking people. (Matt 7:7-8)

Our seeking of Jesus does not end the first time we meet him. It is a life-long pursuit. Every day we seek to follow Jesus more closely than we did the day before. We do this through Times of worship and devotion, as well as acts of compassion and justice.

We are a Spirit—Filled people.  (Luke 4:16-19, John 20:21-23)

Some of us may have preconceptions of what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It might be good to share them with your group, or write them down in a journal. The Bible, however, offers examples of a variety of ways God’s people can be filled with the Spirit.

We are a praying people. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-21)

Visitors to John Wesley’s home in London can enter a small room off of his bedroom where he spent an hour in prayer each morning. Wesley’s prayer practice strengthened him throughout his ministry. As those who seek God throughout each day, we are a praying people of God.

We are a grace—filled people. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Grace is an important concept for United Methodists. John Wesley emphasized our dependence on grace in all aspects of life—from before we are aware of God’s presence in our lives, through our initial decision to follow Jesus and to our moment of death and entrance into heaven. Every step of the way is by the grace of God.

- excerpts from #BeUMC Study Guide

#BeUMC - Grace Beyond Understanding

Grace Beyond Understanding

#BeUMC - Part 1

Sunday, June 25 , 2023
Luke 23:32-43

“One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus insulted him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’

Responding, the other criminal spoke harshly to him, ‘Don’t you fear God, seeing that you’ve also been sentenced to die? We are rightly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate sentence for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.’

Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise.’”

Luke 23:39-43 (CEB)

This week’s message and blog post comes from special guets preacher, Rev. Tangela Cameron.

Listen here:

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God’s love is the center of the gospel. It is the crux from which everything else radiates, because without God’s love for humanity, there would be no Jesus, no Bible, and no Christianity. It is the center. Yet, the depth of God’s love is deeply perplexing. Everything about it is counterculture to our world.

This scripture is one of my favorites, and I find myself turning to it often as I work with my hospice and palliative care patients. A lot of questions arise at the end of life. There are not as many “whys?” as one might expect, but there are often questions, concerns, and worries around forgiveness. Primarily forgiveness from God, but also from family, friends, and others. My family raised me in the Baptist tradition. My experience with Baptist theology was fear-based. I remember others in Youth discussing baptism and how important it was to ensure we “didn’t go to Hell”.

I am not convinced that fear endears one to God. In my personal experience, choosing the route of fear, “turn or burn” theology, has driven more away from God/the church than towards. I came to The United Methodist Church as a teenager and remained United Methodist, because in my opinion, the theology showed me God’s truth: grace born out of love. Recently, a patient told me he did not “deserve” forgiveness. I did not ask, nor did he disclose, the things he thought were so heinous they would prevent God from extending mercy.

Regardless, it really did not matter what he did or did not do, because God did not set parameters of deservedness on grace or love. Instead, Jesus looks into the face of this criminal (or rebel, in other translations) next to him, who one might say is the least likely to understand what is happening amongst them and pronounces eternal forgiveness and restoration.

Grace does not make sense, because it is not about deserving anything. Grace is an outpouring of God’s love. Why? Because, God chose to. That is the one and only answer. Thanks be to God that God pours forth that which none of us deserves by any human measure. May we go forth and share likewise with the world.

Consider this: How does this passage stretch you? Are the merits by which we disperse grace and mercy to others of humanity’s scale of worthiness or are they of God?

#BeUMC - I Belong, You Belong, We Belong

I Belong, You Belong, We Belong

#BeUMC - Part 4

Sunday, July 16 , 2023
1 Corinthians 12:12-20

John replied, “Master, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he isn’t in our group of followers.” But Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him, because whoever isn’t against you is for you.”

