HEALING SERVICE
Healing
Praise the Lord
Litanies, Prayers, And Occasional Services
Object:
A TIME OF MEDITATION
Sit quietly, close your eyes, keep your hands open, with palms up. Loosen your whole body and take a deep breath and let it out slowly, with open mouth. Repeat three times. Then, breathing normally, open yourself to the presence of God falling gently over you, filling you with peace.
If you need something to keep your mind from wandering, focus on the cross of Christ, empty, for Christ has risen. Receive into yourself the empowering grace that God alone gives. Let your whole self be freed to receive the healing touch of God.
Try to stay within this meditative posture for five minutes. If you cannot keep your eyes closed, open them for a short while and close them again.
When you are ready or given an agreed-upon signal, open your eyes slowly and be quiet as you re-enter your everyday world.
GREETING
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 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. (James 5:12-15a)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all this is within me, bless God's holy name.
People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all God's benefits.
Leader: Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.
People: Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
Leader: Who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
People: Bless the Lord, O my soul. (Psalm 103:1-5, 22b)
PRAYER
God of loving care, in the frailty of our lives we come to you, bringing our troubles and our sorrows. We need your healing touch but we are afraid to reach out. We are afraid of what your presence might mean to our lives, of the changes it might bring. We worry too, O God, that we might not be worthy to receive your blessing.
Give us minds of courage to seek you, and hearts of faith to know that your love is assured. May the grace that you have promised sustain us, that the fullness of your healing might make us truly whole. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
MEDITATION
PRAYERS FOR HEALING FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS
Leader: Eternal God, in whose presence there is fullness of joy, we come to you broken in mind, body, and spirit, seeking to be made whole. We confess the unworthiness of our sinful state, and pray that you will cleanse us from sin and bring us to a newness of life.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Banish all sickness from among us. Strengthen our limbs, renew our minds, refresh our spirits. Help us to open ourselves to your renewing presence.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Reach out and touch all those for whom we pray, (especially ______________) that they may know the sanctifying, enabling power of your love.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Remember especially those who cannot pray for themselves, that they may come to know the joy of communion with you. May they know too your saving love, that their hearts might be redeemed to serve you with joy.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: We pray for your whole creation, that all people may come to the unity of spirit that makes us one in you.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
SILENT PRAYER
THE LORD'S PRAYER
ANOINTING WITH OIL
Let us pray.
Thank you, God, for the gift of oil. Consecrate it and us who use it, that by true repentance and faith we may come to newness of life and attain to your greater glory through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(All who wish may be anointed at this time.)
SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Leader: God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: We gather at your table, holy God, grateful for your presence here and in our lives. We thank you for the precious gift of your son Jesus Christ, for his life, death, and resurrection, and for his promise of live everlasting to all who follow him. We offer these elements of bread and juice. Consecrate them that in their use we might be mindful of your sacrifice of love. May they move us to greater service in your name, that we might be for each other and for the world the presence of Christ and celebrate the joy of oneness with you for all time. Amen.
SHARING OF THE ELEMENTS
The body of Christ broken to make you whole.
The blood of Christ shed to give you life.
PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING
For the healing of mind, body, and spirit that we have received by your love, we give you thanks. For the love that we have shared as we have cared and prayed for one another, we praise you. For the joy that we feel because of your mercy and your grace we honor you.
Accept our thanks and our praise, our God. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Go in peace, be healed and made whole in the name of God, our creator, redeemer, and sustainer. Amen.
Sit quietly, close your eyes, keep your hands open, with palms up. Loosen your whole body and take a deep breath and let it out slowly, with open mouth. Repeat three times. Then, breathing normally, open yourself to the presence of God falling gently over you, filling you with peace.
If you need something to keep your mind from wandering, focus on the cross of Christ, empty, for Christ has risen. Receive into yourself the empowering grace that God alone gives. Let your whole self be freed to receive the healing touch of God.
Try to stay within this meditative posture for five minutes. If you cannot keep your eyes closed, open them for a short while and close them again.
When you are ready or given an agreed-upon signal, open your eyes slowly and be quiet as you re-enter your everyday world.
GREETING
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 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. (James 5:12-15a)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all this is within me, bless God's holy name.
People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all God's benefits.
Leader: Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.
People: Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
Leader: Who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
People: Bless the Lord, O my soul. (Psalm 103:1-5, 22b)
PRAYER
God of loving care, in the frailty of our lives we come to you, bringing our troubles and our sorrows. We need your healing touch but we are afraid to reach out. We are afraid of what your presence might mean to our lives, of the changes it might bring. We worry too, O God, that we might not be worthy to receive your blessing.
Give us minds of courage to seek you, and hearts of faith to know that your love is assured. May the grace that you have promised sustain us, that the fullness of your healing might make us truly whole. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
MEDITATION
PRAYERS FOR HEALING FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS
Leader: Eternal God, in whose presence there is fullness of joy, we come to you broken in mind, body, and spirit, seeking to be made whole. We confess the unworthiness of our sinful state, and pray that you will cleanse us from sin and bring us to a newness of life.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Banish all sickness from among us. Strengthen our limbs, renew our minds, refresh our spirits. Help us to open ourselves to your renewing presence.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Reach out and touch all those for whom we pray, (especially ______________) that they may know the sanctifying, enabling power of your love.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: Remember especially those who cannot pray for themselves, that they may come to know the joy of communion with you. May they know too your saving love, that their hearts might be redeemed to serve you with joy.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
Leader: We pray for your whole creation, that all people may come to the unity of spirit that makes us one in you.
People: Heal us and make us whole, merciful God.
SILENT PRAYER
THE LORD'S PRAYER
ANOINTING WITH OIL
Let us pray.
Thank you, God, for the gift of oil. Consecrate it and us who use it, that by true repentance and faith we may come to newness of life and attain to your greater glory through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(All who wish may be anointed at this time.)
SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Leader: God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: We gather at your table, holy God, grateful for your presence here and in our lives. We thank you for the precious gift of your son Jesus Christ, for his life, death, and resurrection, and for his promise of live everlasting to all who follow him. We offer these elements of bread and juice. Consecrate them that in their use we might be mindful of your sacrifice of love. May they move us to greater service in your name, that we might be for each other and for the world the presence of Christ and celebrate the joy of oneness with you for all time. Amen.
SHARING OF THE ELEMENTS
The body of Christ broken to make you whole.
The blood of Christ shed to give you life.
PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING
For the healing of mind, body, and spirit that we have received by your love, we give you thanks. For the love that we have shared as we have cared and prayed for one another, we praise you. For the joy that we feel because of your mercy and your grace we honor you.
Accept our thanks and our praise, our God. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Go in peace, be healed and made whole in the name of God, our creator, redeemer, and sustainer. Amen.
