june13
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
on Christian news views & events
June 2013
Spotlight
Contents
Page
4 President’s Letter
7 Exciting Developments at The Montgomery
8 Healing Ministry
9 Creative Crafters
10 CaSS Conference
11 The Boggle
12 A new place for Christian Healing in Hillsborough
14 Bethel Sozo Ministry
15 Resources at The Montgomery
16 One
17 emPower
18 Focus
19 Mile of Coins
20 Lindsey’s Choice
25 Paracetamol or Prayer?
28 City wide diary
30 Theatre diary
The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views and opinions held by The Montgomery
4
Healing I was in agony! In the Western Highlands of
Scotland, leading a Christian youth camp and I had
never had such toothache. Being a Christian team,
others prayed for me at a morning prayer
meeting. Later in the day I was asked how my
tooth was, and to my amazement I had forgotten
about it! No more pain at all!
A week or so later having driven a minibus full of young people back to
Sheffield and reunited them safely with their parents, I drove away from
the drop-off point and before going 100 yards (we had not gone metric
then!), I doubled up with agony! The tooth was worse than ever. My friend
in the passenger seat, after finding out the cause of my pain, laughed! The
prayer for me had been specific. It had been that the pain from my tooth
should not interfere with the leading of the trip! And so God had precisely
answered that prayer – perfect pain relief to the exact time requested!!
The following day I was healed again – this time by a dentist!
Our theme for this edition of ‘Spotlight’ is ‘healing’. I guess as Christians
when healing is mentioned we immediately think of the healing miracles of
Jesus recounted in the gospels; or those of the disciples and apostles in
‘The Acts of the Apostles; or those more modern day miracles
experienced now where prayers are answered and people are healed. I
have no doubt about the fact that God answers prayers for healing. My
tooth is firsthand experience!
Of course, I have prayed for people to be healed and sometimes those
prayers are miraculously answered. But more often people are not healed.
We then question why God ‘does not answer prayer’. Actually, He does
answer; just not as we want.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word ‘healing’ literally
means ‘making whole’. This surely implies wholeness in body, mind and
spirit. We know that as Christians, we are made right with God through
Jesus, but our being made whole and perfect is an ongoing process never
to be completed in this life. Our earthly bodies will decay and fail. Physical
5
healing is only a temporary thing for now. Although redeemed, we will
continue to sin – so our spiritual being is going to need continual healing.
Also, mental illness is increasingly recognised and understood and
Christians are not immune from that either.
We also need to consider healing in other areas outside of the human
individual. There is always need for healing of relationships between
people, in marriages/families, between different groups and organisations,
and between nations!
We pray for miracles, and often as we do so we realise we need to be
part of the reconciliation process. God intervenes but also (more often)
calls us to work for Him.
It is interesting to note that Jesus healed a number of people in very
different circumstances. For instance, a Canaanite woman is told her
daughter is healed from demon possession, and it appears from the
discussion with Jesus that it is her ‘great faith’ that is the reason her
request is granted (Matt 15:28). Equally, when the disciples are unable to
cast out a demon from a boy, they are told it is because they have ‘so little
faith’. There is an indication here that healing can only take place when
someone has enough faith. Yet the account of the healing of the blind man
in John 9 seems not to involve anyone (other than Jesus) having faith. The
blind man seems not to be expecting healing, nor does he know who
healed him when later questioned.
I think it significant when excited by the story of the lame man healed by
Peter and John at the temple gate in Acts 3, to consider that Jesus will
have almost certainly walked past him and NOT healed him at least every
day of the week leading up to the crucifixion. We know Jesus went there
daily, and we know the man was taken there every day. Jesus chose not to
heal. Clearly, for whatever reason, the time was not right. Maybe this was
so Peter and John could experience God’s healing power through them
later.
It seems clear that God’s healing miracles both now and then are nearly
always used to teach us something about God’s plans and purposes for us.
But to accept that that is the only reason God heals is too simplistic.
After years of trying to understand why God does and does not heal, I
6
think that any healing or lack of healing is always within our relationship
with God; and within His love for us. Sometimes an instant healing may
not be what we need (though certainly what we want!). I also have come
to the conclusion that we often expect miracles when there is human
resource available – i.e. superb doctors and nurses who understand how
to heal our bodies. I remember sharing with an African Christian who
commented that one of the significant differences between prayers in his
country and ours is that where he comes from much prayer consists of
prayers for healing which are expected to be answered with miraculous
healings and often are. He also pointed out that their access to medical
treatment was much less than ours so the prayers for healing were really
necessary!
I suspect our faith is tested as we ask for healing. It is wonderfully
rewarded when we see God heal. However, when this does not happen,
the faith needed is greater to understand that in this world we will never
be whole, but in the next, with Him, we will!
Good to remember Paul’s words when he explained God had NOT
healed Him…
‘Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a
thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I
pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that
Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight
in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.’
I am looking forward to seeing what a variety of ideas are presented by
other contributors to this edition of ‘Spotlight’ (I do not see them before
the magazine is published) as we are covering ideas and thoughts on such
a vast subject. I do pray we will learn something new and uplifting and of
God as we read further…!
Steve Ellis
Steve Ellis
President
7
Exciting
Developments
at The
Montgomery!
The Montgomery Studio is due to
open on 29th June in the lower hall at
the Montgomery. The former
restaurant space, still fondly referred
to as ‘Tuckwoods’ by many, will open
with a production of Brothers Grimm,
as part of the Children’s festival.
The lower hall was first used as a
restaurant during the war when
Atkinsons’ Tuckwoods Restaurant
relocated there after being bombed
during the Blitz. The Masserella
Restaurant chain took over the
restaurant 20 years ago. In January this
year their 20 year lease came to an
end and The Montgomery reclaimed
the space for its own use.
Building work is now underway and
will include opening up the
‘rollershutter’ storage space in the
entrance to create a corridor between
the two parts of the building. There
has already been a high level of
interest in hiring this space and it is
expected to be popular.