Luke 9:49-50

This week’s sermon, “I Belong, You Belong, We Belong” comes to us from special guest Rev. Katie Lineberger. Listen here…

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From “Catholic Spirit: Sermon 39” - John Wesley

Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences. (¶4)

Hold you fast that which you believe is most acceptable to God, and I will do the same. I believe the Episcopal form of church government to be scriptural and apostolical. If you think the Presbyterian or Independent is better, think so still, and act accordingly. I believe infants ought to be baptized; and that this may be done either by dipping or sprinkling. If you are otherwise persuaded, be so still, and follow your own persuasion. … I have no desire to dispute with you one moment upon any of the preceding heads. Let all these smaller points stand aside. Let them never come into sight. “If thine heart is as my heart,” if thou lovest God and all [hu}mankind, I ask no more: “give me thine hand.” (§II, ¶2)

We are social creatures, designed to live in community. We celebrate family bonds, community Oes, and even feel a kinship with fellow fans of our favorite football team. Sometimes, however, our ideas about belonging are corrupted and we begin to draw defined circles too closely. When we view the “other” as one of “them,” we have entered into dangerous territory. Jesus is quick to correct his disciples when they begin to talk about “us.” Jesus modeled the ways we should be more accepting of the beautiful diversity intrinsic in the people of God.

As United Methodists, our inclusiveness requires more than simply welcoming people in worship on Sundays.

We are a people who seek justice.

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream

Amos 5:24

Scriptural holiness entails more than personal piety;   love of God is always linked with love of neighbor, a passion for justice and renewal in the life of the world.  (Book of Discipline, ¶102.1—Our Doctrinal Heritage)

We are a resilient people.

We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

It is easy to feel disheartened in our world. A global pandemic, racial injustice, climate change, economic worries, political divisiveness, family issues, and so much more threaten to steal our joy every day. Yet as people of God, we are people of hope, a hope that gives us strength to rebound even from the most difficult of circumstances. Our faith makes us resilient.

We are a welcoming people.

Keep loving each other like family. Don’t neglect to open up your homes to guests, because by doing this some have been hosts to angels without knowing it. Remember prisoners as if you were in prison with them, and people who are mistreated as if you were in their place.

Hebrews 13:1-3

Being a welcoming person of God entails more than inviting people into spaces where we feel most comfortable. Christ also compels us out into the world, to meet people wherever they are, and to serve as a welcoming presence to others.

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- excerpts from #BeUMC Study Guide

You can download the complete discussion guide at https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/our-people/beumc

#BeUMC - Bigger than Us

Bigger Than Us

#BeUMC - Part 5

Sunday, July 23, 2023
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, Romans 12:3-8

We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith.

Romans 12:4-6

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

“I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to; and sure I am that His blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I, therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work He hath given me to do… ‘As I have opportunity, doing good unto all men’; and His providence clearly concurs with his Word; which has disengaged me from all things else, that I might singly attend on this very thing, ‘and go about doing good.’” 

~ From the Journal of John Wesley:

We are a missional people. (James 2:18, Acts 1:7)

Since the early days of the Oxford “Holy Club,” Methodists have found missions as an expression of our faith. We reach out to neighbors near and far, offering the love of Jesus in word and deed. We do this in many ways. As a denomination, we support missionaries and dynamic, community-centric
initiatives all over the world. Local churches operate food banks, clothing and shelter ministries, childcare services, support groups and countless other caring ministries that introduce all people to the love of Jesus. We don’t do this to win God’s favor, but because we are recipients of God’s love and grace. In other words, we show our love for God by loving whom God loves… everyone!

We are a connected people. (Rom.12:5, Eccl. 4:12)

 Being part of a church—a community of faith—is important for our spiritual journeys. Today, we can attend classes online, buy a car from our couch, and worship via YouTube. That may lead us to believe we can do anything alone. Our faith journeys, however, are best nurtured when we are connected to a community of faith—which may include digital relationships and online worship!

We are a world-changing people. (Luke 13:20-21)

One of the markers of the early Methodist societies was their outreach to their communities and to the world. The first Methodist society meetinghouse in Bristol, England—known as the New Room— did not have pews fixed to the floor. Instead, the seats were removable, so that the room could be used for educating children or offering food and home remedies to the community.

We are a generous people. (2 Corinthians 9:7-9)

We give to minister in Jesus’ name. Together, United Methodists do remarkable ministry around the world. We care for survivors recovering from earthquakes and storms; we invest, long term, in vulnerable communities; we implement the most effective solutions to diseases like malaria; we equip the next generation to lead the Church and society. In all of this, we share the good news of Jesus Christ. We give because God first gave to us.

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- excerpts from #BeUMC Study Guide

You can download the complete discussion guide at https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/our-people/beumc

#BeUMC - Following Christ

Following Christ

#BeUMC - Part 3

Sunday, July 9, 2023
Matthew 28:16-20, Philippians 4:8-9, Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.

