WHEN hearts and minds are weary the church is always open for healing and hope.
That’s the message from Reverend Bruce Raymond who will lead a special Healing and Remembrance Service at the Fassifern Uniting Church in Boonah on Saturday afternoon (March 4).
“Anyone who is going through any manner of loss is welcome to come and be ministered to,” Rev Raymond said.
“They don’t need to be sitting up the front as even those seated in the last pew at the very back of the church will be able to feel the love our Lord God has for them and his wish for them to find happiness and peace.”
The Service will be focused on helping those who have or are experiencing loss and grief of any kind.
“When there is loss and sadness, we often seek worldly answers,” he said.
“But when we do this the answers are not going to make sense.
“We need to understand that there is a spiritual domain and matters of loss and grief can be worked through when we ask for God’s wisdom and hand over our lives.
“When we grieve, we go through a number of steps, the first of which is disbelief.
“It is this surrealism that is the first indication of us binding ourselves within the spiritual domain.
“Ultimately, of course, there is the experience of acceptance, butthese things aren’t descriptive or definitive in any way.
“It is when someone is in the grips of grief that they need God and the Holy Spirit most.”
Loss and grief could be caused by the death of a loved one or friend, by the loss of an occupation, or even by something like experiencing a criminal act.
“There are forces at work in the world that are greater than us and sometimes we need to take a step back and think about what is happening to us,” Rev Raymond said.
“And when we do, we will see how God has been beside us all along, all we needed was to take his hand and the hard work will have been done.
“Our Service will be an opportunity for those who are struggling to take God’s hand and allow him to lead them through whatever it is they are going through.“When they do this, they will see how much easier it is to bear grief when held up by Him.”