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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 (as pictured above). Would you like to know what branches there are in your area, so that you can learn more about the Guild? See below for an up to date Directory of branches. The Guild Office is happy to supply you with information that will put you in touch with your local branch. E mail: office@guildofstraphael.org.uk
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. =
Anglican Church of Australia St James' Kings Street Sydney Wangaratta
Anglican Church of Bermuda St Peters's, St George's Anglican Church of Canada Windsor Ontario
Bath & Wells St Michael & All Angels, Yeovil
Birmingham St James the Great, Shirley, Solihull St Mary Magdalene, Tanworth-in-Arden St Peter's, Hall Green Blackburn Lancaster & District St Margaret's, St Annes St Paul & St Mary's, Nelson
Bradford St Chad's, Bradford 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 & St Helen, Neston St Paul 's with St Luke's, Tranmere
Church in the Province of the West Indies St Michaels & All Angels, Diego Martin Church in WalesHoly Trinity & St Tudno, Llandudno Holyhead Neath Rectorial Benefice St Mary & St Michael The Rectorial Benefice of Whitchurch, Cardiff
Community of the Holy Cross Community of the Holy Cross
Derby Our Lady & All Saints, Chesterfield Durham St Chad's, Sunderland Ely St John's, March Exeter St Catherine's Whitestone 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
Hereford Holy Trinity, Minsterley Lichfield Christ the King, Aldersley St Giles, Shrewsbury St John's, Horninglow St Paul's, Newcastle
Liverpool A ll Saints, StoneycroftSt David's, Childwall St James the Great, Haydock St John's, Tuebrook
London South Acton St Barnabas, Northolt Park St Saviour's, Pimlico
Newcastle Holy Trinity, Berwick upon Tweed Norwich St Nicholas, North Walsham Oxford St Andrew's, Caversham St Kenelm's, Minster Lovell St Mary's, North Leigh St Peter's, Furze Platt
Peterborough St Michael & All Angels, Northampton Rochester Holy Family, Gravesend Scottish Episcopal Church St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church Southwark St Andrew's, Coulsdon St Peter and St Paul, Lingfield
St Edmunsbury & Ipswich St Mary the Virgin, Mendlesham Truro Bodmin Team Ministry St Mary & All Saints, Plymstock
Winchester St Brelade, Jersey 19 St Kathrines & St Nicholas, Southbourne |
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