Author: Dorian Baker

On 29th April we spoke to and/or prayed for five people.  Two things of note to be reported to you all:

The first…

…was a homeless girl, sitting on the pavement near the door to St Michael’s.  As we set out with the trolley, we all felt compassion for her and offered to pray for her there, and pray some more if she came down to the Abbey Churchyard.  She had problems with her plastic bags of stuff so I took her down to the crypt so that she could put them aside then walk down to the Abbey.  Forty-five minutes later she had not shown up so I went back to St Mike’s.  She was still in the crypt, in a bit of a state, she said she had not eaten for a couple of days.  So I bought her some food and a hot drink upstairs and said I would be back at 1:30pm.  When I got back I found she had had a row with the staff, who had tried to be kind, but it then developed into a bad scene in the church, in front of other church visitors.  I found myself struggling to defend my composure and our good name with the church.   

Jesus, his brother James and others specifically direct us to care for the poor but in future I think when we do feel moved with compassion to help we must not put others, particularly facility operators, at risk – starting with me not doing it again!   In the past I think Ara has bought take-away food and coffees for them – that is the best plan.   Joshua 9:3-27 provides a warning from scripture and some guidance. Subject for a chat over coffee at St Mike’s on Friday!

The second…

…our fifth visitor, was a man who seemed to be limping on a stick.  The more we spoke to him the more complex his condition became and although his heals came to the same length he still walked unevenly.  I was left feeling we had not hit the spot.  We gave him one of the new business cards with our HOTS email address and the request that people let us know how things improve.  Two days ago he wrote to us to say he would like to come and see us again, to which I replied, “Please do!”

Please will team members are bring an anti-Covid face mask each week.

This is not because I think we should wear them, it is so that we can put one on if we find ourselves talking to someone who is wearing one and that person would feel more comfortable if our team member were to wear one, that’s all.

Thank you.

After much discussion with you all (and with those who are dropping out this year) I have been able to complete the planning for the start of HOTS Bath 2022!   Friday turns out to be the best day for us so Fridays from 11.30 to 13.30 is when will serve in the Abbey Churchyard this year until mid November when arrangements for the Christmas Market start.

On Maundy Thursday, just before Easter, we were in the city centre in the middle of the day.  The crowds were back and I thought I had not seen so many people in the Abbey Churchyard since late summer 2019, two and a half years ago.  Harvest time has come again!  Time to get back out to our usual corner in the Abbey Churchyard,

We know that people move on to other things and Covid had a dramatic effect on participation at most churches but last year’s team members who are not coming out with us this year (Steve, Eddie and Vicky) have made their decisions because God has called them to other things and not because Friday does not work (so all clear there).   Also, of course, many thanks to all three of them for many years of faithful service !!!!!

I have also noticed over the years (except the Covid years) that Fridays in the Abbey Churchyard tend to be busier than other weekdays.  The city is filling up for the weekend, so we should expect more visitors than in recent years.

Construction work in and around the Abbey has finished so all of the hoardings have gone.  The benches have been put back in Kingston Square (our part of the Churchyard) with much more space between them and the south side of the Abbey itself, so we have more room at our pitch than we have had for many years.

I have four people (all ladies) who would like to join us so I am going to arrange (with them) a regular weekday evening slot to run a training course at my house. I will let you all know which night it is and any of you will be most welcome to join us as a ‘refresher’ and opportunity for the newcomers to hear some stories from you, not just from me!   I plan to invite them (two at a time) to join us the following Friday as ‘shadow’ team members so that they can see how we work and make sure they really want to go through with it! 

I have spoken to our friend Paul Skelton about a series of Healing Seminars he is running at various places around our district.  He will be telling his trainees that if any of them would like to join us at HOTS Bath all they have to do is get in touch, we do need some new team members!   If anyone knows of any other believers who might like to join us, please let me know.

Routine arrangements will stay much as last year: 

• We have now agreed to serve our city on Fridays each week.  We will plan to be there from 11.30 to 13.30, 2 hours.  We will change the web-site to make these details clear to all web-site visitors.
• I will text/ring round to ask who is available for the few weeks in front of us rather than use the sign-up programme, until we have a bigger team again.
• On the day, the team will meet at St Mike’s at 11.00 for coffee (as our custom: I will pay!!) and any nattering we want to do – so that there is not such a great need to natter to each other in the Abbey Churchyard!
• This will also provide a time for any updates on Covid safety rules etc., planning forthcoming weeks and introducing new team members.
• I have made some new business-sized cards to give out to people who do actually stop for a chat and some prayer, so that we can hear about how they get on. I also need to chat about how we should use these new cards after we have had good chats with people and/or had the chance to pray for them.
• Rules for use of the side chapel at St Mike’s have now been relaxed post-Covid regulations, so we can use the side chapel for up to 8 of us to pray in if we wish.
• Last Thursday I noticed lots of people sitting on the Abbey Churchyard benches and, apparently, not bothered about sitting close to each other etc., so I plan for us to go back up to four folding chairs at our pitch on the corner of the Abbey, with our well known flag that says “HEALING” and the A-board that says who does it – “Jesus Heals”.
• Since the hoardings have gone and there is now more space around our pitch, we can also go back to kneeing to pray together as we start each Friday.
• The A5 size hand-outs do need revising but I still have about a thousand of them and would like to get the new season going before I update them and spend money on a new print run.
• The website needs revisions and updates. I will arrange once we have been up and running again for a couple of weeks.

