Healing and Wholeness
News
THE HEALING MINISTRY AT
ST. ANDREW'S CATHEDRAL
St. Andrew's Cathedral - 02 92651660
heal@sydney.anglican.asn.au
It is our privilege and joy under God to be able to provide many opportunities for ministry to those who would like to take advantage of them at the Cathedral services and also at our Centre at Newtown
THE HEALING MINISTRY CENTRE
(GOLDEN GROVE)
5 Forbes Street, Newtown
Healing Ministry Centre - 02 95571642
centre@healingministrycentre.org
On Saturday afternoon 19 February the Healing Ministry (Golden Grove, see above), will be holding the first workshop for the year on prayer. This workshop will provide an excellent opportunity to spend a great afternoon with other Christians, support the Healing Ministry and at the same time learn what the bible says about prayer. The workshop will also look at ways to support and encourage people who are sick and hurting. Cost will be $20 for each person. Registrations commence at 1 pm, with the workshop commencing at 1.30 pm.
GREAT QUOTES
"He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those men who knew him not. He speaks to us the same word: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfil in our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience who He is."
---From The Quest for the Historical Jesus by Albert Schweitzer
"I release you from my hurt feelings. I free you from my reading of your motives. I withdraw my "justified" outrage and leave you clean and happy in my mind. In place of censure, I offer you all of God's deep contentment and peace. I will perceive you singing, with a soft smile of freedom and a glow of rich satisfaction. I bless you my brother. I bless you my sister. (Words in italics are my addition). You are a shining member of the Family of God, and I will wait patiently for this truthful vision to come honestly to my mind."
---From The Quiet Answer by Hugh Prather.
GOOD GOD STORIES
Story 1
TURNING HER FAITH INTO REALITY
This is Joan’s story from the UK... born in 1945, Christian from age 11, active in humanitarian aid in Romania and India, 1996 diagnosed with cancer...
Christmas Eve – cancer of the breast confirmed. Sitting in church on Christmas Day, I wondered how my life would change. After a mastectomy all appeared well, the tumour small and uninvasive.
2000 - The Second Cancer
But just 3 years later a lump appeared in my neck. A small operation turned into major surgery as a huge tumour was found invading my jugular vein. I was desperately incapacitated after this operation: I could not swallow, breathe without difficulty or walk more than a few yards for 3 months till I found on the internet that these were symptoms of the tumour being on the vagus nerve, causing my heart to beat twice as fast as normal. A small blood pressure tablet and the symptoms disappeared!
Cancer had now occurred twice and I sought the Lord what to do. I was so ill after the neck surgery I started a diary and every day at the top of the page, I wrote, "Today I am going to live – today I am going to get better." I did not understand then the power of declaring the Word of God, but the Holy Spirit was showing me.
2003 – The Third Cancer
Cornwall, August 2003 – I was admitted to hospital with severe abdominal pain. My bowel had ruptured but miraculously self-sealed. However I was in agony for 3 months until back home in Surrey I was admitted for a bowel resection. Just before the operation God told me – and it became my bedrock for the next 2 years: "This sickness is not unto death. You will recover. It will challenge your faith, but I Myself will keep you and preserve you and restore you – so that My hand will be seen to have saved you."
The results of the operation showed Multifocal enteropathy type T-cell Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, very aggressive and very rare. Several people in our church, including young people, had died of cancer, many nights of praying and fasting had made no difference. I was determined that if I was to survive as God said I would, something different had to happen. The power of life and death is in the tongue. I determined to speak only with those who were in agreement with the Word of God – that by His stripes I was healed.
My birthday, February 11, 2004 – the top oncologist at the Marsden Hospital confirmed NH Cancer and said that I must start chemo immediately that Friday. It was the first of many challenges of faith. I said, "I can’t – I’m flying to India on Saturday!" Deut 30:19 says, "I have set before you life and death… therefore choose life." I had to make up my mind that I would live and although going to India in the world’s eyes may be seen to choose death, I knew that to be obedient to the Lord was to choose life and go. In India I was able to testify to the 1000s of people gathered that although I had been diagnosed with cancer: "Do what God tells you to do, He alone is the all powerful one, He alone heals and saves."