The Carney Academy is to relocate to
The Montgomery Studio and will hold
drama classes there throughout the
day every Saturday. Ruth Carney-
Nash, the owner of the Academy, is a
successful freelance theatre director
and has directed in many of London’s
West End Theatres. The Carney
Academy started in 2010 and has gone
from strength to strength, which
prompted the need for larger
premises and the partnership with The
Montgomery.
Following the opening on the 29th
other productions will include the
Griffin Theatre Arts Story Telling
Workshops on 30th June which is also
part of the Children’s Festival. The
studio will also be available for hire.
New brand is launched After much debate and consultation
the Montgomery Arts and Christian
Centre Sheffield Ltd, formerly Sheffield
Christian Education Council has
decided to use ‘The Montgomery’ as
its trading name. This new brand will
be officially launched mid-June when
the brand new website
www.TheMontgomery.org.uk will go live.
Volunteers Needed! The Montgomery needs friendly
people to provide a warm and
welcoming experience to members of
the public as they visit the theatre.
Volunteers are particularly needed for
the hospitality team welcoming and
serving refreshments before the
shows and at the intervals.
Volunteers have the opportunity to
receive a free theatre ticket after
three sessions. For more information
email [email protected]
8
Healing Ministry I’m pleased to have been asked to
write this piece for Spotlight on healing
ministry, particularly as for the last 12
to 13 years my wife Rita and I have
been greatly involved in healing
ministry, especially within the Sheffield
and South Yorkshire area.
When I came into full-time ordained
ministry in the Methodist Church
almost 30 years ago now, I knew very
little about healing ministry as it hadn’t
really cropped up at theological college
in spite of three years’ intensive study
and training. In my first appointment in
Norwich I was asked to explore with a
fellowship group at the church what
healing ministry was all about. I realised
I had very little to share with them so
together we started to find out by
going to a Christian healing
organisation based at a Methodist
Church in a town in the next county.
As a result of that visit a healing
fellowship began in the church in
Norwich.
I think my experience then may reflect
where some churches and Christians
are today. It’s not an area of Christian
life or ministry you may have had much
awareness of, or you may have steered
clear of it because of fears of hype or
emotionalism, or unhelpful stories or
experiences of bad healing practice by
some church leaders or more famous
healers. It’s unfortunate in any area of
church life where bad theology and bad
practice can so undermine what the
Church is called to do. For healing
ministry is nothing new. It is not a
product of the Pentecostal or house
church movement of decades ago. It is
as old as the Church itself and from the
start was an integral and natural part of
the life of the Early Church.
I don’t have time in this article to go
into the reasons why healing ministry
has declined over the centuries, but in
recent times it would seem that the
Church in its many varied forms and
expressions is starting to respond once
again to God’s ancient call for the
Church to continue the healing
ministry performed by Jesus and the
early Christians.
Following a clear call and vision from
God, Rita and I have sought not only to
establish healing ministry in the
churches
where I have
had pastoral
oversight but
also we have
gladly helped
and enabled
other churches
to explore
what healing
ministry might
mean for them,
just as that
fellowship
group from my
church in Norwich all those years ago
did. In quite a number of places new
In quite a number
of places new
forms of healing
ministry have
grown and
developed where
churches are
reaching out with
God’s healing
grace to their local
communities.
9
forms of healing ministry have grown
and developed where churches are
reaching out with God’s healing grace
to their local communities. And those
outside the church are usually very
open to the idea of prayer for healing,
sometimes more so than some people
within the church.
Healing ministry, by its very nature,
will always raise issues and questions,
which is why we offer to go to
churches or fellowship groups to
discuss these with people, to share
our experiences of healing ministry
and, where it is requested, to help
churches with training for enabling the
skills and insights needed to become
open channels of God’s grace.
I would want to make the same offer
to any churches reading this who may
wish to explore this area of Christian
ministry further. My contact details are
given below, and I would be pleased to
hear from you.
Every blessing in Christ
Peter Edwards
Minister in the Rotherham and Dearne
Valley Methodist Circuit
01709 382306
And those outside the church
are usually very open to the
idea of prayer for healing,
sometimes more so than some
people within the church.
Creative Crafters Card Craft workshop
1st Friday each month
1st floor of
The Montgomery
at 1pm, £2
to book a place
telephone 0114 272 0455
10
Christians & Sheffield Schools (CaSS)
are holding their first conference. Fiona
Walton the new CaSS worker
promises,’ The CaSS conference will
provide a great chance to gain new
skills, grab new resources and get new
contacts.’
Bob Hartman - international speaker,
author, inspirational storyteller and
Patron of Open the Book is the
keynote speaker. There will be a
variety of workshops led by Bob
Hartman, Prayer Spaces in Schools,
Open the Book, Pray for Schools,
Scripture Union, Sheffield Diocesan
Director of Education, Love2Last,
Make Your City Shine Sheffield
and Godly Play.
Workshop titles include:
‘Creating a ministry that your
local school needs’, ‘Bread &
Swords’ (Why your church
needs to be in their local school)
‘The Plot Thickens: how stories
work’, ‘Creative and effective
ways to pray for your local
school’ ‘ How to get started in
schools work without putting
your foot in it’ , Christian
Groups in Schools: getting
started & keeping going’.
Delegates will have the
opportunity to learn how to set
up a prayer space, how to lead
an effective act of collective
worship, how to run Open the
book and will be able to
experience a Godly Play session.
There will be a marketplace of
resources and opportunities to
network over free coffee!
The conference is on Saturday 8 June
at Wilson Carlile Centre, Cavendish
Street, Sheffield S3 7RZ from 10am
(coffee at 9.30am)
until 3pm. £20
includes lunch and
3 workshops.
For booking forms
see www.cass-
su.org.uk or email
fiona.walton@cass-
su.org.uk or text
07812 855332
11
12
A new place for
Christian healing in
Hillsborough Late on a Wednesday morning, a
middle-aged woman approaches a
room at the top of stairs in a pub,
anxious and tired. She has taken the
decision to follow the sign “Healing
Rooms”. As she enters, she is aware
of pleasant music, and a low mutter of
voices. A smiling man stands up from
behind a table, and comes towards her
in welcome. A lady makes her a cup of
tea. After time to relax and drink, the
receptionist gives her a simple form on
which to write her name and prayer
request.
