The good news of Jesus impacts body, mind and spirit, marriage, family, community, nations - the whole cosmos! The church's ministry of healing is part of that good news.

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction is a term used about a prayerful process in which people help one another to come closer to God. Many prefer the term 'spiritual companion' or 'soul friend'.  In his book 'Sacred Companions' David Benner gives this definition: Spiritual direction is a prayer process in which a person seeking help in cultivating a deeper personal relationship with God meets with another for prayer and conversation that is focussed on increasing awareness of God in the midst of life experiences and facilitating surrender to God's will.

In Christianity it is the Holy Spirit who is meant to be our spiritual director but it is easier to say so than to grasp hold of his wisdom! This is why people are more and more finding it helpful to share with other Christians even just as a form of 'mentoring'. No child of God is incapable of helping one of their sisters or brothers to be drawn closer to their Lord. At the same time some people seem to have a special gift for encouraging faith in others. Many of these people are by their very spiritual nature too modest to suggest themselves as possible spiritual directors. This is where the clergy have a special responsibility as part of their calling to draw out such gifts for building up the body of Christ. Other believers are less shy of seeking training to support their aptitude for this ministry. Priests themselves can never escape this ministry and many are currently seeking to resource it more fully.

In the Diocese of Chichester the mission and renewal department provides a match-making service for church members seeking a spiritual director. To request to be linked up with a spiritual director who lives reasonably close to you, please contact the diocesan spirituality consultant (Diocese's adviser for spiritual direction), the Reverend Tony Fiddian-Green who coordinates the diocesan spiritual direction network. For more information of his ministry and the wider ministry of spiritual renewal contact Tony on 01892 864265 or:

fidgreen@groombridge65.fsnet.co.uk