Under the Tree is back for more sessions!

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Under the Tree is back! Our nature connection and bible study sessions taking place in the beautiful surrounds of a garden in Rathmines will run again. This time we will meet on Thursday evenings, the 1st and 8th of June.
Lydia from CMHI will lead the nature connection and practising presence aspects and Dr Julie McKinley from the National Bible Society of Ireland will lead the interactive Bible Study.
You are welcome to attend one or both of these sessions. Spaces are limited so book your place today.
Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

CMH:I Annual Service of Thanksgiving: a Eucharistic Service of Wholeness & Healing

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CMH:I is delighted to announce that its annual Service of Thanksgiving will be held in St Mary’s Church in Maynooth, Co. Kildare, on 11th June at 3pm. The preacher will be Mrs Gillian Kingston, and the celebrant will be the incumbent of St Mary’s, Rev Eugene Griffin. Our Ministry Leader, Lydia Monds, will lead mindful and healing intercessions. All are welcome! Please do join us for this beautiful service, and get in touch at hello@ministryofhealing.ie if you have any questions about it.

CMH:I prayer room at General Synod 2023

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If you’re attending this year’s General Synod of the Church of Ireland, in Wexford, on Friday and Saturday, as a member or a guest, please do stop by the CMH:I display stand to say hello to us and pick up a prayer card – and visit our prayer room. For the last few years, CMH:I has had a prayer room at Synod, to offer all who are there a quiet space away from the noise and busy atmosphere of the Church’s annual meeting. It’s a gentle and nurturing space, in which you’ll find prayer stations such as the Labyrinth Prayer and the Ripple Prayer, that help you to still your mind and listen to God’s guidance.

Photo by Levi XU on Unsplash

 

Developing a Mindfulness Practice (via Zoom)

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Developing a Mindfulness Practice (via Zoom)

This course is for you if you want to:

  • learn to quieten your mind (for some of us this can take time and can take trying different things to find what works for us)
  • develop self-acceptance of all the different parts of you
  • invite God’s peace and presence into your life and into your perspective
  • practice self-compassion and learn more about a compassionate God
  • experience being present in the moment (rather than being caught up in the past or the future)
  • let go of judgements of yourself and others
  • develop a gratitude practise and notice the good things in your life more
  • be less reactive and more responsive
  • release tension and bring relaxation and spaciousness to your mind, body and emotions
  • explore a contemplative and integrated way of praying
  • shift your perspective from worry or from doing, by being in the moment and simply being

Developing a mindfulness practise can be made infinitely more accessible by doing it consistently and in community.

For 30 minutes every Sunday evening, commit to nourishing your mind, body and spirit through gentle mindfulness practises and meditative prayer practices.

Signing up to this course gives you access to 4 sessions and you’re welcome to attend any or all of them:

  1. Sunday May 21st ~ 9:00PM – 9:30PM
  2. Sunday May 28th ~ 9:00PM – 9:30PM
  3. Sunday June 4th ~ 9:00PM – 9:30PM
  4. Sunday June 11th ~ 9:00PM – 9.30PM

Click here to go to the Eventbrite page and book your place

This can be an act of kindness and self care, an act of deepening faith, and an act of defiance! – because in our busy lives, carving out time dedicated to rest and restoration is an act of defiance.

Psalm 62:5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.

Psalm 91:1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

New dates for Under the Tree coming soon

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Let us know when you’d like us to run Under the Tree again!

We’ve had the most gorgeous feedback from participants in our Under the Tree nature connection and Bible Study sessions. And plenty of people asking when the next series will be! So after we have time to reflect, we’ll get our planning hats on. We’d love to know times and days that suit people who are interested so please get in touch – lydia@ministryofhealing.ie

 

Under the Tree: now sold out but new dates coming soon

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Now sold out, but we will be running this course again soon – contact Lydia to find out more and be added to our mailing list!

Under the Tree: a nature focused Lent course

Do you need time and space to reconnect with yourself, God and creation? Join us for weekly, outdoor, in-person sessions this Spring.

 

Photo by Jon Moore on Unsplash

Come along to this gentle and welcoming space to connect with yourself, God and nature. There are so many benefits to slowing down and being present, so many benefits to taking time to nurture faith and spirituality and so many benefits to being with nature – why not combine all 3?

This is a collaboration between the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland and the National Bible Society of Ireland.

The two facilitators are Lydia Monds and Dr Julie McKinley. Lydia has a Masters in Intercultural theology and a recent qualification in forest school leadership and she will lead the healing breathwork and nature connection. Julie has a PHD in Biblical Studies and loves the connection between stories and nature and she will lead the interactive Bible Study.

Where?

Atlas Language School, Rathmines – see map for more details. There is an old and beauitful garden space behind the buildings which were once the CICE grounds. Once you are signed in, we’ll give you all the details for meeting and heading to the space together.

