Lay ministers of healing at All Saints Parish continue the ancient Christian practice of “prayers for healing with the laying on of hands” during the Sunday worship service. They are approved by the rector and undergo regular continuing formation to deepen their understanding of healing and to pray for those people and events brought to them in prayer.
Prayer for healing with the laying on of hands is an ancient Christian practice that has been part of services at All Saints for almost thirty years. Paused during the pandemic, healing ministers are once again available during Communion.
Healing ministers are lay people whose call to this specific ministry has been discerned in community. Lay ministers of healing are trained and supervised by the rector and are assisted by the clergy.
All healing is from God; healing ministers will pray with you and help you place your concerns in the hands of a loving God. The laying on of hands during healing prayer is a tangible sign of God’s healing embrace.
To pray with a healing minister, come to the Langdon Chapel either before or after receiving Communion. You are welcome to stand or kneel at the chapel altar rail. When the minister approaches, you are invited to say the name(s) and/or the concern(s) for which you wish to pray. Healing ministers keep a strict rule of confidentiality, so please share as much or as little as you wish. The minister will then lay hands on your head, shoulders, or neck and offer a prayer for God’s presence and healing. The minister may also mark the sign of the cross on your forehead.
Those who feel called to this ministry should feel welcome to approach a current minister of healing and/or the rector with questions about participation. A period of mutual discernment, and training followed by a commitment to ongoing formation with the healing ministers and the rector is required.