We are pleased to announce the appointment of a new Diocesan Healing Adviser.
Cheryl Hawkins is the vicar of St Andrew’s, Burnham on Sea and took up her role last month. Cheryl, who moved to Bath and Wells from Bristol last year, has a wide experience and understanding of healing ministry as well as considerable competence in leading collaboratively and enabling the gifts of all to grow.
This is a Bishop’s appointment. Bishop Michael said, “Cheryl is a person of such gifts, abilities and credibility and I am delighted to endorse this appointment.”
Cheryl will combine her new role with her work in parish, and has a vision of healing that integrates all of life and work. She said, “Healing ministry in many ways has to be held lightly within the seriousness of its undertaking – that we only carry out the ministry of healing through God`s grace, through prayer and discernment.
“Whether the healing is for physical or spiritual healing or both, the broadness of it means that it is our relationship with God that leads to wholeness and which enables us to flourish well as human beings, but also the wider healing of creation, healing where needed in communities, to explore forgiveness – the Church in its healing ministry can offer something other`s perhaps cannot, offer a space- It offers the space for lament as a way to move forward to healing.
“And within that space we have been gifted many ways of carrying out that ministry, laying on of hands, anointing, in our liturgical offerings, of listening and pastoral care – of working alongside through collaboration – being open to seeing healing in a wider context, for example the use of warm spaces we have seen recently set up in response to the cost of living crisis and of tackling loneliness through offering spaces – these are ways where the church offers healing and human flourishing.
“Jesus ` healing ministry was relational, of walking alongside - healing is relational, it is honouring our common humanity within the uniqueness of each of us being made in God`s image.
We welcome Cheryl and offer our prayers for her.
If you would like to know more about Healing Ministry, please visit the Healing ministry pages on the Bath and Wells website.