Sunday afternoon

There's a restful atmosphere around - the dog sleeps (apparently soundly - though I know that the smallest sign of a walk will have him bouncing to the door), lunch (tuna and sweetcorn mix with basil and thyme on a bed of couscous) was satisfying, the afternoon lies ahead with warmth and sunshine, the memories of the services this morning linger and dinner tonight is with a friend... Life is good!

It was a celebration of Wholenes and Healing at 11.00 am today. We enjoyed some beautiful music and many folk asked for prayer and were anointed with oil. There's a great power in gathering together with a common purpose and praying as the people of God. No doubt the healing work will continue over the days that follow. The hymn at the end summed up the entire service:

We cannot measure how you heal
or answer every sufferer's prayer;
yet we believe your grace responds
where faith and doubt unite to care.
Your hands, though bloodied on the cross,
survive to hold and heal and warn,
to carry all through death to life
and cradle children yet unborn.

The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.

So some have come who need your help,
and some have come to make amends,
as hands which shaped and saved the world
are present in the touch of friends.
Lord, let your Spirit meet us here
to mend the body, mind and soul,
to disentangle peace from pain
and make your broken people whole.

John Bell and Graham Maule
(Tune: Ye banks and braes)