Over the next few months I'm going to be emphasising the importance the church must give to Mission. There is little doubt that the Church needs to re-engage with its natural roots of being mission orientated. One of the suggestions that the Church Without Walls Report made  to the General Assembly of  2001 was that individual congregations should study a Gospel for a whole year.

In doing so we believed that it would re-focus the church to become more mission orientated.  Jesus continually spoke of the Kingdom of God close at hand. When he said 'close at hand', I think included in its meaning is the idea that God cares for his creation and has an interest in our well being. God wants to heal and restore our broken relationships and our broken lives. While healing can be physical and affect our physical health it also can affect our internal  attitude to life.  I think we might say our well being and also our attitude to the environment in which we live.

It interesting to note that many in the medical profession are talking about the importance of well- being. I think the Gospel is all about well being. Jesus once said I have come that you might have life in all its abundance. Christian living is about facing the issues in our lives that need meanding and inviting the Holy Spirit to begin to guide us how to make the changes. Often we see the Holy Spirit at work through the advice of friend and family and also the medical profession. 

This Sunday the evening service  at St Andrew's Bo'ness is going to take the form of a healing service. It will be an opportunity for those who wish to have prayers said for their health and well being. it will also be an opportunity to pray for others who are unwell at this moment in time. We will also pray for those who have been called into the medical profession and who seek to serve others through their  medical knowledge. 

I'm always amazed at the impact these services have on those who attend. I've never met anyone yet who has not in some way benefited from prayer at a time of illness or upset.

I'm hoping that the service will be a blessing to those who attend. So if you know of anyone who you think might benefit from prayer and the ministry of healing let them know, or better still why not bring them along to Church this Sunday evening at 6.30pm