The Diocesan Healing Conference gave attendees the tools they need to start a healing ministry in their own parish or small group. The Rev. Nigel W. D. Mumford, an author on the gifts of healing, spoke to a group of about 150 during the all-day conference held at St. Nicholas in Flower Mound.

At the start of the day, he told everyone that healing ministry is about love and praying, particularly loving your neighbor and yourself. He also said that sometimes prayers may mean healing but not curing. “It’s not about you, it’s about God working through you to help others,” he said.

Mumford told of success stories of healing and stories where the person prayed over had died. “But when we pray, something always happens,” he said.

Mumford offered these tips, among others, for starting a healing ministry:

Seek and pray for the Greater Gifts, 1Cor 12:31

Always be paired with one or more prayer team members

Listen, love and pray

Look into the eyes of the person you are going to pray for

The person is often anxious and unsettled, smile

Ask, “how may I pray for you?”

Listen to what the person is saying.

Always ask, “may I lay hands on you?”

Never lay your hands on a person inappropriately

Pray out loud if you can

Remember that something always happens when we pray

Do not take the issue home with you