More news…

• Some of you may be aware that several of the HOTS teams around the country have not yet restarted after Covid and that Mark & Lynda Marx have moved to Anaheim, California, Vineyard HQ but we are not alone……….
• Our friends Dan and Sharon are back in Bath with their sandwich boards proclaiming salvation.
• Also, in 2019 John and Carol Arnott published a new book in which they wrote that they feel a new tsunami-sized revival is on the horizon.
  • England will be covered by it in an early phase.
  • And, they wrote, much of it will be……  out on the streets!!!!!!!!!

We have agreed that those who are available will start on Friday next week, 29^th April !!!!!  

See you at St Mike’s, best wishes to all, Dorian

During August we have been a very small team of regulars but now I am off to New York for work, Ara is going to Brittany then back to Turkey and Corrine is going to Georgia (in the Caucasus) leaving just Maureen!!   So to keep the blue flag flying, Ed and Steve are back from holidays and we really need everyone to look at their diaries and choose which of the sessions you would like to do in September and October!!

Thursday 22nd was a relatively quiet day despite heaps of tourists passing through. The few tourists that were spoken to were blessed in God’s name……

We can all see the need for our presence in the Abbey Courtyard as there are so many who find the skeleton on the bicycle of far greater interest than listening to God’s word!

• Mr B, ‘Old faithful one’ came for his usual prayers. A more positive outlook on his marriage.  This is undoubtedly owing to the very many times that he and his wife have been prayed for by the HOTS team over the years. Even if it was for this one brother in Christ, our presence in the Abbey Courtyard is worth it.
• Ms J, wife of ‘Old faithful one’ also sat for prayers. Once again, our presence over the years has been powerful in her life as we can all testify (those who have prayed for her over the years). On this occasion, prayers were asked for forgiveness for her daughter with whom she has had many issues over the years. Also prayers for a heart murmur for which she will have a scan in the very near future, all of which adds to her worries. We wait to hear of the outcome but we are confident that it will be positive!
• Ms M asked for prayers. She was feeling anxious. She felt peace and was very grateful.
• Ms J asked for prophecy/direction in her life. From Liverpool, she talked about the city with team member D and asked if he had lived near “Hope Street” in the city 60 years ago. She was given a prophesy by M but D just told her “you have already given your own prophetic encouragement:  Hope Street!”.  Deeply touched by God’s presence..
• Ms A needed encouragement for course she’s on. She is making small steps of progress. 
• Mr. M had ongoing problems with knee. Leg length compared. After prayers legs came into alignment but only after one had gone past the other! 
• Mr J also ask for prayers for his back. Once again leg length compared and after prayers legs came into alignment.

A bit of a Gideon’s Army event for us on Saturday! Just four of us (Corinne, Penny, Ara plus myself) and a four hour session with a crowd of believers who became more and more confident about coming for prayer as the afternoon wore on. But, as for Gideon, us and the Spirit of the Living God made enough!!!!   There were so many and we had such a good time (no rain except a light shower at the end) that I thought I should provide a report for you all to read.

(1). A security guard at the Festival, Phil using the English version of a Ukraine name, was the first to come to see us.  He had multiple problems: liver disease; diabetes; a lot of joint pains; and severe lower back pain. A long list always says ‘spirit of infirmity’ to me, though I simply address it as ‘infirmity’ not ‘spirit of infirmity’ when we are out in a public space.  The thing knows who I am speaking to. I told it to round up all of the problems it had brought and then to leave, with all of them.   Phil said he could not tell whether the liver problem or the diabetes had changed, the general aches and pains were always at their worst in the morning and became easier as he became more mobile through a day so he was feeling better anyway, he said.  Since specifically the lower back pain was no better, I called a friend to help.  

Ara asked if we could check the length of Phil’s legs. We saw one of his legs was shorter by a reasonable amount and it grew out. In fact, went past t’other which then caught up once more.   He didn’t feel any movement and couldn’t tell whether or not there had been improvement as it’s only first thing in the morning that he feels back pain, he said again. Sadly, he didn’t appear to want to believe that anything would happen but our God is mightier than us doubting/sceptical humans!

