PRAISE GOD AND CELEBRATE!The Well’s new Christian Healing Centre opens for ministry

“Our God can do far more than we can imagine – and He has! The Well’s new Christian Healing Centre is complete, open and ready to welcome many more guests so they can discover God’s healing love!” Revd Anne Hibbert

We prayer walked the streets – and one such walk took us down Augusta Place. When I saw the Christian Science church, I recalled that once before we’d asked if they were thinking of selling it. They weren’t at that time. But now we contacted them to ask again.

This time, they were open to an offer. But we needed to make it before 8th January 2016 when they planned to officially put it on the market. Such a location would quickly attract property developers.

We went to look around the building. It had a leaking roof, mould climbing the walls, outdated fixtures and broken heating. It needed lots of work to make it habitable. But it was a living parable for our ministry. Perhaps life events have

crumbled our inner being and people may write us off. But God looks at us through eyes of love, sees our potential and destiny and says, “You are mine”.

And so we could see the enormous potential of 20 Augusta Place. It was big enough to accommodate a doubling of our ministry. It was right in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa so people could just drop in for healing prayer. And because it needed rebuilding, we could shape it to our needs – the only purpose-built Christian Healing Centre that we know of.

Therefore, in the days before Christmas, we asked our supporters if they could help. Donations began to come in – and by 8th January 2016, we had enough for a mortgage deposit!

The story of The Well’s new Christian Healing Centre

2015: We knew we’d found our homeFor many years we’d been looking for a permanent base in Royal Leamington Spa, but had never found the right building. So we’d been holding healing prayer ministry at Royal Pump Rooms. However, when the rent was doubled, we felt it was a sign that once again we should look for a new home.

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;” Isaiah 61:4

Reverend Anne Hibbert, The Well’s Founder and Ministry Director, shares how God has been with us on the journey.

The building when we bought it

Then I met a man I knew on the street. He said, “Anne, I’d very much like to give to The Well, can we talk about it sometime?” I assumed he was going to give us a monthly donation, which was wonderful – regular gifts underpin our ministry. So I went and had a cup of tea with him at his house. He asked many questions which I tried my best to answer. Then he looked at me and said, “Right, we’ve decided to pay the first year of your mortgage.” Well, I was stunned, and profoundly grateful, but I told him that we were struggling to even get a mortgage.

He said “It will happen”, and wrote out a cheque for a very large amount.

When I got back to my car, I sat and prayed to Father God with the cheque in my hand. I said, “Father, you wouldn’t give us this cheque if we weren’t going to get a mortgage somehow. So thank you so much!” And within three weeks, against all the apparent odds, we did indeed get offered a mortgage.

2016: A mortgage, against all the oddsAfter we had put a bid in for building on the 8th of January, we then started to contact banks to try and get a mortgage. But nobody would offer us one because we didn’t fulfil their financial criteria.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Renovation begins – our prayer team are keen to move in!

The new Christian Healing Centre opens

The trustees met to consider the options. We reflected on 1 Kings 17 - the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. There was a famine, and the widow was running out of flour and oil. Elijah instructed her to bake a loaf for him and one for herself and her son, and promised that the flour and oil would not run out until the famine ended. If we use what God has given us, rather than holding back, God multiplies what we have to meet the need.

One trustee said, “If we had £25,000 more I’d probably agree to spend all that is in a building fund.” Another trustee placed an envelope on the table and said, “This morning I was given this,

and I know for a fact that there is a cheque for £21,000 in here which, with gift aid, amounts to over £25,000.”

So we decided to spend everything in the building fund, in the faith that God would release the remainder and enable us to do all the construction work in one continuous flow.

And that’s exactly what happened. Over the next ten days, we received donations totalling over £155,000 and we briefed the construction company to go ahead with all phases. We continued to pray and fast for the rest of the funding, and God met every need.

April 2018: Just a year later, through Father God’s blessing and thanks to your wonderful response to His prompting, we moved into the fully refurbished building.

July 2018: The transformation of 20 Augusta Place wins a Leamington Society award in recognition of the “significant contribution made to the quality of Royal Leamington Spa”.

Pictured are Revd Anne Hibbert, Andrew Salter RIBA who led the Judging panel, and the Lord Mayor of Royal Leamington Spa who made the presentation.

2017: The sign in an envelopeBy May 2017, we had received sufficient funds to make the building warm and watertight (Phase 1), and enough to start but not complete the rest of the construction work – the prayer rooms we so longed for (Phase 2) and the remodelling of the front of the building to create a foyer and meeting rooms (Phase 3).

