Welcome

These are unprecedented times and we are all facing a reality that we have not so far imagined and for which we can feel unprepared. As each new step unfolds we want to keep you in touch with how we are keeping the healing ministry of Jesus alive and active. I have wondered what Bishop Morris would be doing right now - and I guess he would be urging us to faith and wisdom.

In the light of today’s announcement by the Church of England suspending all public worship services, I have been in consultation with the Acorn trustees and it has been decided that the wisest course of action at this time would be for Acorn to also suspend its public gatherings, as of today, until further notice. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/news/archbishops-call-church-england-become-radically-different-public-worship This is to both comply with the government’s request to limit the spread of the virus through social distancing, but also because some of those coming to Acorn’s meetings themselves fall into the vulnerable categories that are currently providing the greatest concern.

Some of the venues we use around the UK have already informed us that they are shutting down for a season, and therefore any Acorn events planned there are postponed for the time being. However, that does not mean that we are withdrawing from ministry or from praying for those in need, we are just going to have to do so in a different way. We are keeping a prayerful, faith-filled presence as a place of prayer as we continue the healing ministry of Jesus, and there are ways in which you can join with us in this. If you have any prayer requests you can filter them through to us via our info@acornchristian.org address or by DM onTwitter via @acornchristian. Any prayer requests will be shared with our Prayer Ministry Team as they would on a Tuesday morning, but this time it would be by an email. Even so, prayer is prayer, however, it is arranged.

The Tuesday services will continue online via Acorn’s YouTube channel, and details are listed below about how you can do that. They will be will not come from our usual venue in Hindhead, so please do not just turn up, we will not be there. Being online is a new venture for us, but we are learning each time we try it and I am sorry that thus far there have been some technical issues. If you experience any problems do let us know and we will try to rectify any lack on our part. So, simply tune into our channel on Tuesdays at 10.55 am and you can share in a time of worship, prayer and ministry from where you are.

Tune into our YouTube channel at the time of a service

We are aware that Acorn’s training programme will be affected by the government’s announcement yesterday and by today’s news from the Church of England. Our Training Manager, Howard Fleming, is already exploring how we can extend the remote training via the Skype and Zoom platforms. We have already used this successfully with Australia, and we will keep you in touch with further developments, but we plan to run as comprehensive a programme as we can during this time, including looking at the School of Healing being delivered in this same way.

Obviously, as events are cancelled it may well have an impact on our finances, but we are so grateful for the ongoing support of our friends and supporters. We keep going because of you!

Do join with us, too, in praying for strength, safety and for joy, as we all keep Acorn present to serve people at this very significant time. It is in days like these that the church steps up in the name of Jesus, not with naïveté, and foolhardiness, but with wisdom, faith and the over arching love of God. I don’t know if Bishop Morris ever envisaged this current scenario, but I believe he did imagine a church equipped in the healing ministry of Jesus to be on hand, to be Christ’s hands of healing and grace. Thank you so much for your prayers and your support, it means we can keep serving even through this exception period in all our lives.

Finally, my own request before God is this one from Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)

‘Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.

Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known;…’

In faith, hope and love

,

Revd Wes Sutton

Director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation