Signs of the Kingdom in our Midst Desert diary from Tuesday, March 29, 2005 Signs of the Kingdom in our Midst Written by Chet Markwell My story begins about 7 years ago. We at Holy Spirit Church got a new priest! And, we didn't just get a new priest! We went through the usual search committee process thing, through the list of people recommended and qualified. After much time in prayer, discussion and hope, names were chosen for interviews. Well you know the process. The selected person was unable to meet our time requirements and so we moved on to choosing another. The final result was our calling of the Rev. A. R. “Pete” Turner, whom we now know as Fr. Pete Turner. Very soon after his arrival, Fr Pete started Call to Joy, Alpha, Call to Growth, and others I don’t at the present time recall. However, this process had a profound effect on me. I stopped being a "nominal" Christian, and really started getting involved in all the Aspects of becoming a full-fledged Christian in our parish family. I had never really accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, but having done so, everything in my life began to change. I attended a Cursillo Weekend, and Wow! what a spiritual high. I had shared with Fr Turner that I had a special feeling about being called to the healing ministry. His words at the time were, "You need to explore this and see where it leads". My first instance of healing happened at an Alpha meeting. We had broken down into small prayer groups. A parishioner had asked for prayers for their daughter who was pregnant and her child had been diagnosed with downs syndrome. I still recall vividly the pain and anxiety I felt when praying for her. I broke down unable to continue in the prayer. I remember thinking at that time the other members of my prayer group must think I'm weird. A few weeks later, we got the report from Larry and Gail, the parents requesting the prayers for their daughter that she had been retested and now the child, or fetus was testing normal. She later delivered a lovely normal child. Oh boy, was I ecstatic! But I then remembered I shouldn’t get too excited and claim the miracle, it is not me, but you Christ, who heals! And, from all accounts, he does it often. Well it's kind of hard to slow down when you get excited about something so deeply touching. I know how I am; a kind of nut who thinks he knows almost everything about everything. But “Good News” and an education was on the way, I just hadn't gotten it yet. We received a pamphlet advertising a Healing Mission at the church. It was to take place in our neighboring city of Las Cruces, NM. It was to be sponsored by an organization which I had never heard of called the OSL. The Mission topic was about healing so I signed up. The Mission theme was Holy Desperation and was to be lead by Fr Josh Acton. I was greatly inspired, joined the Las Cruces Chapter, and the OSL Organization. My education began in earnest. I checked around and found more people interested in the healing ministry so our group would be larger. A dear lady from the City of Crosses (Las Cruces) Chapter, agreed to lead us through the initial study project for associate members in the Healing Ministry Of Jesus Christ. She living in the El Paso area has really been a gift. With the blessings of Fr Pete, we started incorporating the healing ministry into our regular church services. Being a bit on the timid side, we slowly felt our way into the process not knowing exactly how the members of the parish would react to what some would call, “really being Charismatic”. People slowly started coming forward and healings started to happen. When people realized that Jesus Christ is healing in His church today, the ice was finally broken and those that needed healing were not embarrassed to ask and come forward. Many healings have taken place since the ministry started. Blood pressures have been lowered and back pain removed. PSA lowered, foot pain removed. It is not uncommon to hear, “Well that certainly feels better”, or, “the pain is gone”! An instance of a member of the parish was out of town when he had an accident. From it he was diagnosed with a mashed and broken shoulder. Locally, being from a small town, they could not repair or treat this kind of fracture. They set his arm in a cast and suggested he return to El Paso for advanced treatment. He attended church the Sunday after the accident and came forward for healing and prayers. In an El Paso hospital later that week where he went to have the operation, they took more x-rays of his injuries. This time reports revealed only sprains, no breaks. You ask well did maybe the first facility made a mistake? I didn’t think so, and neither did Ralph. Over a year ago our Bishop, Terence Kelshaw, came for his annual visit to our parish. He came up asking for anointing and prayers for healing. After being anointed and prayers, he announced to the parish his shoulders and upper body had been filled with heat and that now he was able to raise his arm above his shoulder which he had been unable to do before. As in the case of Ralph and Bishop Kelshaw, some are healed quickly. Others take longer. Something happens almost every Sunday. It is not always obvious, and sometimes we don’t find out until much later. Not long ago we had a lady, which sometimes visits our church when we have something special going on. (She attends another church in the area). She brought her daughter who was pregnant and the child, or fetus, had a possible diagnosis of a spinal defect, Spina Bifida . Her daughter came forward for prayers, and later, when retested, the baby was found to be normal. She strongly felt it was the prayers that healed the baby and changed the tests to normal. Maybe it was, but we can't be sure in this case, as we are in some other cases. But one thing’s certain, you never know what is going to happen at the healing rail. Sometimes they become very emotional, sometimes you do! There is elation, you feel good, or you could feel bad. But none of these really mean much as far as healing is concerned. The bottom line is results, which you may not even know about. Oh what joy and thanksgiving it is when you do know, We at Holy Spirit have started an Order of Saint Luke Chapter in El Paso. We had no Chapter and were driving 90 miles round trip to Las Cruces to participate and take our training. We have begun training more associate members who have almost completed their instruction. They will be ready to become full members at our own upcoming healing mission. I guess my experience is trying to say that without first receiving Christ as your Savior and being healed yourself, none of the rest is probably going to happen. You, yourself, need to be healed to make possible what is to come later. We all have gifts of one kind or another and some more than one. Search out your gifts, whatever they may be, as scripture tells us, and do Christ’s will, in bringing His healing power or whatever gifts with which you have been endowed for the benefit of His church and His people. In November we had our first Healing Mission. It was led by Fr. Josh Acton. Our associate members have been inducted It was a great Mission, and a wonderful experience of the filling and moving of the Holy Spirit through out the entire proceedings. Our Priest, Fr Pete, who is now our Chapter Chaplain, is talking about our next mission. We are all very excited about where we are being led. Our Chapter is moving forward, thank be to God. Chet Markwell Convener, Paso Del Norte Chapter of the Order of Saint Luke