This is “Healing Rooms” – a place
where all, of faith or none, are
welcomed for prayer and where the
emphasis is not on long explanations
and interviews, but on simplicity and
receiving the love of Father God
through Jesus. Reception and
hospitality are a crucial part.
With one of the two partitioned
prayer rooms available, the visitor is
led gently in by one of the team of
three on duty there. The team has
already received and prayed over
prayer request.
On the partition wall facing our visitor
is a large notice which reads “His
Presence”. Healing Rooms highly
values the presence of God where His
children meet in unity and prayer. In
fact, the whole environment of the
Healing Rooms was soaked in worship
and prayer for up to an hour before
the door was opened to the public.
In the room are three of the Healing
Rooms team. She is introduced to
each by the team leader and told what
will happen – the team will pray for
her, and she does not have to say or
do anything except listen and receive.
Each team member brings a new and
important dimension as they minister.
All the members of Healing Rooms are
fully trained and the prayer is
conducted in total confidence. They
are (and have to be) active members
of a Christian church, but which one
does not enter into the business of the
day.
After twenty minutes, the lady
emerges from the prayer room. The
receptionist invites her to sit down to
rest and reflect before leaving. As she
does so, she is aware of two other
visitors, one sitting on a sofa slowly
eating a chocolate biscuit, the other
holding a mug of coffee reading some
of the testimonies written in visitors’
own words on postcards pinned to a
wall.
Some testimonies relate to emotional
healing; others to the healing of long-
term or “incurable” diseases. “I was
healed of asthma and arthritis”.
“Thank you – it was a wonderful
experience”. “I had three operations
on my cruciate ligament and still
wasn’t healed! I had prayer [here] and
13
was healed instantly”. “I was healed of
M.E.”.
The layout and size of the Healing
Rooms centre aside, this scene is
repeated dozens of times in the UK
and thousands of times over the globe.
For this “Healing Rooms” is part of the
National Association of Healing
Rooms, itself part of the International
Association. Healing Rooms exist in
more than 60 countries. The National
Association was founded shortly after
the first in the UK was opened in
Halifax in 2003.
Local accountability for each Healing
Room centre is provided by an
Advisory Board that comprises at least
three local church leaders. All centres
open regularly at least once during the
week, some of the larger ones opening
several days.
Our visitor came back several times in
the next few weeks. Her face and
bearing gradually changed from despair
to hope and happiness. It is good to be
part of a team united in demonstrating
the love and power of Jesus to people
in need. The commitment to turn up
as promised is more than paid back by
seeing the changes Jesus makes.
Grace Hutty has been a member and
latterly a co-director of the
Woodseats Healing Rooms for the
past six years and has also been leading
a team of pray-ers who meet weekly in
and around Hillsborough to pray for
its people, its businesses and its
churches. Ray Hutty has been involved
at Woodseats for the last few months.
His heroes are the Yorkshireman and
healing evangelist Smith Wigglesworth
and the preacher-evangelist John
Wesley. We believe God wants to
open a Healing Rooms in Hillsborough
and have been meeting weekly with a
small group of like-minded people to
seek God’s guidance and His timing.
We are looking for the people who
God is calling to join the team, and
also intercessors who will commit to
regular prayer for the Hillsborough
rooms.
If you are at all interested, please get in
touch – either by email [email protected]
or by phone (0114) 2330765, or simply
come along to a presentation at
Hillsborough Baptist Church at 10:00
am on 4th June. Use the Hawthorne
Road entrance; the meeting room is
upstairs. Please be aware of the
parking restrictions. The meeting will
be a maximum of two hours long.
14
Bethel Sozo Ministry Bethel Sozo is a unique healing and
deliverance ministry which originates
from Bethel Church in Redding,
California. Initially developed by
Dawna DeSilva in 1997, it was
influenced by teaching from Pablo
Batari, Randy Clark, Dr. Ed Smith and
Aiko Hormann as well as Dawna’s
personal experience of deliverance
ministry at Bethel Church.
www.bethelsozo.org.uk
SOZO is a Greek word which means
saved, healed, and delivered - and
these aspects of a Sozo session are
what contributes to a person being
made whole or well. The sole purpose
of a Sozo is for the ‘guest’ to have a
personal encounter with God.
A session generally lasts 2-2 ½ hours
and is conducted by two team
members. The ‘1st’ is responsible for
leading or facilitating the session as the
‘2nd’ is praying and listening to the Holy
Spirit. A written record is made for
the guest to take home of the beautiful
and personal exchanges (positive
messages, pictures and words) they
received from God during their Sozo.
The session is steeped in prayer
before, during and after the
appointment, and is only conducted
under the authority and protection of
a church.
Every team member must have
experienced a Sozo themselves as a
guest, as well as receiving training and
supervised experience, before
participating. Additionally, the training
and certification is closely monitored
to a specified standard by Bethel Sozo
in Redding.
Team members provide a safe,
comfortable and confidential setting
where the guest can feel at ease.
Generally, the process involves
forgiveness, dealing with wounds, and
renouncing of lies. These things are
dealt with through the interaction with
Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit,
the result being truth and freedom.
Everybody has challenges to overcome
in their life. Sozo is a very powerful
and effective ministry that requires the
guest to be open to the Holy Spirit. It
is good for everyone who desires a
closer connection with God or feels
that there are blockages in their
relationships. Guests frequently have
more than one Sozo session, as our
walk with God is progressive, and
thankfully God doesn’t always expose
everything in one go! Knowing that the
pathway to freedom is obtainable for
everyone, gives me great satisfaction,
as I’m able to contribute towards an
individual’s destiny and true identity
being realised.
15
It is a great privilege and honour to be
involved in this work and to see how
the Holy Spirit uses these powerful
tools to transform a person’s life and
how unique and special each session is.
We are very fortunate to have a
competent and dedicated team of Sozo
volunteers, headed up by Michelle
Foster through Bushfire Ministries
here in Sheffield. I am always amazed
at how far the reputation of this work
travels and how people are willing to
drive for hours to Sheffield in order to
have a Sozo.
If you would like to apply for a
personal Sozo you may contact the
Sozo team in Sheffield by emailing
logon to www.bushfireministries.co.uk
and click on ‘personal ministry’.
