Location: home/groups
Mondays, 12pm - 1pm in the Church
Our prayer group was formed in 1975 by Fr. Sean Conaty after he experienced ‘charismatic renewal’, while working in Chile. This changed his life so dramatically that on his return to Longbenton in the North East of England, he set about forming his own prayer group. The name chosen was the ‘Anawin’, which means ‘the poor ones, the remnant’. It is taken from the Old Testament “for we saw ourselves as a journeying people led by God's Spirit”. Over the 36 years, our group has seen many twists and turns, the latest being led to St. Andrew's church 3 years ago.
As we are a charismatic group, we exercise during our weekly meetings, the gifts mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Our meetings always begin with praising God. Our hymns are lively, we clap, we raise our arms, we sing in English and also with the gift of tongues, mentioned by Jesus in Mark 16: 17-18, as one of the signs associated with believers. After a time of praising we listen in silence to allow God to speak to the group through scripture, prophesy and pictures. These are then written down and prayed about during the week. We get words of encouragement, correction and direction and this is what leads us on our journey.
We have a team of 4 prayer group leaders and people are encouraged in their own gifts to build up the group. We have a healing ministry. Each person has a spiritual friend of their own choosing in the group, to go to for advice and just to unload themselves in confidence.
We have social events, we go to each others homes, we go on retreat, and this is just to be there for each other. We meet on Mondays from 2:00pm until 3:30pm in St. Andrew's parish room (Worswick Street). If you are around town, come up and say ‘hello’, have a cup of tea with us, or better still, come and join us for the afternoon. Ann Holmes. ‘The Anawin’
Top of PageGod grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
--Reinhold Niebuhr