Matthew 28:19-20

And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people.  The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:14-17

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

Most of us are familiar with the Great Commission - “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a).  It’s easy to think of “making disciples” in terms of teaching, peaching, baptizing, etc.  In other words, this is the role of pastors, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, Christian Educators and others in some form of vocational ministry who are trained to preach and teach and baptize. 

When we turn to the rest of the New Testament, however, we clearly see that the role of making disciples is not actually limited to the apostles.  Rather, it is the work of the apostles to continually equip others to do the work of making disciples.  If we want to know whose job it is to make disciples, the answer is simple… other disciples.  Part of discipleship is multiplication.  Disciples naturally make other disciples because that’s how Jesus and his followers taught us as we have been discipled.

“But,” you might say, “I can’t teach or baptize.  I don’t know enough.  What if I don’t have the right answers? 

Let me encourage you now, you don’t know enough and you don’t have all the right answers.  Neither do I.  Neither did Billy Graham or Mother Theresa or Peter or Paul.  And neither has any disciple or disciple-maker throughout history.  Our task is simply to pass on what Jesus has taught us.  The best way to do this is not by passing on our knowledge of Jesus to others, but by  modeling by example the way of life Jesus taught us to live. 

Paul writes that as Christians, as followers of Christ, as disciples, we must “put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”  We must be tolerant with each other and forgive each other as Christ forgave us.  We must live in the unity of love, encouraging and building one another up in the name of Christ with a spirit of gratitude and praise. 

In other words, making disciples is less about what  we do, or what we say, and more about who we are and our way of being in the world.  When we “put on Christ,” or to put it another way, when we allow the Spirit to remake us in Christ’s likeness, our natural way of life will be so beautiful and compelling to others that they will want more of these Christlike attributes in their own life as well.  As we grow together in developing Christlike character and love, our fruit continues to multiply and bear more fruit.  We don’t make disciples by trying to convince people that they need to think or believe everything exactly like us.  We make disciples by living out Jesus’ example of love so that others will want to follow, just as we have chosen to follow Christ. 

So here’s the big question: Do we hang our Christian discipleship more on the fact that we “believe” in Jesus, or on the fact that we are actually following his teaching?  And which one do others most see in us?

#BeUMC - From Fear to Freedom

From Fear to Grace

#BeUMC - Part 2

Sunday, July 2, 2023
Romans 8:1-17

You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” 

Romans 8:15 (CEB)

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

The sound of crashing metal echoed through the dark cavernous sanctuary as a stream of light flickered on a small collapsible screen. A reel-to-reel whirred from the back of the room projecting gruesome images of human flesh run through with huge rusty spikes. Screams of agony drowned out the film reels and the clanging hammer, followed by a few guttural words in some foreign language I would later come to know as Aramaic.

 “Father, forgive them,” the dying man cried as he was hoisted up on a cross. “They know not what they do.”

In all honesty I don’t remember the words first hand; only the graphic sounds and images flooding the consciousness of my seven or eight-year-old mind. It wasn’t until middle school that I even began putting the pieces together, but the jumbled nightmarish images haunted me for years with little to no real meaning.

My childhood experience in the Catholic church left me with the confusion of mixed moral messages and a general fear of God and religion.  Looking back, I can appreciate many things about the Catholic faith, especially its positive influence in my grandmother’s life as one of the most devout prayer warriors I know.  Attending an occasional mass or Catholic funeral as an adult, I am struck by their rich heritage and their overwhelming reverence for the Scriptures. I am even moved on occasion to go and light a candle for friends who are grieving the loss of loved ones. But in elementary school, I did not have the wisdom or discernment to separate the anxiety of my personal experience from the whole of the Catholic church or even the whole of Christianity. 

The film we watched on the death of Jesus did not even come close to the graphic depictions of Mel Gibson’s, “The Passion of the Christ”, but at the time I felt as if I were actually there in Jerusalem, cowering away so the blood would not splatter on my face.  Like Peter, I would likely be huddling by a fire in the courtyard, unwilling to admit that I even knew the unrecognizable man on the cross.

I made straight A’s in school. My intelligence and imagination always ran high. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could not wrap my brain around why this man would have to suffer the way I saw that night. I couldn’t rationalize how anyone could inflict such a horrifying punishment on anyone, not even a mass murderer. 