Resources available for sale
Bibles
Bible Reading Notes
Roots
Light Material
Christian books
DVDs
Resources available for hire
DVDs
Soap making kit
Enamelling kit
Badge Making Machine
Godly Play Stories
Parachute
To order or for more information visit the resource centre in the office at The
Montgomery or call 0114 272 0455 or email [email protected]
Christian Resources at The Montgomery
DVD library with a variety of Christian DVDs freely available for loan
to partners of The Montgomery
Regrettably there is no disabled access at present
16
17
Zechariah 4:6 ‘...Not by
might, nor by power, but
by my spirit, says the Lord
Almighty.’
emPower is a cross denominational
movement whose purpose is to raise
up an army of people across Sheffield
who will pray for our city regularly. As
part of pursuing this goal, quarterly
gatherings are held in different
churches for Sheffield Christians,
churches and organisations to pray for
our city.
The last emPower night was on 19th
April and was a great time in God’s
presence as Christians from across the
city met to pray at The King’s Centre
in Nether Edge. emPower worship
team, drawn from different churches
across the city, led us in times of such
uplifting praise and deep worship.
Annwen Stone, joint leader of King’s
Centre led the prayer session for the
church in the city. As we prayed in
small groups, it was a blessing to get to
know people from other churches,
share testimony and give thanks for
what the Lord was doing as well as
pray together for our churches. Jon
Watts, senior pastor of Rock Christian
Centre led prayer for the city. In this
session, we got to pray for our
councillors, MPs and MEPs by name.
Our last prayer session was for
businesses in the city and this was led
by Neil Grant, a business leader in the
city who runs a gardening business.
Neil first shared with us the 7
mountains of influence: religion, family,
education, government, arts sports &
entertainment, business and media. He
encouraged us to identify and regularly
pray for Christians working in each of
these spheres so that we can see
God’s kingdom come. He then led us
in prayer for businesses in the city as
well as those present at emPower who
run or are planning to set up their own
business.
One of the significant scriptures that
was shared on the night was Jeremiah
30:18-22. Please use it to pray for
Sheffield. There is truly power in God’s
people praying for their city. People
left encouraged, having spent time in
God’s presence in heartfelt prayer and
worship.
The next emPower is on Friday
28th June 2013 at Antioch
Community Church, 80 Headford
Street, Sheffield, S3 7WB from 7.30-
10pm. Free parking is available at the
Pryor car park but on street car
parking is chargeable. We will be
praying for our city, the Church in the
city, church unity and for FAMILIES in
the city. Everyone and every church is
welcome.
For further information or if you
would like us to come and share the
emPower vision with your church or
fellowship, contact Nike Adebajo,
empower Co-ordinator at
First emPower meeting in the 2013/14
academic year is 18th October 2013.
18
Focus Have a think. Do you know someone
with a learning disability? Maybe
someone in your extended family?
Someone who lives down your street?
Perhaps a friend or family member of a
work colleague?
I bet most of us can think of someone
we know first-hand or second-hand
fairly easily. Perhaps it's the boy with
autism in your child's class at school.
Perhaps it's the older gentleman in
your church congregation who has
comprehension difficulties. Perhaps, it's
your friend who works as a carer in an
assisted living facility.
According to www.mencap.org.uk,
1.5million members of the UK
population have a learning disability.
Yet, why don't we see this sizeable
proportion of our population
represented more visibly in wider
church life?
Organisations like Prospects
www.prospects.org.uk and Faith and Light
www.faithandlight.org.uk have worked
for years to incorporate people with
learning disabilities into local church
life. For some people with a learning
disability, integration into an existing
congregation can work very well.
However, for adults who have
moderate to severe learning
disabilities, integration can be
extremely difficult. An existing church
would have to completely re-think the
fundamentals of what they do and how
they help people learn for those few
individuals. It is a lot to ask.
Here in Sheffield, a group of Christians
wrestled with this dilemma 13 years
ago and concluded that the way
forward for them was to birth a new
church specifically for adults with
learning disabilities. It is called Focus
Service: Sheffield Church (or Focus for
short) and it meets at 7pm on Sunday
evenings every fortnight at St Paul's
Church Norton.
Focus enables the gifts, needs and issues
of the learning disability community to
be at the heart of church life. Choice is
a big issue for adults with learning
disabilities and Focus seeks to give
members as much say in how their
church is run as they responsibly can.
Focus is an ecumenical church
supported by an Anglican/Baptist/Free
Church partnership. In 2012, it was
granted a Bishop's Mission Order and
was the first church to receive an
ecumenical version of new legislation
that enables new churches within the
Church of England to have legal status.
I am privileged to be the Bishop's
Visitor for Focus.
I write not only to tell you about Focus
Focus enables the gifts,
needs and issues of the
learning disability com-
munity to be at the
heart of church life.
19
but to let you know about a new day
club that Focus are launching this
autumn. Knowing that Sunday evenings
can be a difficult day and time for
some, this midweek gathering is a way
to extend Focus' ministry to connect
with a wider network of people. It will
offer both educational and recreational
activities plus a short Christian
worship service. It will take place on
Tuesdays at Beauchief Baptist Church,
a city centre venue that is easy to
reach by public transport.
One of the challenges Focus faces is
how it relates to other churches in
Sheffield. How can the same mutually
beneficial integration of individuals
within one local church be expressed
at an inter-church level? Focus is a
church that has much to give others.
For me, encountering the enthusiasm,
contentment, generosity and lack of
pretence of all its members has been
hugely refreshing. Not only that, but
there are deeper spiritual questions
that arise with this kind of ministry
that all churches would benefit from
engaging with.
If there are ways in which you as an
individual or your church would like to
make connections with Focus and its
ministry, we would love to hear from
you. If you know someone with a
learning disability who might like to
come to Focus, please do get in touch.
If churches or individuals would like
support us in prayer or donate to
Focus, again, we would be delighted to
hear from you.
