Supporting healing ministry across the diocese

Diocesan Healing Advisory Group

The Healing Advisory Group is a voluntary group within the diocese that aims to support and inspire both lay and clergy within our parishes in Christ’s work of wholeness and healing for individuals, churches and communities. It seeks to provide a prophetic voice that speaks to both the wider Church and society on matters of wholeness and healing.

Below are some things led by the group and a list of the current members is at the bottom of the page. We’d love to hear from you so please get in touch with ideas for Healing Forums, setting up new Healing Wells, with articles for the newsletter or requests for information or ideas.

Healing Wells

We are working towards each deanery having a focal point or 'well' of people that anyone can contact for help or advice with healing matters within their parish. It will be a place of support, sharing together and exploring the call to healing, learning to listen, and training.

If you are interested, talk to your clergy and get in contact with Sue Whitehead and we can put you in touch with like-minded people with a heart for healing ministry.

Healing Forums

Through 2021 the Diocesan Healing Advisory Group went online for Healing Forums, which offer opportunities for people to come together if they are interested or involved in the Christian healing ministry. After each presentation, there was time to reflect on the challenges of our times, and to explore where and how healing might be at work.

These presentations are still available to view - the links can be found in the Healing newsletter September 2021, downloadable below.

The themes for those three Zoom meetings were 'Healing in a World Turned Upside Down', 'Healing in a Time of Transition' and 'The Journey Towards Health and Healing.' Revd Dr Gillian Straine of The Guild of Health and St Raphael was our speaker at the last one and also preached on the theme of healing in October 2021 at Cathedral Evensong.

Following the success of the Zoom meetings last year, our programme of three Healing Forums for 2022 will follow a similar format online. This year's Healing Forums are:-

'Listening in Healing' took place on 15 February 2022, Preb Dr Alison Perham, considered the vital importance of being heard. She has a background in the NHS, working in palliative care. She has developed a particular expertise in listening, training and supporting other professionals in these skills. She is now a trustee of St Margaret’s Hospice. Watch a recording of the Forum Listening in Healing - the importance of being heard plus listen to the Taize chant used at the beginning of the Forum. A summary of Alison Perham's presentation may be downloaded below.
'Healing at the end of life' on Tuesday 26 April 2022, 7.30 – 9.00 pm. Revd Ann Fulton, Spiritual Care Coordinator at St Margaret’s Hospice will speak and lead our discussion. St Margaret’s Hospice provides care to patients and families facing life-limiting illness. If you wish to attend the Healing Forum on Tuesday 26 April, please register to receive the link to access the April Zoom meeting.
'Healing through Families' on Tuesday 14 June 2022, 7.30 – 9.00 pm. Gabby North from Safe Families, will speak and lead our session. Safe Families is an organisation which works with local councils ‘to bring hope support and belonging to children’ and those who care for them.

We will be having a Healing Service at Wells Cathedral Evensong on Sunday 23 October 2022 at 3.00 pm, with prayer for healing available afterwards.

More information about these will be available in due course.

Healing Courses

The Acorn Course is one that we recommend for developing skills in healing prayer.

The Diocesan Healing Advisory Group aims to run training days each year .

Healing Newsletter

A quarterly newsletter with updates about healing and wholeness across the diocese. If you would like to receive the newsletter, please use the online form and choose ‘Healing updates’

The Spring 2021 edition of the newsletter is now available to download below.

Diocesan Healing Advisory Group

Justine North – Chair
Gilly Bunce – Bishop’s Healing Advisor
Sue Whitehead – Administrator
Jonathan Clark
Miggs Clark
Ann Fulton
Margaret Hendy
Julia Hill
Mary Styles
Sally Walters

Who to contact

Revd Dr Gilly Bunce, Healing Adviser

Justine North, Chair of Diocesan Healing Advisory Group

Sue Whitehead, Deanery and Parish Support Adminstrator

Downloads

Listening in Healing: the importance of being heard Alison Perham presentation summary February 2022