A SERVICE OF HEALING I

This is a congregational service centered on healing and is for use at some time other than that of the principal weekly congregational worship service. It may be freely adapted to meet specific needs.

GATHERING

GREETING *One of the following may be used:

Are any among you sick?
They should call for the elders of the church
and have them pray over them,
anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick,
and the Lord will raise them up;
and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to one another,
and pray for one another,
so that you may be healed. (JAMES 5:14–16a)

May grace and peace be yours in abundance
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 PETER 1:2)
We have come to lift up our brothers and sisters before the Lord
that they might receive healing.
Let those who seek God's healing
open their hearts to the Spirit of the Lord.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
And all that is within me, bless God's holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God's benefits.
The Lord forgives all our iniquity, and heals all our diseases.

The Lord redeems our lives from the pit,
and crowns us with steadfast love and mercy.
God satisfies us with good as long as we live
so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's.

HYMN OF PRAISE*

A hymn of adoration and praise (see UMH 57–152 and the listing in UMH) or one of the hymns of healing may be sung.

OPENING PRAYER *

The following or another prayer may be used.

Almighty and everlasting God,
who can banish all affliction both of soul and of body,
show forth your power upon those in need,
that by your mercy they may be restored to serve you afresh
in holiness of living, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE Suggested lessons and psalms:

SERMON, MEDITATION, OR TESTIMONY

[AFFIRMATION OF FAITH OR OTHER RESPONSE TO THE WORD]

CONFESSION AND PARDON

If James 5:14–16 a has not been read earlier in the service, it may be read as a call to confession.

The congregation may pray a confession such as one of those in UMH 890–93 or on 474–94, or an appropriate psalm (see above).

The confession is followed by silence and these or other words of pardon.

Leader to people:

Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God's love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

People to leader:

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Leader and people:

Glory to God. Amen.

The congregation may then sing a response of praise and thanksgiving such as one of the following from UMH:

See also:
Tino tenda Jesu (Hymn 203)
Heleluyan (Hymn 176)
Praised Be Our Lord (Hymn 204)

[THE PEACE *]

If desired, the Peace, Offering, and Holy Communion may follow the Anointing and Laying on of Hands.

[OFFERING]

[HOLY COMMUNION]

The pastor may administer Holy Communion to all present who wish to share at the Lord's table, the people using A Service of Word and Table III (UMH) or one of the musical settings (UMH ) and the pastor using the following.

The pastor, standing if possible behind the Lord's table, facing the people from this time through the Breaking of Bread, takes the bread and cup; and the bread and wine are prepared for the meal. The pastor then prays:

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty (almighty God), creator of heaven and earth.
In the beginning, when darkness covered the face of the earth
and nothing existed but chaos,
your Spirit swept across the waters.
You spoke but a word, and light was separated from darkness.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The pastor may lower hands.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The pastor may raise hands.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ:
who lived among us and knew human pain and suffering;
who called all who were burdened and heavy laden and gave them rest;
who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners;
who cast out demons and showed us the way to you through faith;
who took our suffering upon himself,
that we might be cleansed of our sins and receive eternal life.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,
you gave birth to your Church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,
gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup.

When the supper was over he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

The pastor may raise hands.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

The pastor may raise hands.

By the same Spirit heal us in body, mind, and spirit,
cleansing away all that would separate us from you.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father (God ), now and for ever.

Amen.

All pray the Lord's Prayer, using one of the forms in UMH 270–71, 894–96.

The pastor, still standing behind the Lord's table, facing the people, breaks the bread and then lifts the cup, in silence or with appropriate words.

The bread and wine are given to the people, with these or other words being exchanged:

The body of Christ, given for you. Amen.
The blood of Christ, given for you. Amen.

When all have received, the Lord's table is put in order.

[THANKSGIVING OVER THE OIL *]

If desired, this act may precede Holy Communion.

If James 5:14–16 a has not been read earlier in the service, it may be read here as an introduction to the anointing.

Let us pray.

O God, the giver of health and salvation,
we give thanks to you for the gift of oil.
As your holy apostles anointed many who were sick and healed them,
so pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on this gift,
that those who in faith and repentance receive this anointing
may be made whole;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[HYMN OF HEALING*]

One of the hymns listed in UMH under Healing, Hope or Courage, or one of the following hymns in UMH, or another suitable hymn may be sung by the congregation or by a choir or solo voice.

PRAYERS FOR HEALING AND WHOLENESS WITH ANOINTING AND/OR LAYING ON OF HANDS

People may be invited to come forward individually or as a group to the communion rail or other designated prayer area and express any specific concerns they may have. They may be ministered to by the pastor, by other designated persons, or by prayer teams of two or three persons each. All prayer team members lay on hands and share in silent and spoken prayer.

The congregation and choir may sing hymns. See hymns suggested.

If there is anointing with oil, a leader touches a thumb to the oil and makes the sign of the cross on the person's forehead, in silence or using these or similar words:

Name, I anoint you with oil
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
(in the name of the holy and triune God )
(in the name of Jesus, the Christ, your Savior and Healer)
[for specified purpose].

If there is laying on of hands, a leader, who may be joined by others, lays hands upon each person's head, in silence or using these or similar words:

Name, I (we ) lay my (our ) hands on you
(These hands are laid upon you)
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
(in the name of the holy and triune God )
(in the name of Jesus, the Christ, your Savior and Healer )
[for specified purpose ].

May the power of God's indwelling presence heal you of all illnesses—
of body, mind, spirit, and relationships—
that you may serve God with a loving heart. Amen.

PRAYER AFTER ANOINTING AND/OR LAYING ON OF HANDS *

The following, or one of the prayers for special concerns, or another suitable prayer may be used.

Almighty God,
we pray that Names (our brothers and sisters)
may be comforted in their suffering and made whole.
When they are afraid, give them courage;
when they feel weak, grant them your strength;
when they are afflicted, afford them patience;
when they are lost, offer them hope;
when they are alone, move us to their side;
[when death comes, open your arms to receive him/her].
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

[SHARING OF THANKSGIVINGS]

Persons who feel so led may give thanks for healing or other blessings.

HYMN * One of the hymns suggested or another suitable hymn.

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING *

The Lord who heals all your iniquity bless and keep you;
the face of the Lord who heals all your afflictions
shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the light of the countenance of the Lord who redeems your life
be lifted upon you and give you peace. Amen.

GOING FORTH *

Copyright: “A Service of Healing I” © Copyright 1992 UMPH. Thanksgiving and Communion © 1972 The Methodist Publishing House; © 1980, 1985, 1989, 1992 UMPH. Dismissal with Blessing, alt., from The Book of Offices and Services After the Usage of The Order of Saint Luke, Timothy J. Crouch, O.S.L. ed. and comp. Cleveland (OSL Publications) © 1988.

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