We are especially keen to find
volunteers who would like to help
run the new Tuesday day club
starting this Autumn. Don't worry
if you have no experience. Suitable
induction will be given as well as
travelling expenses. If you feel this
could be for you, please contact David
Middleton on 0114 2966244 or
Claire Dalpra,
Bishop's Visitor for Focus and Church
Army Training and Research Officer.
The Mile of Coins Collection is growing!
27% of a mile is now complete!
£535 has been raised
Support our redevelopment project by helping us to collect one mile of coins. This will raise between £792 and £113,344 depending on the mix of coins collected. If you have any coins to donate or would like a MACCS collection box then please call at the reception office at The Montgomery.
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Lindsey’s Choice There are many books on healing and
there are hundreds of things for which we
need healing but ultimately it is God our
creator who heals us. But books and CDs
can point us in the right direction to access
this healing power whether it is for you or
for someone else.
Healing unplugged
Bill Johnson and Randy Clark
ISBN 9780 8007 9527 6
I love books that speak
of someone else’s
experiences with God.
This always helps me to
understand God better
and how I might apply a
truth that someone else
has understood but that
I may need help with. This book is a
really honest account about the
authors’ experiences of healing and
how they got involved with healing the
sick. The highs and the lows are all
there in black and white for us to
digest, particularly encouraging if you
have ever seen these guys in operation
as you would not believe that they
were as clueless as me at the outset!
They have now seen thousands of
healings because they have taken God
at his word and have understood some
of the dynamics needed to move from
simply believing and praying for healing
(which is a great thing in itself but being
totally honest doesn’t always see the
people healed of what we pray for) to
actually healing folk. Their frank
discussions open up thorny issues,
bring depth and insight to this field of
ministry and build faith in their readers.
I often think about Jesus and the things
he did whilst on the earth but it is so
amazing to see these same things
happening today with ordinary people!
So if you want encouragement to heal,
then take a look at this easy to read
testimony/teaching book, packed with
examples for the ordinary person like
me!
The essential guide to healing
Bill Johnson and Randy Clark
ISBN 9780 8007 9519 1
Full of inspiring stories,
this book offers
practical, proven, step-by
-step guidance to
ministering healing,
including how to
understand the authority
of the believer in healing
in scripture; how to
create an atmosphere of faith; how to
receive words of knowledge; and how
to implement their five-step model of
healing prayer based on their
understanding of Biblical principles. The
ministry of healing is not reserved for a
select few according to their
understanding. God's miraculous
healing is part of the Good News--and
every believer can become a conduit
for His healing power. The Bible is full
of accounts of miraculous healing. And
their testimony is that God is moving
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as amazingly today as He was back
then. Thousands are being healed all
over the world--and his children are
part of it. Be a part of God's exciting
adventure, and use 'The Essential
Guide to Healing' as your road map.
Healing promises
Joseph Prince
ISBN 9781 6213 6010 0
Healing Promises takes
you into the heart of
our Lord Jesus and
shows you on page
after page of His
compassion and
willingness to heal you.
See from God's Word
how it's not about what you must do
to be healed - it's all about resting in
the grace of our Lord, who has done
everything for you to be healed. Be
encouraged and start walking in a
greater measure of health today!
A time for healing CD
Ruth Fazal
ISBN 676868166129
'A Time for Healing' is
a musical journey of
healing with spoken
prayers from the
Bible, accompanied
and supported by
violin and keyboard. It is Ruth Fazal’s
hope that each listener will personally
touched by God with life and healing
through the music on this CD. Ruth is
an accomplished song writer,
composer and musician, playing violin
and piano; she writes her own lyrics
born out of her own intimate
relationship with the Lord and her
music is a gift of inspiration to the
church. We heartily recommend this
as a encouraging and uplifting CD.
Healing through deliverance
Peter Horrobin
ISBN 9781 8524 0498 7
Originally published as
two separate volumes,
this best-selling book on
the subject of
deliverance ministry has
now been combined,
updated and revised and
will be available in
hardback. Peter Horrobin has more
than twenty years’ experience teaching
about healing and ministering to those
in need. In this comprehensive,
practical and ground breaking volume,
he draws on this experience to set out
a thorough scriptural foundation for
the healing and deliverance ministry -
an integral part of fulfilling the Great
Commission and a vital key to
discipleship. He lays out the biblical
basis for healing through deliverance;
provides safe guidelines and practical
tools for building a healing and
deliverance ministry; helps people
identify possible demonic entry points;
and teaches how we can become
affected by demonic power and how
we can be delivered and healed.
In the final section of the book Peter
turns his focus to the cleansing of land
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and buildings. This authoritative
handbook will equip you to understand
the ministry and respond to the call of
God to set the captives free.
The healing word
Barbara Brown Taylor
ISBN 9780281070350
Gospel medicine is
Barbara Brown Taylor's
metaphor for the power
of God's word to heal
and mend a broken
world.
In this beautiful
collection, she practices
the old-fashioned art of
gospel home remedies, drawing
strength and insight from biblical stories
that can help us confront our
weaknesses, revive our spirits and
restore us to lasting wholeness.
Powerful meditations on scripture
based on her beautifully crafted
sermons.
Healing the scars of emotional
abuse
Gregory Lantz
ISBN 9780 8007 3323 0
In spite of their physical
invisibility, emotional
wounds are a very
damaging form of abuse.
Whether caused by
words, actions, or even
indifference, emotional
abuse is common--yet
often overlooked. In this helpful guide,
Dr. Gregory L. Jantz reveals how those
who have been abused by a spouse,
parent, employer, or minister can
overcome the past and rebuild their self
-image. This revised and updated
edition of Healing the Scars of
Emotional Abuse includes strategies for
dealing with the verbal abuser, self-
check quizzes with each chapter, keys
to rebuilding relationships, letters from
survivors of emotional abuse, new
information on dealing with spiritual
abuse and a biblical plan for healing.