On my return I consented to immune therapy treatment, but the tumours still grew. Then I was put on 3 chemo drugs every Monday for one month. I would walk into the hospital, praying in tongues, binding the spirits of sickness and death, declaring that according to Psalm 118: 17 I shall not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done; Isaiah 53:5, by His stripes I am healed, and Jeremiah 30:17, for I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds. I had a picture of me trekking in the jungle in Thailand and one of me on the top of a mountain in Switzerland – and as I looked at those pictures I would say, "Thank You Father that You will restore health to me and heal me of my wounds."
A scan after this treatment showed the cancer was bigger. I was glad of the scripture my friend gave me that morning, Hebrews 10:35: "Do not throw away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what He promised."
May/June – another intensive course of chemo drugs. I had hair loss, weakness, at times was in a wheelchair, I had blood transfusion after blood transfusion. The Lord gave me Rev 1:18: "Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the living one, I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever. I hold the keys of Death and Hades." What a wonderful thing to know as I went on with all the tests, treatments and bad news! Evangelist David Hathaway said when God promises a miracle, never let go of it – I was determined not to!
Finally my Consultant suggested a stem cell transplant – but I might die from the treatment! I quoted Ps 118 – over and over. Sometimes during the treatment I could only breathe "Jesus, Jesus" all night long. I had another operation, and eventually the stem cell collection was complete. January 5, 2005 was planned for the transplant, but I was taken ill a week before Christmas – a scan showed the tumours had grown to their largest size to date. I was immediately admitted to hospital for the strongest concoction of drugs yet. I was there for Christmas and New Year
David Hathaway Connection
Before the NH Cancer appeared I met a lady from Ely who had cancer of the bladder and was trusting God for healing. She told me of David’s ministry and I began to get his magazine, Prophetic Vision.
When I was in hospital with the NH Cancer she sent me the tapes of David’s meetings at Ely where he shared his healing from lung cancer. I played the tapes over and over. I was upset with God that David seemed to have been diagnosed positively on the Thursday and on the Monday the cancer was gone! I could not understand why that had not happened for me!
I wrote out the words that David prayed at the end of the tape, got out of bed, stood beside it and prayed that prayer. David said, "Ask for a little of the faith that I have" – I changed it to "a lot" in my request to God. I wrote in my diary how David said – "I determined that I needed a miracle – I must be the evidence – we must know the reality of the power of God in our lives!"
February 2005, I was to have one week out of hospital to coincide with my 60th birthday – time to go first to David’s meeting in Newport, then to celebrate with my family. I met with David before the meeting. He said, " I have the authority to break the curse over you," and something in me KNEW he HAD that authority and the curse WAS broken. He said to me, "You want what I have don’t you?" I replied, "Yes I do." And I received a gift of faith.
But I was sad and confused at the end of the service – the boy who had come with congenital degeneration was not changed, how did I know the cancer that I had was gone??
I WAS THEN SO ILL that I was taken into hospital as an emergency the day before my birthday! I could not speak for one month, my immune system was blitzed after all that chemo. Now was the time to hang on, not to lose sight of the promised miracle, not to look at the circumstances. In the midst of feeling desperately ill I needed to exercise the most faith since the original diagnosis. I remembered my friend from Ely had memorized the words and even the tone of David’s prayer for her when he told her "You WILL be healed." She was a great encouragement to me. By this time she had received confirmation of healing from her consultant.
In March I went for the stem cell transplant. I played tapes and healing scriptures day and night and read David’s book, The Power of Faith.
The transplant did not work. The smaller tumours disappeared but the main one of 3cm was unchanged. You HAVE to hang on to the Word of God – despite the circumstances – you HAVE to believe. Radiotherapy was organised. The following 6 weeks proved to be the hardest, I lost 2-3 stone, mostly unable to drive my car or do anything for myself – and worst of all I began to lose hope, my fight gone. For the first and only time I discussed plans with my family, if indeed this was to be terminal.
The Breakthrough
When not in hospital, if I was not with my daughter in France, my cousins looked after me at their beach-side bungalow on the south coast. It was a couple of weeks before my next visit to France, so I determined to drive the 51 miles to my cousins. They fed and cared for me as usual – then one morning at 7.30am, a beautiful October day, I got up and went down onto the shingle beach. The sun was rising over the sea and a band of sand showed at low tide. I rolled up my trousers and paddled in the water. Suddenly, I KNEW I was well!! I started shouting, "Thank you Lord!"
