ideas for healing services???

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Permalink Reply by Linda Sines on January 13, 2010 at 9:45am

What specifically do you mean by "healing service"?

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Permalink Reply by Lynn Wegner on January 13, 2010 at 10:26am

I am Lutheran. We have a liturgy that involves people coming to the altar and asking for prayers of healing (any kind, not just physical but emotional, etc. too). The pastor does a special prayer for them, lays hands on them while praying, and anoints them with oil. We have special music, etc. for the day. Just looking for any other ideas to make the service even better.

Linda Sines said:

What specifically do you mean by "healing service"?

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Permalink Reply by Linda Sines on January 13, 2010 at 10:50am

Thanks for clarifying. Here are two brief ideas of what we have done, and may not necessarily work in your community but might be something for you to leap-frog from.

1. Empty vessels: relates to the story of Elisha and the widow found in 2 Kings 4.

Concept is that the more emptiness we bring to God the more He can fill.

So we had paper "clay jars" (just a picture of a jar--I had a variety of 5 different ones printed on brown paper and then the shape cut out) and pencils on every chair/pew holder and the congregation was invited to write down people who needed to be filled/who were empty, including themselves. Then we had them bring/gather all the "emptiness" and collected the "filled" paper jars in giant (real) clay jars at the front with a prayer for God's forgiveness, God's healing and God's filling. We did this for a group of about 700 people and it was very engaging and healing.

2. Tears of God: relates to the text in Psalm 56; basically that God is concerned with us personally and "collect's our tears in a jar".

If you google this concept "tear jars" has a long ancient history. You can use this information in a creative way. We sat around a pool for the message and sharing, then created our own clay tear jars. It was profound and healing, but designed for a smaller, more intimate group of 30. But the same concept can be re-set for a larger group.

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Permalink Reply by Angie on January 13, 2010 at 2:24pm

I love this concept of tear jars. I also think we rush past the silence part of prayer. In our Prayers for the People, we often say we'll have a moment of silence for people to bring their own concerns before God. I think that moment is way too short. Just as I start to get comfortable saying silent prayer in community, 2 seconds into it, the assistant minister whips out of it and finishes the prayer.

I'd like to suggest soft emotive music in the background of the prayer time and several minutes of silence. I'd let the congregation know first, though, or they might be confused.

I'd also like to suggest guided silence. To go into the silent prayer, help the congregation envision the throne room of God. Help them focus and see God leaning into their voice, hearing them whisper their worries, hurts, and concerns right into his ear. Then after the silent period, guide them back out gently. Say, "He hears you, God listens, in prayer we are in God's presence." Something that helps the congregation begin to put closure on that deep silent privacy.

Angie


Linda Sines said:

Thanks for clarifying. Here are two brief ideas of what we have done, and may not necessarily work in your community but might be something for you to leap-frog from.

1. Empty vessels: relates to the story of Elisha and the widow found in 2 Kings 4.

Concept is that the more emptiness we bring to God the more He can fill.

So we had paper "clay jars" (just a picture of a jar--I had a variety of 5 different ones printed on brown paper and then the shape cut out) and pencils on every chair/pew holder and the congregation was invited to write down people who needed to be filled/who were empty, including themselves. Then we had them bring/gather all the "emptiness" and collected the "filled" paper jars in giant (real) clay jars at the front with a prayer for God's forgiveness, God's healing and God's filling. We did this for a group of about 700 people and it was very engaging and healing.

2. Tears of God: relates to the text in Psalm 56; basically that God is concerned with us personally and "collect's our tears in a jar".

If you google this concept "tear jars" has a long ancient history. You can use this information in a creative way. We sat around a pool for the message and sharing, then created our own clay tear jars. It was profound and healing, but designed for a smaller, more intimate group of 30. But the same concept can be re-set for a larger group.

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