About the Guild Branches
The Guild has nearly seventy branches worldwide.
The majority of these are in the UK, but there are flourishing branches in Australia and elsewhere in the Pacific region, as also in the West Indies.
Would you like to know what branches there are in your area, so that you can learn more about the Guild? In the right hand column is a Directory of branches.
The Branch and the Local Church
The hope is always that the branch will be seen not as a special interest group, but rather as a focus for the life of the whole church and congregation. Its members will be those who feel a special vocation to pray for the sick, to share in ministry in various ways, and to keep the needs of the sick and ministry to them in the mainstream of the church’s thinking.
Each branch has a chaplain and a branch secretary. Again our hope is that the parish priest will be the chaplain and lend his or her support to the branch in this way.
Branches establish their own pattern, but one of the commonest is a monthly meeting combined with a healing service. More frequent meetings in order to pray for those who are sick are also quite usual.
Under the guidance of their branch secretary, Guild members commit themselves to regular, faithful prayer for the sick. A usual practice is to make monthly lists for each member. It is also usual to send out prayer cards to those who are prayed for, letting them know that this is happening. Samples of the latter can be obtained from the Guild Office.
It is common in Guild parishes for the Sunday nearest to St Raphael’s Day, 24th October, to be given over to the theme of healing. Often a special preacher is invited, and if all are agreed the main Sunday service is a healing service. Such a Sunday can be an opportunity for the re-dedication of Guild members.
How to form a Branch
Before a branch is formed there should be a period of teaching and discussion on the ministry of healing and its place in the parish. Guild Council members are always ready to help with this. And the Guild Office, as well as suggesting speakers, can provide literature and information.
It is important that the parish and congregation fully ‘own’ the Guild branch. When the time is right the PCC should approve the formation of the branch by a formal motion. Ideally too both the parish priest and the PCC should approve the choice of the branch secretary.
The Guild Office should be informed about any new branch, together with the names and addresses of the chaplain and branch secretary. Subscriptions of £5 per member will need to be collected by the branch secretary and sent to the Office each year, preferably during the first three months. Many Guild secretaries also collect member’s subscriptions for Chrism (£5 a year), so that copies can be sent to the one address and distributed locally. All subscriptions can be paid by cheque (made out to the Guild of St Raphael) or by direct debit. For details contact the Guild Office.
The Diocesan Healing Adviser should also be informed at some stage in this process. He or she can be a source of much valuable information and advice, and can often be of particular help in the early stages of discussion and teaching. He or she will also know what is going on in the healing scene in other parts of the diocese. The Diocesan Office will be able to give you the name of your local healing adviser.
The Guild has nearly seventy branches worldwide.
The majority of these are in the UK, but there are flourishing branches in Australia and elsewhere in the Pacific region, as also in the West Indies.
Would you like to know what branches there are in your area, so that you can learn more about the Guild? In the right hand column is a Directory of branches.
The Branch and the Local Church
The hope is always that the branch will be seen not as a special interest group, but rather as a focus for the life of the whole church and congregation. Its members will be those who feel a special vocation to pray for the sick, to share in ministry in various ways, and to keep the needs of the sick and ministry to them in the mainstream of the church’s thinking.
Each branch has a chaplain and a branch secretary. Again our hope is that the parish priest will be the chaplain and lend his or her support to the branch in this way.
Branches establish their own pattern, but one of the commonest is a monthly meeting combined with a healing service. More frequent meetings in order to pray for those who are sick are also quite usual.
Under the guidance of their branch secretary, Guild members commit themselves to regular, faithful prayer for the sick. A usual practice is to make monthly lists for each member. It is also usual to send out prayer cards to those who are prayed for, letting them know that this is happening. Samples of the latter can be obtained from the Guild Office.
It is common in Guild parishes for the Sunday nearest to St Raphael’s Day, 24th October, to be given over to the theme of healing. Often a special preacher is invited, and if all are agreed the main Sunday service is a healing service. Such a Sunday can be an opportunity for the re-dedication of Guild members.
How to form a Branch
Before a branch is formed there should be a period of teaching and discussion on the ministry of healing and its place in the parish. Guild Council members are always ready to help with this. And the Guild Office, as well as suggesting speakers, can provide literature and information.
It is important that the parish and congregation fully ‘own’ the Guild branch. When the time is right the PCC should approve the formation of the branch by a formal motion. Ideally too both the parish priest and the PCC should approve the choice of the branch secretary.
The Guild Office should be informed about any new branch, together with the names and addresses of the chaplain and branch secretary. Subscriptions of £5 per member will need to be collected by the branch secretary and sent to the Office each year, preferably during the first three months. Many Guild secretaries also collect member’s subscriptions for Chrism (£5 a year), so that copies can be sent to the one address and distributed locally. All subscriptions can be paid by cheque (made out to the Guild of St Raphael) or by direct debit. For details contact the Guild Office.
The Diocesan Healing Adviser should also be informed at some stage in this process. He or she can be a source of much valuable information and advice, and can often be of particular help in the early stages of discussion and teaching. He or she will also know what is going on in the healing scene in other parts of the diocese. The Diocesan Office will be able to give you the name of your local healing adviser.