I saw him again at the end of the afternoon, still not aware of any changes but took a leaflet and agreed to write to us when things do change.

(2). Martin, a musician working at the Festival and at various other outreach events undertaken by the Festival team came to ask more for counsel than for healing. “I want more faith” he said, and to know whether he was pursuing the right things, and doing so hard enough.  The first question Jesus had been asked a few times and the scriptures do not record Him giving a very short answer to the point, we just see Him getting on with the job:  teaching and demonstrating through works of power the authority by which He taught, and that is as much as his own interlocutors would have seen.                                 

As to what was right and working hard enough, Penny had just been reading Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life, in which he teaches: don’t strive at anything, Jesus has already paid the price for everything you need. “We cannot work at anything to get deeper into God, we just are branches of The Vine.” Later in the afternoon Martin had decided he would get the book from Amazon and came back to check the details with Penny.  

We also talked about Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed that starts small but grows to become the biggest plant in the garden; faith that starts small but grows to become able to move mountains – like Gregory The Wonderworker of northern Anatolia, who did just that.  What happens between being “the smallest of seeds” moving mountains??  It must grow!  Hebrews 5:14 solid food is for adults—that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil.  “Constant practice,” says the writer of Hebrews, “is the way our spiritual faculties grow!”  

“Whatsoever your hands find to do, do it..” Samuel advised Saul on the day he anointed him as King of Israel, and Solomon was still giving his hearers the same advice when Ecclesiastes was composed. 

As you know, I enjoy teaching anybody from the Scriptures!

(3).  Ara writes: A lady (Catherine) sat down for prayers after I had invited her (she was very happy to come for prayers).  She had so many issues starting from being born ‘dead/blue baby’ as she put it and having Cerebral Palsy from that time with the result that her frame had not grown in a balanced way.  She wore a leg brace and a built up shoe and used a walking stick.  I prayed and her left leg (with the shoe built up about ½ inch) grew out around 2 inches and she felt the movement. I shared God’s picture He had given me (hoola-hoop going up and down her body without falling on the ground; endless energy to come). She also had ME I recall but the rest I have forgotten.

Dorian adds: Catherine goes to St John’s RC church.  She wore a Hindu god Ganesh elephant pendant which I gently advised her to put away but her late partner had been very keen on elephants and Father D had blessed the pendant so we left it.

(4). We asked an agèd man with dark glasses who had limited vision but he just responded that he had had many prayers and turned down our offer.

(5).  Corrine writes: a lady, A, wanted to know The Lord’s will (i.e., what and where she should be serving other than in the church). Corinne received a word “The bells will ring”. Not sure whether this applies to her now or in the future.

(6). Catherine came with a very bad tooth. Her dentist had advised that it should be pulled out and when Catherine asked for a second opinion on the possibility of other treatments the dentist refused to treat her any further! Dorian & Corrine prayed for her with our hands on each of her shoulders in our normal way. After a few minutes in which she was clearly touched by the Holy Spirit she said “your hand is really hot!” I agreed (it felt very hot to me too)!  I asked if there was anything wrong with her shoulder. “Yes. Frozen shoulder. Both sides but it had just about gone!”  We prayed some more.  She was very clearly touched by the Lord but she could not measure any changes. Catherine wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so we prayed for that too. She felt too shy to launch out in tongues so we gave her some advice about praying and practicing on her own.

(7). Joe, a photographer working for the Festival, is getting married in January and his fiancée, Helen, has received dreams from the Lord about having a baby girl and to name her Sarah Rose. J was a bit apprehensive as to whether this is truly from The Lord as he is 50 and Helen is early 40s. Dorian prayed for clarity, for freedom from fear and for freedom from the effects of discouraging counsel. Corinne said to “go for it” and Dorian mentioned the very first commandment at the beginning of Genesis: “to be fruitful and multiply” with examples of Abraham and Sarai having children late in life. 

(8). Kate, a member of the outreach team at E5 Elim Pentecostal church in Bristol asked for healing from fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism and arthritis, for all of which the doctors are not sure the cause of her symptoms. After talking about the spiritual angle on these things and asking permission to address a spirit of infirmity. Dorian commanded the spirit of infirmity and all that it had brought to leave and called on the Holy Spirit to flood her with His healing power. Corinne had a word for her from Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust in the Lord… etc). C confirmed that she too received this word for herself and her friend. She had a good soak in the spring of life!!!

Dorian had a very clear sense of the word compassion.   Matthew 5:7 normally given as blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy. Dr Weymouth translates: “Blessed are the compassionate, for they shall receive compassion.” (similar to the way Jesus often told people “your faith has made you whole”). I felt very strongly to say to Kate “you have shown compassion towards drug users and the homeless, in the same way the Lord shows His compassion towards you.”

