The Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland is delighted to announce a 6-part series, “Cultivating Gratitude”, which uses prayerful reflection and mindfulness practice to help us to find space to notice the good in our lives, even amidst our struggles. This resource is designed to be used by individuals at home, or by groups and parishes meeting together.

In each video, Lydia Monds, CMH:I Ministry Leader, shares a reflection and leads a meditative practice which invites you to slow down and notice God’s goodness. Lydia says, “There's a lovely sense of warmth and hope when we tend to the good in our lives, let our gratitude linger, and offer it to God, the source of all good things.” Gratitude doesn't pretend that things are great when they're not, but it scans for the good, even in the midst of suffering.

Week 1: A Wider Lens

Week 2: Savouring the Good

Week 3: The Widening Circles of Connection

Week 4: Making Room for Ritual

Week 5: Our Deepest Longings

Week 6: Gratitude for Nature

Each video session is about 20 minutes long. Once you sign up via Eventbrite, making a donation to support the work of CMH:I, you will have permanent access to the videos and worksheets, so watch them whenever you have some time in your week – no need to be free on a set day at a set time! And you are welcome to return to them, whenever and as often you would like. The worksheets can easily be read on a phone or tablet – or printed, if you prefer that. Each worksheet consists of two A4 pages.

You will also have access to a worksheet for each session: each worksheet contains more detail about the scientific research into gratitude, as well as poems, and extracts from books on Christian spirituality. These texts explore topics such as play, rest, and hope in relation to thankfulness. The worksheets also offer questions, tailored to Lydia’s sessions, to awaken your curiosity about your responses to the videos, and help you to explore gratitude in your own life. Finally, each worksheet ends with Biblical passages on the session’s theme, and a prayer to say to end the session.

Cultivating Gratitude for groups/parish courses

Thinking of running a parish course for Lent, Advent, or at any other time? Let CMHI do the work for you! Once you sign up, you will receive permanent access to the videos and worksheets. This means that anyone from your group who misses a week, or who would love to join but can’t, can watch the videos at home on their own. For group use, we suggest showing the video to everyone together – perhaps over a cup of tea – and then using the worksheet to help your discussion afterwards. No need to think of conversation starters or ice breakers – it’s all done for you on the sheet. The worksheets are each 2 pages long, so can be printed as a double-sided sheet, or shared with participants to view on their phones or devices. And if your church/parish centre doesn’t have wifi, then we can make the videos available for you to download, so that you can play them on a laptop without worrying about connectivity.