Healing your emotional self
Beverly Engel
ISBN 9780 4701 2778 0
Emotionally abusive
parents can cause
significant damage to
their children's self-
esteem, self-image, and
body image. In this
remarkable book,
Beverly Engel shares her
powerful Mirror Therapy program for
helping adult survivors to overcome
their shame and self-criticism, become
more compassionate and accepting of
themselves, and create a more positive
self-image. In this book, Beverly Engel
documents the wide range of
psychological abuses that so many
children experience in growing up. Her
case examples and personal accounts
are poignant and powerful reminders
that as adults, many of us are still
limited by the defences we formed
when trying to protect ourselves in
from painful circumstances that
happened to us as children. Engle's
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insightful questionnaires and exercises
provide concrete help in the healing
process, and her writing style is lively
and engaging.
The deeper path
Kary Oberbrunner
ISBN 9780801015212
Numbing your pain is
numbing your potential.
The two most important
days of your life are the
day you are born and the
day you discover why.
This book is for those
who desire the answer
to the “why” question
and this answer is found only by taking
the Deeper Path.
In this transparent exploration of
growth through adversity, Kary
Oberbrunner shares his own story of
overcoming self-injury, as well as
examples from such varied realms as
business, government, entertainment,
education, and faith. With great
compassion and clarity, he reveals a
model of transformation that will help
you move toward freedom and become
a soul on fire.
Gentle prayers for hope and
healing
Betty Fletcher
ISBN 9780736946766
Tender prayers and
comforting verses invite
readers facing a physical
or emotional trial to the
refuge of God's loving
presence. Beautiful photographs of
tranquil gardens and nature's bounty
evoke God's abiding peace while
prayers written in first person lead
readers to entrust their needs and
hopes to God's care. God, help me
release my worries so that I can hold
onto your hope. Don't let me dwell in
the land of "what if" so I can live
without fear in this moment of grace.
Lord, I am weak but you are strong. I'm
comforted because I know you are with
me to help me through all of this. This
book offers rest, encouragement,
sustenance, and a gentle, generous
space for refreshment.
Grieving: my pilgrimage of love
Gary Crawford
ISBN 9781459654068
Grief is both a process
and a journey of hope. Dr
Crawford writes about
grief and its power to
hurt or to heal. This is his
personal, transparent
journey through the grief
he experienced after
losing his wife. It is written from the
trenches, not from the pulpit, and the
poignancy of the book is found in its
realness and raw honesty. The reader
will learn how to: Face grief head on;
Grieve in a healthy way; Love well in
the midst of grief; Make practical
decisions while grieving; Use grief as a
teacher of spiritual growth; Help others
along the way. This moving book is a
love story and a practical guidebook.
Everyone faces loss. Everyone is in
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need of hope and positive influence.
Every person needs support. This book
meets these needs in wonderful ways.
It is a book for all.
Receive your healing and reclaim
your health
Cal Pierce
ISBN 9781616384838
This book reads like an
autobiography as Cal
Pierce takes the reader
with him on his own
personal journey to
divine health. Cal leads
the international ministry
Healing Rooms and
thought he knew a lot about healing
until he had a heart attack. He teaches
us through his own experiences how it
is one thing to be healed by the power
of God but another to walk in divine
health. He shows how important it is
to steward our bodies in order to walk
in divine health. This is a most
encouraging book with helpful Biblical
insights and real stories.
Psalms of healing
Hope for cancer by Tina King
ISBN 9781 4327 8651 9
"The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my
helper; I put my trust
in God, for he gives
me strength; he is my
protector and by his
power, he saves me.
He will be forever my
refuge." Psalms 18:2.
Tina King watched as her mother-the
person who filled her life with words
of peace, hope, faith, and courage-
struggled to hold on to her own faith.
Tina's mother had always lived by the
prayers of King David, prayers that
gave her peace and courage after she
was diagnosed with third-stage breast
cancer. This amazing woman held on
to hope, went through 16 rounds of
chemotherapy, and was preparing to
walk her first 5k to benefit breast
cancer. God had given her the strength
and the will to live. Four months into
her recovery, Tina's mother was
devastated to learn that the cancer had
returned-this time in her bones. Tina's
mum was now fighting a new battle,
and not just a battle for her life. She
had lost her faith in God. As her child,
Tina had to do whatever she could to
get her mother to believe again, to
regain the peace and solace of her faith
on this new journey. "I took those
words of King David and read them as
if they were being lifted off the pages
right into my mother's soul." Psalms of
Healing is a collection of modernized
verse written specifically for the cancer
community-or anyone who is facing an
overwhelming battle. These words
provide faith, hope, and peace for the
most challenging times.
These books are available at all Christian
bookshops but don’t forget members of
MACCS Partner churches and individual
partners can order them at The
Montgomery at reduced prices.
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Paracetamol or Prayer? I came to faith in Christ Jesus when I
was a student nurse in London. The
church that I attended was asking for
volunteers to be stewards at a large
Healing Convention held at the Royal
Albert Hall. I volunteered and I was
blown over by what I experienced that
day. The preacher proclaimed a message
of salvation and healing which stirred the
faith of all present. He then asked the
Stewards i.e. me to pray for those
nearby who were asking for prayer. I
had no experience in the Healing
Ministry and was expecting to show
people to their seats not to pray for
them... after all I was a young Christian.
A woman asked me to pray for her. Her
problem was obvious... a huge goitre
stuck out from her neck. I lay my hands
on her head as I had seen the preacher
do and mustering all the faith I had,
prayed ‘ Lord please heal her’. I caught
the woman as she collapsed to the floor.
I looked down at my hands in shock. I
looked up to God and thanked Him for
whatever He was doing in this woman’s
life. She came round some minutes later
and when she rose up the goitre had
gone, disappeared without trace. No
one was more surprised than me.
Today I am a worker priest. I work as a
nurse in the NHS and as an associate
vicar. I see suffering and sickness on a
daily basis and long to see the kingdom
of God demonstrated in signs and
wonders and healing and miracles as it
was for the early disciples.
Is God still in the business of healing or
is it a thing of the past, reserved for
special occasions and for those endued
with special gifts or mega faith, and in
areas where there is no health service?
Has Paracetamol and our overworked
NHS relieved God of demonstrating His
love for us through His Healing power?
Let’s have a look and see what the Bible
says
Let me introduce Ivor P.
Merryman. (In case you wonder, I have
made up his name and everything else
about him!).
Ivor lost his wife some years back and
lives a lonely sort of existence meeting
friends either in the Pub or at Church.
