HEALING the HURTS

The Methodist Church in Ireland is very aware of its responsibility to seek to bring healing within our communities for many deep seated hurts and injuries which have been inflicted over the years. 

To enable our society to move on and take up the opportunities before us we need to acknowldge the pain and suffering and seek to bring healing at many levels - to individuals. to families, and to communities.

At the 2004 Methodist Conference it was agreed that we should consider a number of practical steps to promote healing, the first of which has been to prepare a 'Liturgy of Healing' - a special Service which could be used in a wide range of settings where a group of people - a congregation - a community - are seeking to recognise their hurts, and bring understanding, forgiveness and healing.

Although prepared by the Methodist Church in Ireland the Healing the Hurts Liturgy is available for use by any group which feels that it could help them to bring about healing.

The Healing the Hurts Liturgy can be downloaded here.  Copies are available from the No 9 Resource Centre.

The first Service using this Liturgy was held in early October 2005 at the Grosvernor Hall, and the Ministers and Leaders of Churches across the country are now encourged to consider using the Liturgy in their own locality.

Methodist Memories:
Memories, Emotions, Tales and Healing
The Council on Social Responsiblity have also prepared the 'Methodist Memories' document available here.  It suggests ways in which stories of how the troubles affected Methodist people may be expressed or recounted, recorded and archived in a way that could contribute to healing.

Bible Study materials and training resources     
In order to encourage and resource those in our churches who would like to consider the issues associated with healing the hurts of the past a special series of Bible Studies has been prepared by Rev Dr Johnston McMaster and published by the Council on Social Responsibility. 

The Bible Study booklet can be downloaded in pdf format here

Check this web page regularly for the details of training events associated with Healing the Hurts

The Theology of Healing
As Christians we also need to think carefully and prayerfully about what Jesus taught about healing such hurts.  To stimulate thought on this subject The Rev Johnston McMaster has prepared an article which can be downloaded from here ...
- Towards a Theology of Suffering and Pastoral Healing -

Further Information
The submission that the Methodist Church in Ireland prepared for the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is available here     - Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland’s past -

For further information, or if you wish to take part in a focus group discussion please contact David Gallagher