What’s involved:

Sessions will include:

  • Meet – crossing the threshold from our busy/noisy lives into a sacred space
  • Circle time – checking in with ourselves how we are in body, mind, emotions and doing simple breathwork to bring the mind back into the present and to slow down.
  • Reflection & interactive Bible Study:

Week 1 ‘Where are you?’ Gen 1-3

Week 2 ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ Gen 4

Week 3 ‘What are you seeking’ Gen 37

Week 4 ‘Walk to yourself’ Gen 12

  • Invitation to respond – a selection of options to support nature connection and response including clay, nature story boards, nordic braiding, nature sit spots, sketching with charcoal, mindful wandering & journaling.
  • Closing gratitude circle.

What do I need to bring?

Dress appropriately for the weather, although we will access an indoor space if the weather is too prohibitive. Appropriate clothing for colder weather is layers, warm footwear, a hat and waterproofs. But hopefully the sun will shine!

A camping chair – we have some spares so don’t worry if you don’t have one.

A hot drink and a throw if it’s cold.

A Bible if you have one.

Dublin and Glendalough Ministry of Healing Quiet Day

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Dublin and Glendalough Ministry of Healing Quiet Day

Location: Newcastle Church Parish Centre, Church Lane, Newcastle, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, A63X782

Date: Saturday 4th March 2023,  10:30am –3:00pm

Speaker: Revd David Bowles

This time of restful contemplation and reflection will be happening adjacent to the tranquil setting of Newcastle Parish Church with its beautiful grounds and woodland pathways. Revd Bowles will be relating what he has learned through several years as a hospital chaplain. He will share how his experiences in a healthcare setting can be applied to shape and to transform our understanding of healing and how we pray.

The day will start with registration and coffee at 10:30am and will conclude with a celebration of Holy Communion with the opportunity to receive prayers for healing at 2:30pm.

Soup, tea and coffee will be provided but attendees are requested to bring their own snack for lunch.

There will be no charge for admission but donations towards the Ministry’s work will be gratefully accepted.

Though booking is not essential we encourage you to register your interest/enquiries with Jeanne at healing.dgdc@gmail.com.

Castletown Wanderers – Christ Church Celbridge

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Join the Castletown Wanderers as we learn to slow down and connect with ourselves and with something bigger than ourselves – nature; community; and for those who have faith, God.

What? Who? Why?

This is a wander for the whole community and offers gentle grounding and meditative exercises and supports to move from ‘doing’ to ‘being’ to help us be in the moment and enjoy what is around us.
It’s a collaboration between Christ Church, the Anglican church on the grounds of Castletown and the Church’s Ministry of Healing, Ireland (CMH:I), which uses nature connection to support people’s mental health, spiritual health and whole health. And of course the biggest partner is Nature and the beautiful grounds of Castletown House.
Did you know that just 2 hours per week in nature boosts your immune system, resets your nervous system, reduces your feelings of loneliness and increases your sense of wellbeing? What a gift! Let’s accept it.
Who is it for?
This is a welcoming space for everybody. Nature is free, we simply want to provide some nature connection opportunities.
Young and old are welcome – noisy people are welcome, quiet people are welcome, tired people are welcome, energetic people are welcome, people who love getting muddy are welcome, people who have dirt aversions are welcome, people with a faith, with no faith, with a strong sense of spirituality, with a desire to build community, all welcome. We won’t pretend to be anything other than who we are, but we also won’t impose anything or expect anyone to come as anyone but who they are and as they are.
photo – Catherine Smith, CMH:I

An example of what you can expect:

We’ll meet on the grounds of Christ Church and do some simple grounding exercises – noticing the sounds around you and becoming present.
Then we’ll walk to Castletown House together – some with mobility passes may drive there.
Anyone who needs bathroom breaks and coffee stops can head into the cafe.
Then we’ll head to the woods just beyond the House and invite people to engage with nature in whatever way suits them. This is completely participant led, once a few health and safety measures have been put in place. Here are some examples of options:
1. free play
2. nature art and mandalas
3. Sit spots under trees with ideas for breath work (we may even have a hammock!)
4. working with clay and loose nature parts to explore process and creativity
5. mindful wander prompts – these include postcards of things to spot or journey sticks that you can add to as you wander
6. blindfold walk (along ropes!)
We’ll finish with a closing gratitude circle and people can go on their way.
Will you come and shape this programme and community with us? We’d love to see you there.
Sunday 26th February 12.30 meeting at Christ Church Celbridge

What do I need to bring with me?

Appropriate clothes for the weather. (children in particular may get muddy)
A packed lunch – or you can buy something at the cafe
We will have a few camping chairs for those who need to sit – you may want to bring a picnic blanket or something waterproof to sit on for eating or crafting or sit spots
Drinking water.

Mental Health and Faith – a talk by Lydia Monds

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