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 would love to hear from you so please get in touch with ideas for Healing Forums, setting up new Healing Wells, articles for the newsletter or requests for information or ideas.
Healing Forums
The Diocesan Healing Advisory Group holds Healing Forums, which offer opportunities for people to come together if they are interested or involved in Christian healing ministry. After each presentation, there is time to reflect on the challenges of our times, and to explore where and how healing might be at work. Watch this space for details of future Healing Forums.
Previous Healing Forums
You can watch recordings from our previous Healing Forums:
- Watch The Nature of Christian Peacebuilding forum. Simon Keyes talked about how we all fall short of our Christian ideals of peace - how can Scripture rescue us from failure & help us to understand & respond constructively to conflict & disagreement? (October 2023)
- Watch the 'Small Steps towards Peace' forum. Real, do-able practical ways towards finding peace in our lives today. How we recognise that we are not at peace, what is helpful for our own inner peace as individuals and how we can build these practices into our lives. (February 2023)
- Watch the 'Healing through Families' forum'. Gabby North talked about the work of Safe Families, an organisation which works with local councils ‘to bring hope, support and belonging to children’ and those who care for them. (June 2022)
- Watch the 'Healing at the end of life' forum. Revd Ann Fulton, Spiritual Care Coordinator at St Margaret’s Hospice, shared really helpfully on the role of accompanying someone as they come to the end of their life. St Margaret’s Hospice provides care to patients and families facing life-limiting illness. (April 2022)
- Watch the 'Listening in healing' forum. 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. (February 2022)
- Listen to the Taize chant used in the 'Listening in healing' forum. A summary of Alison Perham's presentation can be downloaded below.
Links to the presentations from 2021 can be found in the Healing newsletter from September 2021, downloadable below. The themes 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.
Healing Service
A Healing Service was held during Evensong in Wells Cathedral in October 2023, with Revd Preb Julie Birkett preaching. The text from her sermon can be downloaded below.
Healing Wells
We are working towards having a focal points or 'wells' of people that anyone can contact for help or advice with healing matters within their parish, offering support, sharing together and exploring the call to healing, learning to listen, and training.
If you are interested, talk to your clergy and contact Sue Whitehead at email: sue.whitehead@bathwells.anglican.org. We can put you in touch with like-minded people with a heart for healing ministry.
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 newsletter is produced about 3 times a year, 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’.
Recent editions of the newsletter are available to download below.
Diocesan Healing Advisory Group
- Gilly Bunce – Diocesan Healing Advisor
- Margaret Hendy – Chair
- Sue Whitehead – Administrator
- Jonathan Clark
- Miggs Clark
- Howard Latty
- Mary Southwood
- Lis Sparrow
- Sally Walters
- Caroline Bruce (ex officio)
Who to contact
Revd Dr Gilly Bunce, Healing Adviser
Sue Whitehead, Deanery and Parish Support Adminstrator
Downloads
Is God calling me to Healing Ministry? leaflet
Healing Service sermon Preb Julie Birkett - October 2023
Healing newsletter - January 2023
Healing newsletter - Summer 2022
Listening in healing - Alison Perham presentation summary, February 2022
Healing newsletter - Early Spring 2022
Healing newsletter - September 2021