Healing and Anointing Service
Wednesday, September 20, 2000
A few weeks ago, a cluster of parishioners gathered for the Healing and Anointing Service. A variety of ages filled the fall night to pray together as a whole. They walked into the church with a desire to share their cause with each other in hopes of feeling a powerful strength amongst themselves. The service was an hour long and contained the tradition of readings, songs, and ceremonial anointing on the forehead and palms.
The service began with an introduction by the hosts, who welcomed and directed us in song and prayer. The readings focused our thoughts on the powerful energy of prayer towards personal needs. While listening and combining the cares of others we learned the gift of letting go and gaining strength as a group. The collective personal warmth flowed throughout the church.
Midpoint in the service, the moderators called upon the group for individual intentions. Special purposes were sited and enabled everyone to pull their personal thoughts together. A few people called out for various causes of a sickness or disease, including the cause for a young 10-month-old's fight against leukemia. He was present with his parents. One of the moderators entered his own plea for prayers for a co-worker. He shared with us her struggles with the recent unexpected death of her son and a week later the expected death of her ailing husband. He stated how he and his co-workers found a way to support her in this difficult time of her life. Hearts went out to all that shared, and those who remained more private.
Caring for each other was validated with the short ceremony of anointing. The oil symbolizing a balm or salve for healing purposes. The anointing in turn was demonstrating the power of touch and how Jesus would cure the sick and heal with the simple act of touch. Examples of this were sited in Gospel readings from Luke 4:31-32,38-41, Mt 10:1. We sang a response “Divine Healer, Hear Our Prayer” and sang such songs as “Do Not Be Afraid I am With You, There Is A Balm, and Here I Am Lord”. Steve Kramer and Joe Chouinard accompanied with piano and guitar.
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