He eats mostly takeaways and enjoys his
cigarettes. Together with his pints of
best bitter they make his life worth living
and take away some of his stress and
worry. One day disaster strikes. On the
way home from the local he collapses
and is taken into hospital, blue light
flashing. He has had a heart attack.
Thanks to the paramedics and medical
staff he recovers, although never back to
how he once was
Why did Ivor get sick?
Have a look at the following
passages from the Bible:
Proverbs 4: 20-22, Exodus 15: 26,
Philippians 3:18-19, 1 Corinthians 6:19-
20, Luke 21:34, Luke 12:22
Reflection
The Bible gives us quite clear directions
to do all we can to prevent sickness.
Ivor may have got trapped into an
unhealthy pattern of living which was
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bound to lead him to the doctor’s
surgery sooner or later. You may have
picked out:
Worry- which can cause high Blood
Pressure, strokes and heart attacks
Fatty diet- which can cause Heart
disease, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and
problems with walking.
Cigarettes- which can cause lung cancer
and other breathing problems.
The Bible tells us to listen and follow
God’s ways. We need to treat our
bodies as ‘Temples of the Holy Spirit’,
gifts from God to be looked after and
used in his service.
However maybe Ivor was not totally to
be held responsible for his heart attack.
We all have a part to play in keeping
people well. We were created in God’s
image, sinless and without flaw. But
when Sin entered the world along with
it came our exploitation of the world’s
resources, indiscriminate farming,
pollution and a pattern of living which
promotes a ‘ get all I can’ mentality at
the expense of the needs of others. All
these directly or indirectly contribute
to people’s health and well being.
What is Christ’s response to ill
health?
Have a look at the following Bible
passages:
Matthew 9:27-30, Hosea 14:4,
Mark 5:34, Matthew 8:8 , Luke 4:18
Reflection
God sees and understands all types of
conditions which affect people: Matters
of the heart, the rawness of grief, the
wretchedness of knowing our own
failure and sin, congenital disease,
sexually transmitted disease, failure to
observe God’s laws, life- long conditions,
accidents, mental ill health and even
piles! He knows and understands and
walks alongside those who suffer. He
heals the broken hearted and binds their
wounds (Psalm 147:3). God sees behind
the illness to the bleeding heart, the
nights of tears, the bitterness and the sin
which may be fuelling the physical
condition and which may also need His
healing touch. God heals! God loves to
heal.
What is the Christian’s response to
sickness?
Have a look at the following verses:
James 5:14-16, Matthew: 10:17
Matthew :10:1, Acts 3:6 , John 5:1-8,
Luke 5:17-20, 1 Corinthians 12:7-31
Reflection
James instructs any who are sick to ask
for prayer. Don’t be ashamed to ask.
Prayer has less side effects than over the
counter medications, is much cheaper
and gives glory to God! God responds
to faith... faith in the person who asks
for prayers and faith in the pray-er.
Without faith we are unable to please
Him ( Hebrews 11:6).
However... and this is important....God
has blessed us with the NHS. We thank
God for the skills of health care
professionals to diagnose and treat us.
They are part of God’s healing provision
for his people. Having faith to be healed
does not mean stopping prescribed
medication.
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The disciples started their healing
ministry alongside The Master but their
ministry really took off after the day of
Pentecost when they were filled with
the Holy Spirit. The church was given
many gifts including those of healing and
miracles. Not long ago I asked for
healing prayer in a church and found
myself being prayed for by two lads, one
about 7 and the other a teenager. And
why not? God gives His gifts freely to
those who ask. Pray for the gifts of the
Spirit. The Church needs these gifts
today.
In two of the texts above there was a
mention of the support of friends. For
the paralytic, his friends carried him to
Jesus and he was healed. Conversely the
man by the pool side at Bethesda had
laid there paralysed and deformed for 40
years with no one to help him until Jesus
came and found him. Do you know of
anyone who needs your help and
support through a time of illness?
Does God heal everyone?
Read the following Bible verses:
Matthew 13:58, Revelation 21:4,
2 Corinthians 12:7, 2Timothy 4:20
Reflection
Not all people are healed. Trophimus,
Paul’s friend was left behind in Miletus as
he was too sick to travel. Paul himself
had a ‘thorn in his flesh ‘ which despite
prayer was not healed. Jesus himself
found that in some towns and villages
He was unable to perform miracles
because of unbelief.
So we learn from the Bible that although
God can and does heal the sick, this is
not always so. After all, we can’t live
forever. We all know people who,
despite much prayer and faith have died
prematurely. It is right and good to pray
for the sick, and we should do so in
faith, but we need to bear in mind that
total healing and wholeness may come
only when we pass through death to Life
Everlasting.
Another Story.. this time true!
A close friend was terminally ill with
cancer. God had walked alongside her
through chemotherapy, biopsies,
surgery, and radiotherapy, but physical
healing did not happen. Now she was in
great pain as the cancer had spread to
her bones. She had been sat out of bed
for a while and was desperate to get
back to bed. She prayed ‘Dear God,
please get me back to bed’ Seconds later
a male nurse came to her and said ‘You
are so weak. Just stretch your arms out
towards me and I will do the rest’ She
put her hands up to him, he held her
with tender, firm arms and she was back
in beds in seconds. Later that night she
sent me a text which said ‘I learnt a lot
about God last night, about trusting Him
and knowing His presence through dark
times’
Weeks later she passed to Glory, safe in
the knowledge that the God who had
saved her, had walked alongside her
through her disease, brought peace and
healing to her soul and given her the
assurance of Life Eternal
Revd Monica Sutton
Worker priest
Associate Vicar St Cuthbert’s Fir Vale
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Diary Dates JUNE
6th Fairness - What do our faith traditions bring to the table led by Dr
Chris Hewer for Sheffield Faith Leaders group, 18.00-20.00 Shirley House,
31 Psalter Lane, Sheffield S11 8YL. Liz Wills 0114 272 6009,
6th Strategy for Effective Church-Wide Discipleship @ Wilson Carlile
Centre, with Craig Millward, Mary Wren & David Wren www.ficm.org.uk
7th Exalt – Uninterrupted Worship@ New Oxford Road Church,
Mexborough with Richard Ashby & Erica Lugg www.rbbuk.net Free entry
8th Christians and Sheffield Schools (CaSS) First Annual Conference.
