Fourth Thursday of every month in St Margaret's Church (except August and December)

In his own ministry, Jesus gave high priority to healing the sick. The same concern has always found expression in the ministry of the church through the sacraments, the prayers for the sick, and the personal love and care offered to sufferers by individual Christians. This ministry has continued over the centuries at Westminster Abbey, as in other churches.

The laying-on of hands is one of the ways in which the Church exercises this ministry. It is done by a priest or others who believe themselves called to this particular ministry, a number of whom assist in this service and support it by regular prayer. Any of us may receive the laying-on of hands - for ourselves or on behalf of others - when we believe there is need of the healing power of the Spirit of God.

This ministry is in no sense offered as an alternative to medical care. All healing comes from God, whether brought about by the skill and care of doctors and nurses, through prayer, through sacraments, or through healing words or a healing touch.

It is a ministry which reflects Jesus' concern and promise for the whole person - body, mind and spirit. Recovery from disease is one aspect of this: another is the possibility of being enabled by God to accept illness or disability. Beyond our quest for individual healing there is a need for healing in human society, scarred as it is by war, injustice and oppression.

The Church's ministry of healing is therefore also one of reconciliation and forgiveness. A confession of sins - of our lack of wholeness - is made immediately before the laying-on of hands. Our penitence and God's forgiveness are the necessary conditions for recovering wholeness of body, mind and spirit, and for healing the broken relationships between ourselves and God, and between one another.