Regional Directory of Branches
Scotland
Scottish Episcopal Church
St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church
North East
Durham
St Chad's, Sunderland
Newcastle
Holy Trinity, Berwick upon Tweed
North West
Blackburn
Lancaster and District
St Margaret's, St Annes
St Paul and St Mary's, Nelson
Carlisle
East Fellside
Chester
All Saints, Cheadle Hulme
All Saints, Crewe
Chester Cathedral
St Bartholomew's, Wilmslow
St George's, Altrincham
St James', Congleton
St John the Baptist, Great Meols
St Mark's, Woodley-Bredbury
St Mary and St Helen, Neston
St Paul 's with St Luke's, Tranmere
Liverpool
All Saints, Stoneycroft
St David's, Childwall
St James the Great, Haydock
St John's, Tuebrook
Yorkshire
Bradford
St Chad's, Bradford
Community of the Holy Cross
East Midlands
Derby
Our Lady and All Saints, Chesterfield
Peterborough
St Michael and All Angels, Northampton
West Midlands
Birmingham
St James the Great, Shirley, Solihull
St Mary Magdalene, Tanworth-in-Arden
St Peter's, Hall Green
Hereford
Holy Trinity, Minsterley
Lichfield
Christ the King, Aldersley
St Giles, Shrewsbury
St John's, Horninglow
St Paul's, Newcastle
Wales
The Church in Wales
Holy Trinity and St Tudno, Llandudno
Holyhead
Neath Rectorial Benefice
St Mary and St Michael
The Rectorial Benefice of Whitchurch, Cardiff
East Anglia
Ely
St John's, March
Norwich
St Nicholas, North Walsham
St Edmunsbury and Ipswich
St Mary the Virgin, Mendlesham
London
London
South Acton
St Barnabas, Northolt Park
St Saviour's, Pimlico
South East
Bath and Wells
St Michael and All Angels, Yeovil
Guildford
All Saints, Woodham
St Alban's, Hindhead
St John the Baptist, Epping
St Mary the Virgin, Horsell
St Mary, Thorpe, Egham
St Nicholas, Guildford
Oxford
St Andrew's, Caversham
St Kenelm's, Minster Lovell
St Mary's, North Leigh
St Peter's, Furze Platt
Rochester
Holy Family, Gravesend
Southwark
St Andrew's, Coulsdon
St Peter and St Paul, Lingfield
Winchester
St Brelade, Jersey
St Kathrines and St Nicholas, Southbourne
South West
Exeter
St Catherine's Whitestone
Truro
Bodmin Team Ministry
St Mary and All Saints, Plymstock
Overseas
Anglican Church of Australia
St James' Kings Street Sydney
Wangaratta
Anglican Church of Bermuda
St Peters', St George's
Anglican Church of Canada
Windsor Ontario
Church in the Province of the West Indies
St Michaels and All Angels, Diego Martin
Scotland
Scottish Episcopal Church
St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church
North East
Durham
St Chad's, Sunderland
Newcastle
Holy Trinity, Berwick upon Tweed
North West
Blackburn
Lancaster and District
St Margaret's, St Annes
St Paul and St Mary's, Nelson
Carlisle
East Fellside
Chester
All Saints, Cheadle Hulme
All Saints, Crewe
Chester Cathedral
St Bartholomew's, Wilmslow
St George's, Altrincham
St James', Congleton
St John the Baptist, Great Meols
St Mark's, Woodley-Bredbury
St Mary and St Helen, Neston
St Paul 's with St Luke's, Tranmere
Liverpool
All Saints, Stoneycroft
St David's, Childwall
St James the Great, Haydock
St John's, Tuebrook
Yorkshire
Bradford
St Chad's, Bradford
Community of the Holy Cross
East Midlands
Derby
Our Lady and All Saints, Chesterfield
Peterborough
St Michael and All Angels, Northampton
West Midlands
Birmingham
St James the Great, Shirley, Solihull
St Mary Magdalene, Tanworth-in-Arden
St Peter's, Hall Green
Hereford
Holy Trinity, Minsterley
Lichfield
Christ the King, Aldersley
St Giles, Shrewsbury
St John's, Horninglow
St Paul's, Newcastle
Wales
The Church in Wales
Holy Trinity and St Tudno, Llandudno
Holyhead
Neath Rectorial Benefice
St Mary and St Michael
The Rectorial Benefice of Whitchurch, Cardiff
East Anglia
Ely
St John's, March
Norwich
St Nicholas, North Walsham
St Edmunsbury and Ipswich
St Mary the Virgin, Mendlesham
London
London
South Acton
St Barnabas, Northolt Park
St Saviour's, Pimlico
South East
Bath and Wells
St Michael and All Angels, Yeovil
Guildford
All Saints, Woodham
St Alban's, Hindhead
St John the Baptist, Epping
St Mary the Virgin, Horsell
St Mary, Thorpe, Egham
St Nicholas, Guildford
Oxford
St Andrew's, Caversham
St Kenelm's, Minster Lovell
St Mary's, North Leigh
St Peter's, Furze Platt
Rochester
Holy Family, Gravesend
Southwark
St Andrew's, Coulsdon
St Peter and St Paul, Lingfield
Winchester
St Brelade, Jersey
St Kathrines and St Nicholas, Southbourne
South West
Exeter
St Catherine's Whitestone
Truro
Bodmin Team Ministry
St Mary and All Saints, Plymstock
Overseas
Anglican Church of Australia
St James' Kings Street Sydney
Wangaratta
Anglican Church of Bermuda
St Peters', St George's
Anglican Church of Canada
Windsor Ontario
Church in the Province of the West Indies
St Michaels and All Angels, Diego Martin