"Preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick." Luke 9:2

THE EPISCOPAL

HEALING MINISTRY

FOUNDATION

A resource for those seeking

a deeper understanding of

the healing power of

Christ available

to each of us

TODAY.

Welcome to the website

of

The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation

Lent

      Starting on Ash Wednesday, we are invited to a Holy Lent, through self-examination and repentance; prayer, fasting and self-denial; and reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.  Often I have suggested to you as a means of growing ever closer to God, that you practice daily self-examination, asking the Holy Spirit to show you your sins of the spirit of which you may have been guilty that day. Then, offering God your contrite heart, accept His cleansing, healing absolution. I always suggest that you spend no more than two or three minutes doing this, lest you become morbid, or guilty of scrupulosity, which is spiritual lingo for spiritual soul-searching.

      Prayer - this does NOT mean continually bombarding God for favors, but offering Him prayers of adoration, and thanksgiving, penitence, and prayers for those in need, followed by your own needs. Underlying these petitions should be the fundamental need of the whole world, that each of us may come into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus. Then just rest in God silently for a few minutes.

      Fasting and self-denial - we can fast in two ways: first by simplifying our usual eating pattern and second by fasting from what we recognize as our own besetting sins: such as a propensity to judge others; to criticize; to be over-sensitive or self-pitying.  And we can strive to increase, by God’s grace, the virtues of the Christian life, especially patience and denial of self.   We are most likely to receive healing when we seek God for Himself and not what He can give us.  I remind you of the master key of all healing which is Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God. The ultimate goal of the healing ministry, as should be the ultimate goal of Lent, is a closer relationship with God.

      Lent is not meant to impose upon us a more rigorous regime of exterior practices. It is meant to bring us closer to God and thus increase in us a spirit of love and generosity on our parts, to all of God's children and thus to God Himself.  

      However, I would point out that wholeness is the ultimate goal of all our spiritual exercises: to come closer to Him, ultimately to be one with Him, and if all we do to improve our spiritual lives during Lent is for this purpose alone, we can’t go wrong. We will grow in holiness, increase in wholeness, and our healing, per se, is very apt to be a part of this entire process. This, you see, is why it has been claimed that more healings occur in Lent than at any other time. For the incredible love and mercy of God, we offer all that we have and are, and we pray that during this Lent, our offering may be more complete than ever before.

          This message was excerpted from a Lenten homily given by the Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal.

"The ministry of healing

is the Church's fundamental

ministry and the world's

fundamental need."

In Memoriam

The Right Reverend Herbert Thompson

Retired Bishop, Diocese of

Southern Ohio

1933-2006

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation was founded in 1987 to equip and train clergy and laity to incarnate ministries of healing.  During its history, the EHMF has held conferences, missions, retreats, seminars, and quiet days in this endeavor.  Consultants for parishes and seminaries have been a key component of its formation strategy.   In addition, the EHMF has published and provided a variety of educational resources which are of assistance to anyone seeking to discern and strengthen ministries of healing.

            The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation currently has a full time Formation Director available to continue this work.  Hawley Todd TSSF has worked for 26 years in various healing ministries and was mentored by the Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal from 1982 until her death in 1989.  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.  He is a trained spiritual director and has led retreats and missions in the United States and Canada.

            The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation offers a variety of services and programs which can be tailored to meet the needs of laity and clergy. 

Clergy

            The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation will provide support and consultation for clergy desiring to establish and/or maintain ministries of healing.   Delineating clear and concise guidelines for the practice of the healing ministry is essential for maintaining the highest standards in ethics and pastoral ministry.

Healing Teams

            The training and formation of members of healing teams is critical to the success of ministries of healing.  Our programs emphasize a thorough knowledge of the theological foundations of healing in Scripture and Christian Tradition combined with practical, experiential learning.  Our formation strategies address both the hearts and the minds of participants.  Ongoing spiritual formation and supervision of all healing team members are normative.

Diocese, Parish, & Seminary

Resources

          The foundation published the Joint Commission Report twenty years ago, and has reprinted it for the second time. It develops in detail all aspects of the healing ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.  In addition, the Commission Report explores many of the misunderstandings and fears often associated with the ministry of healing.  It was written by a believing group of Bishops, priests and lay persons including the Rev. Dr. Alfred Price and the Rev. Emily Gardiner Neal.

     The Foundation is pleased to offer this unique and special treatise on the Church's Ministry of Healing. Copies may be ordered through The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation,

CD AVAILABLE

    Homilies by Mrs. Neal are offered on a new CD published

by The Episcopal Healing Ministry Foundation. The CD

includes 100 of the 850 homilies and mission talks delivered

by The late Reverend Deacon Emily Gardiner Neal during

her thirty year ministry. This CD in pdf format is available

through the foundation located at Christ Church Cathedral, by

phone at 513-831-8382 or online by clicking on the order

form button to the left and by printing a copy to mail in.

Also available on Audio CD are talks by Mrs. Neal. Please view the order form for more information.

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