I went to France, looked after all 3 grandchildren, did 3-4 hours’ gardening at a time, did the school run, the housework and lived a normal life! I had my life back!
I was due for a scan but phoned the nurse, "I’m not coming – I’m well!" The consultant said to wait another month. I cancelled the 2nd scan. I KNEW that the Lord was calling me to walk in my health everyday – like the cripple in Acts 3 who proved his healing by walking and jumping and praising God, and when people realised who he was, they were amazed at what God had done. I stopped people in the street and told them "I’m well!" I went to my health club – I had not been for 2 years – went on the running machine and swam. At first people did not recognise me, I was so ill the last time they saw me!
When I cancelled the 3rd scan the consultant’s secretary asked me just to go and see him. As I went in, he said you can tell when someone walks through the door if they are well! He examined me – the cancer HAD gone! "God has done this!" he said. The Moslem doctor who had cared for me on a more daily basis, also said, "It’s God!"
I HAVE to declare what God has done – God is faithful to His word, I did not die but lived – people as sick as I was are now receiving the same gift of faith to be healed!
I am going back to India and to Romania – to demonstrate God HAS healed me! I am the evidence of His power to heal, to deliver and to save!
Story 2
Erica's Journey
My name is Erica. I grew up in what most professionals would call a dysfunctional family. My grandparents were more the parents my brother and I needed than our own mother and father. What kept me sane as a child in amongst all the turmoil was that we did go to Sunday School in the Lutheran Church. I was a victim of child abuse and that affected other relationships as I began to grow into adulthood. By time I was fifteen I had experienced the deaths of three people who were really close to me - my grandfather, an elder of the church whose home provided a safe haven for us, and a family friend who used to do our gardening.
I started to rebel by running away from home, lighting fires, etc.. By my sixteenth birthday I had spent six months in a psychiatric institution. By the time I was twenty-one I had spent three months in a prison cell, and a further twelve months in a psychiatric institution. At twenty-five I was addicted to alcohol, and had no moral standards. I knew I was on the road to destruction, but I didn't know how to stop it. Then, through God's grace and mercy, and only that, He brought people into my life and that began the process of drawing me off the road to destruction and onto the road to eternal life. I gave my heart to the Lord on the 23rd of November 1994. I was water baptised and filled with the Holy Ghost on April 3rd 1996.
Then in mid 1997 I went off the path again. It wasn't long before I felt that I had betrayed God. I believed that I would not be able to return to him again, which I now know was a lie from the enemy. As a consequence of the guilt I felt I began drinking again. At the end of 1998 a relationship I was in completely fell apart, and I was left with no place to live. I moved to Toowoomba to be closer to my grandmother who was the only stable influence I had in my life at that time. Somehow I had managed to keep my alcoholism from her all this time, but she knew something was not right. She spoke to people at the Lutheran Church who began visiting me, and encouraging me to come back to church. I eventually did go back to church. I started off going to COC in Toowoomba, and made a recommitment to our Lord and Saviour, but I wasn't happy there for many different reasons. Not long after that I started doing voluntary work at a Christian radio station in Toowoomba, and was encouraged to go to a service at Range Christian Fellowship which for a while became my home. This was the beginning of a new journey for me, and has eventually brought me to where I am today.
I am now engaged to an awesome Christian guy. We have had our ups and downs, but we are pushing through with God's grace.
Erica
Story 3
Christmas Story - the Tablecloth
The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.
On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm - hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.
On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory coloured, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colours and a Cross embroidered right in the centre. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.
By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the centre aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG, were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.
The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.
What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.
One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighbourhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.
The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.
True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid
Story 4
Betty has had chronic asthma for many years and has survived breast cancer. She has been a Christian and faithful church-goer almost all her life and loves attending the regular healing services at St Matthew's Uniting Church, Baulkham Hills. At first, she was too shy to ask for prayer. After a while she began to ask for prayer in her place from her friends sitting around her. Then one day, she gathered enough courage to come forward to the rail and ask the prayer team to pray on her behalf for healing of her breathing problems. A couple of days later, Betty spoke of the wonderful feeling of peace she was feeling and everyone rejoiced with her.