Still reeling from the shock of it all, I heard the nun explain that Jesus died because of my sin.  The horror I had just witnessed was all my fault. OK, maybe not ALL mine, but I couldn’t stomach the idea that I needed forgiveness as much as the ones who nailed him to that cross. I never even had a poor conduct mark in school.  How could my wrongdoing cause this man to die nearly 2,000 years before I was even born? 

I don’t remember hearing anything about resurrection or the hope of eternal life. Maybe they taught it later on, but after that night, I was too scared to hear anything else.  Being a good kid would never be good enough anymore. I had to be perfect. I couldn’t live with his blood on my conscience but I didn’t understand how to remove the stain. I couldn’t even figure out how I ended up being responsible in the first place…

… and so begins my journey from fear to freedom...

For the rest of the story, listen to this week’s sermon here.

Also be sure to check out Rev. Tangela Cameron’s UMC story as shared at Shiloh on June 25th to kick off this series. You can see the video here.

Your Faith Has Healed You

Your Faith Has Healed You

A Service of Healing & Wholeness

Sunday, June 11, 2023
James 5:14-16, Mark 5:21-43

Are any among you sick?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them,  anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.

James 5:14-16

Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:

From The United Methodist Book of Worship, pp. 613-614

Scripture strongly affirms ministries of spiritual healing, which in recent years have received renewed emphasis throughout Christ’s holy Church. The root of the word healing in New Testament Greek, sozo, is the same as that of salvation and wholeness. Spiritual healing is God’s work of offering persons balance, harmony, and wholeness of body, mind, spirit and relationships through confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Through such healing, God works to bring about reconciliation between God and humanity, among individuals and communities, within each person, and between humanity and the rest of creation. The New Testament records that Jesus himself healed the estranged and sick and sent out his disciples on ministries of healing. James 5:14-16a calls us also to pray for and anoint the sick, that they may be healed.

All healing is of God. The Church’s healing ministry in no way detracts from the gifts God gives through medicine and psychotherapy. It is no substitute for either medicine or the proper care of one’s health. Rather, it adds to our total resources for wholeness.

Healing is not magic, but underlying it is the great mystery of God’s love. Those who minister spiritual healing are channels of God’s love. Although no one can predict what will happen in a given instance, many marvelous healings have taken place.

God does not promise that we shall be spared suffering but does promise to be with us in our suffering. Trusting that promise, we are enabled to recognize God’s sustaining presence in pain, sickness, injury, and estrangement.

Likewise, God does not promise that we will be cured of all illnesses; and we all must face the inevitability of death. A Service of Healing is not necessarily a service of curing, but it provides an atmosphere in which healing can happen. The greatest healing of all is the reunion or reconciliation of a human being with God. When this happens, physical healing sometimes occurs, mental and emotional balance is often restored, spiritual health is enhanced, and relationships are healed. For the Christian, the basic purpose of spiritual healing is to renew and strengthen one’s relationship with the living Christ.

Patterns of healing services grow out of both Church traditions and the needs of the moment. Prayers for healing, accompanied if desired by anointing with the laying on of hands, may be incorporated into any service of congregational worship as a Response to the Word. Also, there may be a healing service at a stated time each week or month, or healing may be ministered privately to individuals. Many find not only prayer but also Holy Communion, laying on of hands, and anointing with oil to be healing.

Laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and the less formal gesture of holding someone’s hand all show the power of touch, which plays a central role in the healings recorded in the New Testament. Jesus often touched others — blessing children, washing feet, healing injuries or disease, and raising people from death. Biblical precedent combines with our natural desire to reach out to persons in need in prompting us to touch gently and lovingly those who ask for healing prayers. Such an act is a tangible expression of the presence of the healing Christ, working in and through those who minister in his name.

Anointing the forehead with oil is a sign act invoking the healing love of God. The oil points beyond itself and those doing the anointing to the action of the Holy Spirit and the presence of the healing Christ, who is God’s Anointed One.

A prayer for healing:

O God, the giver of health and salvation, we give thanks to you for the gift of oil.

As your holy apostles anointed many who were sick and healed them,

so pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on this gift,

that those who in faith and repentance receive this anointing

may be made whole; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

May the power of God's indwelling presence heal you of all illnesses—

of body, mind, spirit, and relationships—

that you may serve God with a loving heart. Amen.