God's Call to Heal: A Life in Music and Healing - Softcover

Morris Maddocks

Softcover

ISBN 10: 028105990X ISBN 13: 9780281059904

Publisher: SPCK Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

This disarmingly engaging joint autobiography celebrates the joy music brought to the lives of Morris and Anne Maddocks, and traces the gradual emergence of a healing ministry, through which God would lead them to found the Acorn Christian Healing Trust. Their childhoods were rather different, but the courtship that began in the organ loft of Chichester Cathedral, where Anne served as the first ever female assistant organist, was to lead to a ministry so close that people would refer to Morris and Anne our bishop ! When, after serving for many years as Bishop of Selby, Morris and Anne felt called by God to become involved full-time in the ministry of healing, there was no money initially to support them. But Anne uttered the now famous words, God will provide and so, somehow, He did. They set about establishing a network of healing advisers in every diocese in England, and today Acorn has partnerships in 10 nations. In due time, after living at Burrswood and Whitehill Chase, Morris brought Anne back to Chichester. There they spent a happy retirement, daily attending choral Evensong in their beloved Cathedral, and regularly patronising nearby hostelries to enjoy an excellent lunch. But then came more testing times. During the last year or two of Anne s life, when he spent all his energy caring for her, Morris prayed for strength indeed, that the cup of suffering might be lifted from them both. Published posthumously, God's Call to Heal is a testament to two lives well lived, full of love and laughter, willingly surrendered to the gracious and wonderful purposes of God.

About this title

Synopsis:

Morris Maddocks begins this joint autobiography by touching briefly on his childhood in a Yorkshire rectory, studies at Cambridge and time at theological college in Chichester, where he met his future wife. Anne was at that time assistant organist at the cathedral, having escaped a rather narrow upbringing and unhappy first marriage. They began married life in London before moving to the Yorkshire Wolds, where Morris became much involved in the life of York Minster, first under Michael Ramsey, then Donald Coggan, then Stuart Blanch. His appointment as vicar to St Martin-on-the-Hill, Scarborough saw the emergence of a healing ministry and a chaplaincy to the Futurist Theatre, home of the Black and White Minstrels.In 1972, Morris was appointed Bishop of Selby. The healing ministry continued to expand, and in 1981 his profoundly influential book, "The Christian Healing Ministry", was published by SPCK. Morris was appointed to the Churches' Council for Health and Healing, and later became Archbishop's Advisor for the Ministry of Health and Healing. Eventually, he and Anne felt called to leave York to set up the Acorn Christian Healing Trust.

There was no money to support them initially, but the work quickly grew, though there were to be a number of ups and downs. Finally, after living for a time at Burrswood, the couple came full circle, retiring to Chichester, where Anne died, aged 94, in 2005.

About the Author:

THE RT REVD MORRIS MADDOCKS was Founder-Director, with his wife Anne, of the Acorn Christian Healing Trust. He was an assistant bishop in the diocese of Chichester, and served as Advisor for the Ministry of Health and Healing to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and as President of the Divine Healing Mission. He was the author of The Christian Healing Ministry (SPCK 1981, 2nd ed 1990, 3rd ed 1995), Twenty Questions about Healing (SPCK 1992) and Journey to Wholeness: A biblical pilgrimage to health and healing (Triangle 1986, 2nd ed 1995). Morris Maddocks died in January 2008.

About this edition

• Publisher: SPCK Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 028105990X
• ISBN 13: 9780281059904
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192