However, soon afterwards, Betty was diagnosed with lung cancer - in June last year. Those who had prayed with her were devastated and wondered how this could happen. Betty was admitted to hospital, needing constant oxygen, and not expected to come home. The church surrounded Betty with prayer for acceptance and ultimate healing. In fact, her illness did bring Betty much closer to God. A group of St Matthew's people meets weekly to pray for the sick and to meditate. They always included Betty in their prayers.
One morning about a month ago, Betty rang one of the members of this group and asked her was she sitting down. Knowing that Betty had had a scan the day before, she made sure she was sitting down. Betty said, "The doctor is amazed! There is no sign of any cancer in my lungs!"
We are overjoyed and Betty can't stop telling people about God's goodness and power. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus.
Sandra Gordon
Prayer and Healing Group
St Matthew's Uniting Church, Baulkham Hills
Story 5
About two years ago my daughter Lisa was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer which had spread to the lymph glands and liver. The prognosis was poor. At the time my daughter was 25 years old with a 2 year old daughter and a three month old baby boy she was breast feeding. We immediately turned to God and the very best medical assistance that God has made available to us.
Prayer, major and radical surgery and chemotherapy followed as well as a new drug which had been made available in Australia the week she was diagnosed. We informed Lisa's Oncologist that whilst acknowledging she was the best in the field that we were Christians who strongly believed in the healing power of Jesus to the extent of miracles being given today. We made it clear that at no time was Lisa to be given information of 100% prognosis of increase in severity of the disease.
Shortly after treatment Lisa was told that there was a 99% chance that in three months the cancer would have spread to the bones and lungs. We were naturally all very distressed but decided we would turn to God and place our faith in God not medicine but would still continue medical treatment as a matter of accepting all God's gifts to us.
The next scans sent everyone in a spin as the cancer not only had not spread but had appeared to be gone from the liver. There was a slight spot that may have been the x-ray equipment but it wasn't certain. The Doctor was still cautious. Chemotherapy was finished and the new drug was still being administered intravenously and weekly. Prayer of course continued.
After another six months and two clear scans Lisa was given a complete clearance of cancer. Our minister of our local church has witnessed these events and his comments best describe the situation.
"We give praise to God our Heavenly Father that Lisa has been given a complete clearance of cancer. The Specialist has indicated that, even with the new medication which Lisa has been using, this result is both unexpected and unaccountable medically. As a precaution, the Specialist asked Lisa to continue with her treatment for a further 6 months.
"Within the partnership of patient, medication and prayer this is a sovereign, healing work of God. We give our God the glory due to His Name!"
12/12/01 Reverend Keith Bergin. St John's Uniting Church, Wahroonga
Christine Smith, 4/2/02
Editor's comment, 15/5: Lisa continues to enjoy cancer-free good health. Praise God.
MEETINGS FOR HEALING AND MINISTRY
JESUS BASED STRESS MANAGEMENT
'STRESS' seems to be a part of our modern life style, people from all walks of life are under pressure - from the mums at home through to the 'work place'. There are so many instances today where people are advised to take 'STRESS LEAVE'
Rosaleen Edwards is developing a program to help people to cope with stress which includes exercise and relaxation in the home.
Rosaleen comes from a life of ministry and is married to Brian, a counsellor and pastoral care worker. She holds qualifications in Workplace Training & Adult Education and has taught numerous courses in self management and relaxation techniques to adolescents, young marrieds and people in mid life. She is also an accredited member of ATMS, holding certificates in Therapeutic & Remedial Massage, has studied and uses essential oils extensively to benefit the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels of her clients. Her passion is to help people take control of their lives using Christian principles she plans to teach in her 'Jesus based' stress management courses.
Assist your friends. you may already belong to a group who would like to participate or invite your neighbours:
Morning or Afternoon or Evening
COST: $10 per person per session (includes notes)
plus $15 per person if making up massage oil etc. to cover the costs of oils, notes, containers, creams etc.
If interested CONTACT: Rosaleen Faye Edwards
(02) 4385 1773 or Board of Mission (02) 8267 4384