Most Afraid Of Healing Ministry

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31660, 22 April 1968, Page 10

Most Afraid Of Healing Ministry

Most people avoided dealings with the church’s ministry of healing because they were afraid of criticism and suspicion the Rev. W. N. Beachy, an Episcopal hospital chaplain at St Luke’s Hospital, Kansas, said in Christchurch yesterday.

Dr Beaehy is spending about a week in Christchurch during a three-week visit to New Zealand to conduct three schools of pastoral care in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. His visit is being sponsored partly by the School of Pastoral Care in the United States and the Divine Healing Fellowship in New Zealand. The church’s neglect of the spiritual side of the care of the sick, was becoming more and more noticeable, said Dr Beachy. “Most of the clergy want to take part in this form of ministry but they do not because of the hindrances,” he said. “It is part of our purpose to explain that these hindrances need not prevent this work.

"Healing should be having its function as a normal part of the ministry. I do not mean that it should be of predominant importance or should replace other aspects ; but ministers should be able , freely to lay hands on the sick.” Dr Beachy said that peri sons who had become actively I involved in this ministry had ’ a great acceptance of it. The majority were middle-aged ; persons although in some ' cases there were groups of 1 younger persons. “They want to believe that God is involved in their daily [ life,” he said. “Some pastors, however, stop short of this in ■ their ministry.” 1 Dr Beachy said that the ■ church’s healing ministry had ' begun in the United States '■ in Boston in the early part of the century and had been known as the Emanuel Movement. At present the Episcopal Church was more active in this work than any other church and about 500 of the 9000 parishes in the United States were holding regular jhealing services. I Although the chapel at St (Luke’s Hospital was the only ‘church holding regular services in the Diocese of West I Missouri, another church with I about 3000 communicant members was becoming involved also. After graduating from medical school in 1949, Dr Beachy spent four years doing medical work, before entering a seminary for three years. After his ordination he spent four years at a parish church and for the last eight years he has been at St Luke’s Hospital. He has previously conducted schools of pastoral care throughout the United States for about four to six weeks each year, but this is bis first visit overseas. The school in Christchurch, which began at St Luke s Anglican Church, Manchester Street, last evening will continue until Wednesday evening. This morning and on Wednesday at 10 a.m. there will be schools of prayer and tomorrow and Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. there will be mission addresses.

Sydenham Social Credit.— Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Sydenham electoral branch of the New Zealand Social Credit Political League were: Candidate, Mr J. Pounsford: president, Mr O. F. Gray; vice-pre-sidents. Messrs D. Johnson. D. Campbell, B. Rowe, P. Brown; secretary, Mr J. D. Gribben; treasurer, Mr B Beckham. Mr Gribben was nominated as a Dominion vice-president.