The building entrance as it used to be, and the old kitchen

When God called me to start The Well I knew virtually nothing about how to pray for healing. In the Summer of 2003 I met and quickly became friends with John and Jean Hadden. John taught me much about the power of Jesus’ name. I often dropped in to see them in the early days when the going was tough! Over a cup of tea and a biscuit, John would encourage me with Bible verses and he and Jean would pray for me. I praise God for John and Jean, who have now passed on. I still miss them very much. Now their son, renowned songwriter David, has written a beautiful song to celebrate the opening of our new Christian Healing Centre which will be on his new album. Thank you David, we are truly grateful for this wonderful gift!

A Song of Celebration

I hear the Father singing over you A place of refuge A place of hope A house of kindness Where God can be at home

Open heart, open door Open arms, a well of love Open heart, open door Open arms, a well of love

I hear the Father speaking to this place That you will be a house of grace

A well of healing A well of peace Where signs and wonders And miracles are released

Open heart, open door Open arms, a well of love Open heart, open door Open arms, a well of love© David Hadden 2018

David Hadden

The new foyer is light and welcoming and

the kitchen more substantial

“My first husband died a few years ago, something I found it

very hard to come to terms with. It affected my relationship with

God, so when more recently I was diagnosed with cancer, I felt

I couldn’t talk to Him about it. A friend introduced me to The

Well and since then my relationship with God has been restored

and I’ve been healed by Him in many ways. Now The Well has

a home and can extend its ministry, I’m excited about how many

more people will be able to meet with God and find healing

– whether it’s for something physical, emotional or spiritual.”

(Kerry)

“I was devastated when I miscarried my baby. A week later, at my mum’s suggestion, I went to The Well. They were caring and sensitive and helped me to unburden my grief. They prayed for me to be able to move on, and for my womb to be fruitful – since then, I’ve had three beautiful children. Now The Well has its own building, I truly hope many more women who have to carry the private burden of grief of miscarriage will be able to find healing there.” (Sarah)

Below and opposite some of our supporters share their thoughts about The Well…

We are so grateful to wonderful supporters like you who have helped call this Christian Healing Centre into being. Right from the outset when God gave us the vision for The Well, we always believed that we should be open for ministry six days a week. Our new building makes that a real possibility – already we have added more healing prayer sessions to accommodate rising numbers of guests.

God’s peace is in the fabric of these walls and it is bursting with potential. We have no shortage of ideas for how we might use it - more healing events, support groups and courses are a possibility, and partnerships with other organisations where we have common goals (for example, a regular outreach event is already held at the Centre twice a month).

But it is crucial that we are guided in our decisions by the Holy Spirit, and so our staff and trustees are pausing to prayerfully weigh up the options. We will keep you posted!

The future: Reaching many more with God’s healing love

“We’ve volunteered with The Well since its early days – and how

amazing and inspiring it’s been. I hadn’t realised that God still

heals today – but now I’ve seen for myself that He does! People

arrive for healing prayer looking weighed down by their burdens -

when they leave they are totally different. For example, one man

endured constant pain and had to walk with a stick because of a

longstanding injury. After prayer, he was running, waving the stick

in the air! God healed him completely, and now he too volunteers

for The Well.

“This new building is just what The Well needed, in God’s good time.

Already more guests are coming along and encountering God’s

healing love. If you don’t already do so, I’d warmly encourage you to

consider volunteering or give whatever you can afford to enable this

very exciting, life-changing ministry to grow.” (Gordon)

“The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises, and faithful in all He does.” Psalm 145:13b

Some trustees and team celebrating!

THE WELL CHRISTIAN HEALING CENTRE

20 Augusta Place Royal Leamington Spa CV32 5EL

01926 888003office@wellhealing.orgwww.wellhealing.org

A company limited by guarantee: No. 04664030

Registered charity: No. 1097443

Follow us on: /wellchc and @well_centre

“Thank you to every one of our supporters who helped transform 20 Augusta Place into a purpose-built Christian Healing Centre - through persistent prayer, and generosity of your time and finances. May God bless you for your faithfulness.”

Mark Askew, Chief Executive of The Well

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(WALKING TIME: 10 MINUTES)

Come and see The Well Christian Healing Centre for yourself! Healing PrayerConfidential prayer appointments. If you are coming some distance, or coming on a Saturday, phone us to book – otherwise just drop in. See our website www.wellhealing.org/healing-prayer for more information.

Tuesdays (2pm-4:15pm and 7:30pm-9pm), Wednesdays (10am-12:15pm)

NEW Saturdays (10:30am-12pm and 12:30-2pm) – for these, please call us for dates and to book.