At the Wilson Carlisle Centre. Bob Hartman is the keynote speaker
12th Girls' Night with MWiB at Cantley Methodist Church, Doncaster DN4
6BT £5 Gwenyth 01302 536233, Chris 01246 251599, Elaine 01246 583822
14th Youth leaders prayer breakfast. At St Thomas’ Philadelphia from
10.00 - 12.00 [email protected]
15th Mental health – Challenge or Opportunity? A study day organised by
the Diocese of Sheffield on an introduction to mental health issues in
church life. St Thomas', Crookes, Sheffield.
15th Investing in a Few A retreat for those in leadership. At Cliff College.
www.inspire-network.org.uk/retreats
15th Contemplative Fire Pilgrimage to Now/here ; Community of the
Resurrection, Mirfield, near Huddersfield. 9.30 – 15.00 Explore one of the
monastic vows with Fr Thomas Seville, and participate in an awareness
walk in the Monastery gardens led by Revd Philip Roderick. Cost by
donation, £10 - £20. Packed lunch needed. www.contemplativefire.org or
19th-20th The Leadership Summit Hope City Church with Donovan
Coetzee, Simon McIntyre & Dave Gilpin £75 www.greatbritishchurches.co.uk/
summit
21st- 23rd Breakthrough June Convention City Life Church, Shalesmoor
with Jonathan Oloyede & John Edwards www.citylifecc.com Free entry.
29th Acoustic Café with Philippa Hanna Swallownest Baptist Church
www.swallownestbaptist.org.uk Tickets £5
JULY
1st -21st horizonfest. A community arts festival celebrating creativity and
spirituality at Horizon Methodist Church, www.horizonfest.co.uk.
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2nd - 3rd Open Days at The Oakes for Ministers and Youth Workers.
www.oakes.org.uk/openday 0114 2359995
6th The Boggle (and workshop) A brand new show at The Montgomery all
about the world of English folklore. Using storytelling, comedy, puppetry,
object manipulation and an original soundscape, Show at 2pm (doors open
1:30pm), workshop at 3:30pm. £6 for show only £8 for show and workshop
(children aged 6+ only) 0114 272 0455. www.themontgomery.org.uk.
12th Glory Revolution O2 Academy. featuring Mobo award winner Guvna B
as well as the Message’s TWELVE24 £4 on the door/ £3 in advance.
[email protected] for posters or tickets.
26th This is Your Season Conference hosted by Emmanuel Life Revival
Ministries International @ Gleadless Methodist Church www.elrmi.com
SEPTEMBER
10th Playing with Parables Day Whirlow Grange Spirituality Centre 9:45-
15:45 £21 A retreat to explore parables using the art of Godly Play.
www.whirlowgrange.co.uk/playing-wih-parables 0114 236 3173.
14th Godly Play Training Three day course must also attend 28th Sept and 12th
Oct 9.00 – 16.30 St Stephen’s Church, Netherthorpe, Sheffield, S3 7PL £130
including lunch and refreshments. [email protected]
Sheffield Vacancies
Organist wanted Could you give an inspirational and helping hand to 3 rural
parishes, strapped for cash of course, who have wonderful and different organs:
St Cuthbert’s Fishlake, St. Mary’s Kirk Bramwith and Trinity Sykehouse. Please
contact Eve [email protected] OR 01302 841396
Community Outreach Worker. Greenhill Methodist Church Initially for
three years, subject to further funding being secured. 40 hours a week. Wage:
£17,158 p.a. Closing date: 14h June 2013. Interviews: 25th June 2013. Contact Rev
Jonathan Haigh, 01142376579, [email protected]
Theatre Refreshment Supervisor required to organise refreshments and
supervise volunteers at The Montgomery. Mostly evening work with occasional
daytime. Hours are irregular depending on shows programmed. Applicants must
be outgoing with a friendly disposition, previous theatre refreshment experience
is an advantage. Closing date 31st July 2013. For full details of position and how
to apply email [email protected]
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19-22 June Sweet Charity Handsworth & Hallam Theatre Company
27-28 June Fusion Youth Theatre
10-13 July CATS: Youth Group Production, Easy Street Theatre Company,
14 July Little Red Riding Hood, Noodle Performance Arts Ltd.
19-20 July Showtime 2013, Amanda Holland School of Dance
23-27 July KD Dance
3-5 October Showstoppers 2013, Ellesmere Operatic Society
31 Oct- 2 Nov Welcome To Our World, Elaine Perry School of Dance
4-5 Dec Lord’s School of Dance
Discounted parking at Arundel Gate! Park for £4 before
4pm and £6 after 4pm for 24 hours! Simply park and collect your yellow
chip on arrival, take it along to The Montgomery and scan the chip at the
scanner located on the 1st floor. The chip will automatically discount at the
pay station. Regrettably there is no disabled access at present
Coming Soon to
The Montgomery
18 June-6 July
Sheffield Children's Festival Events
24 June Journeys
Newfield School
25 June Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
Athelston Primary
2 July It’s not About the Money
Grenoside School
3 July St. Wilfrid's School
4 July Romeo, Juliet, Gladys & Bill
Arbourthorne School
5 July Panto Pandemonium
St Marie's
6 July The Boggle (and workshop)
Lawrence Speck
Spotlight is produced by The Montgomery, an operating name of
Montgomery Arts & Christian Centre Sheffield Ltd, a non profit
making company limited by guarantee, registered in England and
Wales No. 07963026. Charity No. 1148489
For more information about our activities or resources please call into or
telephone us at the Resource Centre/Office on the first floor of The
Montgomery. Our opening times are 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday with
late night opening on Tuesdays until 6pm
Articles for the next edition of Spotlight need to be in by:
Tuesday 20th August 2013
THE MONTGOMERY
Surrey Street
SHEFFIELD
S1 2LG
Tel: (0114) 272 0455
email: [email protected]
website: www.themontgomery.org.uk
Please note that at present The Montgomery has no disabled access