A Ministry of Presence: Healing Prayer, Anointing, and Pastoral Care

As a minister of the gospel for more than fifty years, and believing that men and women are whole beings—body, soul, and spirit—I have carried a strong sense of calling to minister to the total person.

That divine calling has led me to pastor five churches over five decades. Along the way, I have been welcomed into the lives of children, youth, and adults of all ages—into moments of great joy and moments of deep sorrow.

The Great Physician and the Call to Serve

I believe that Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, is the Great Physician—fully able to heal the total person. Because of that belief, I have desired to be an instrument in His hands, ministering to others in His Name and for their highest good.

As a human instrument, I am blessed to be a conduit—to receive from a loving God and allow His love, compassion, and power to flow through me unto others. This is joy unspeakable: to weep with those who weep, and to rejoice with those who are made glad.

What This Healing Ministry Has Included

When I attempt to describe the healing practice God has given me for others, it includes a range of sacred, faith-centered expressions of care:

Prayer

Prayer has been both verbal and non-verbal—spoken aloud when welcomed, and quietly held in the heart when words are not needed.

Sacraments

The administration of baptism and communion has been a central part of this ministry—holy moments where grace feels near, and hearts often soften.

Discreet Touch

At times, healing has involved discreet, respectful touch—always with tenderness, consent, and pastoral wisdom.

Anointing with Essential Oils

Anointing—often of the head and/or feet—has been part of this ministry as well. Essential oils have been used as a sacred support within prayerful care, offered with reverence and simplicity.

Pastoral Counseling

Pastoral counsel has also been part of the work—listening deeply, encouraging wisely, and supporting people as they navigate grief, fear, uncertainty, and change.

The Ministry of Presence

Included in my practice of healing has often been something simple, yet profound: a ministry of presence.

There are moments when words are too small. In those moments, simply being there—prayerfully, attentively, compassionately—becomes a form of care that speaks beyond language.

Where This Ministry Has Been Offered

This healing ministry has unfolded in many settings—both private and public:

• privately in homes and in my office

• publicly in congregational services

• in hospitals (emergency rooms, intensive care units, waiting areas, rehabilitation units)

• in hospice care centers

• in nursing homes and assisted living facilities

• in funeral homes

These environments have carried the full spectrum of the human experience—hope and heartbreak, gratitude and grief, fear and faith.

Any attempt to describe this personal healing practice is, in reality, only the touching of the hem of His garment.