In October 2021, we announced our first Healthy Healing Hub. Now, as we go into spring 2022 the project continues to gather pace, with a total of six bronze Healthy Healing Hubs covering England, Scotland and Wales. Not only this, but we have our first Gold Healthy Healing Hub – the Diocese of Carlisle. A gold hub can offer a focus for training for a whole region, so up to ten churches in the diocese can now train with us for free. This is an incredibly important moment for the development of this project as we seek to spread the healing love and hope of the faith in a deeply uncertain world. This is a project which is meeting a clear need with more churches joining our network monthly – courses continue to sell out and many more churches who have trained are looking to join the network.
Bishop James Newcomb, Bishop of Carlisle and lead bishop for Health and Social Care in the House of Lords says about the scheme: “I am really excited by the Healthy Healing Hub project, and believe that this marks a big potential step forward in developing the Church’s ministry of healing, which is such a central part of our mission in and to a hurting world. I look forward to seeing it develop across the country, and am hugely grateful to the Guild of Health and St Raphael for taking this very strategic initiative”
The Christian church has always offered a place of health and healing. Indeed, our modern medical hospital system has its roots in the hospitality and care of early monastic communities. Today, when we are lucky enough to be able to access hospitals and mental health care, some might question the role of churches. The ‘Healthy Healing Hub’ project aims to help churches engage in a ministry of healing as part of a holistic approach to mission. Many churches are already working tirelessly to support the health needs of their various communities. This project will enable them to continue and develop that work in various ways. It is both theological and practical, offering as it does both online training courses and guidelines for entering into partnerships with local healthcare providers. Membership of the project provides access to a wide range of resources and clear terms of reference, together with one to one mentoring and a variety of liturgical resources.
The project founder, the Revd Dr Gillian Straine, is an Anglican priest with a background in science, pastoral theology, and mission. The Guild of Health and St Raphael has more than 100 years of engagement with the healing ministry in conversation with science, medicine, and the academy. Through this project it offers a clear and safe way in which churches everywhere can engage with what is becoming one of the most pressing challenges of our day.
Moderator of the General Assembly of The Church of Scotland, The Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness comments further: “The healing needs of our traumatised communities can be met by the ministry of the church in the name of Jesus Christ, and The Healthy Healing Hub project will equip churches to do this with care, confidence and compassion.”
The first step to becoming a HHH is to take a group from your church through the Introduction to the Healing Ministry course – we will have courses available to book soon after Easter.
Benefits of becoming a Bronze Healthy Healing Hub:
- Your church page on our website, and your local identified on our interactive map
- The Good practice in the healing ministry guidelines
- A monthly email resource pack
- Access to a private Facebook group
- Certificate and Charter to display in your church
- 100 prayer cards to announce your new status as a Bronze Healthy Healing Hub
If you would like to see one of the other churches which was already recognised as a Bronze HHH, click here. You can use your page to promote the work and mission of your church, including your healing work and local partnerships. It is a great way to promote your work to people in the community.
Please do find out more on our website, or click below to connect with Gillian and begin a conversation.