(9). A few minutes later Kate was back with three more young ladies from E5 plus a young girl (so five girls from E5!!). Would we pray for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit?  Of course!! They were ex drug addicts and got saved recently. One of them,  D, laughed and cried when prayed for but said that she felt a blockage as she couldn’t open her mouth to speak in tongues. Corinne discerned that it was fear and shame and prayed against it and she felt better. Encouraged her to continue to ask for the gift of tongues even though she didn’t manifest it today. 

(10). Prayed for the third young lady, E, for this gift and she began to speak in tongues within a few minutes. 

(11). The fourth young lady had emphysema and other lung issues so Dorian & Penny prayed with her separately. She was clearly touched and tears flowed. We then prayed for her to be filled with the Holy Spirit and left her with some advice as to how to pray on her own at home later.

(12). Corrine writes: Crystal came for prayer as she felt her heart felt uneasy or unsettled and often tearful. She attends the Abbey but does not get enough fellowship. Penny and I prayed for peace, etc., and found out she received The Lord less than a year ago. She is an Australian and a classical solo choral singer who travels all over the UK. We encouraged her to read the Bible and to attend a Church fellowship. She sings in Bath Abbey but not sure whether has any Christian fellowship. Invited her to come for further prayers on one of our HOTS weekday sessions outside the Abbey.

(13). A lady, F, asked for prayer as she lost the silver bangles she bought for her daughter’s birthday. We prayed that The Lord will show her where she has misplaced it.

(14). Penny writes: prayed for a friend of ours, Alex, for whom we have prayed several times over the years for healing for her type 1 diabetes, and commanded it to go completely.

(15). Lydia had changed her name from Andrea because she found it too masculine. Penny shared her testimony about her own name.  Lydia also wanted prayer for hormone imbalance; gut problems; and thyroid problems.  A believer, she was so encouraged that Penny asked her to pray for herself!! Both ladies in their 60s!

(16). A Spanish lady had been in Ara’s Sat 7 tent and came to talk to Penny for some time.  She wanted Jesus to reveal that He is really real. Penny encouraged her to pray that He would reveal His love and presence to her, which she said she would do.

(17). Ara writes: at the end of the afternoon a young lady, Kay, sat down for prayers for anxiety, stress, etc., involving issues at work with bosses and at home between herself and her mother and with her own child; together with similar difficulties whenever she tried to join a “formal” church. She really felt the Holy Spirit’s presence for 10-15 minutes and would have remained on the chair for even longer if time hadn’t dictated otherwise. Ara gave her a picture from the Lord of her waving a huge banner/flag with mother and daughter joining in.  

Kay did not want to say where she lives or works, just “a village outside Bath”, Dorian felt (word of knowledge) that it was Box. It was, so we explained how ‘informal’ the house Church at Bronwyn and Steve’s is and, via contact with Ara, we hope that she will join us in September.

There were of course many other conversations so that from half time we were all busy continuously until the end!

On Saturday 27^th April, eighteen of us went out to the Abbey courtyard with Mark Marx. Consequently, it was a bit chaotic trying to record everything which happened. What follows is my best attempt with thanks to contributions from Steve and Ed.

During the second training session Mark prayed for Bob who had various challenges with his ‘deportment’.  Bob wrote the following:

Thanks for arranging for Mark to come over to train and encourage us. I learned about the importance of God’s presence and kindness/gentleness being a critical factor. Kneeling down releases that presence. Awesome. I also have a positive healing report. Previously I had appalling deportment. This was ‘cured’ by a specialist putting a bespoke orthotic insole in both shoes (£200 fee). After my left leg extended on the chairs, I felt about 10 foot tall. Later, at home, I had excruciating pain in my left thigh. I could hardly walk upstairs. I felt God say, “Take out the orthotic insoles, they’re not needed now.” I complied and the pain and walking struggle vanished! I’m now walking upright, and pain free. I am blessed once again. Great stuff, blessings, Bob.

Steves notes:

We had last prayed for L, a homeless man in his 40’s and known to some of us, several weeks previously. He was camping outside the Abbey shop, as before, and told us that he had met a support worker again who had since been promoted to a manager. She said that she now has more influence over accommodation in the city and said a room is soon to become available for him. We claimed that this would come about very soon in a declaration. Although L is reluctant to receive prayer, our presence is certainly a factor in his well being.     

A man from Tibet sat on the chair and told us that he had spent his life as a Buddhist monk. Could not speak English very well so we gave him the Gospel!! Not sure if he understood but his spirit will!!

T, a single Mum from a village outside of Bath, was invited to sit on a chair. She was getting a lot of anger from her ‘ex’ over the children and was spending the day with a male friend she had only met that day via a dating website. Team member had a word of knowledge about a tragedy relating to her grandparents. T confirmed that this was true but was reluctant to share the circumstances. She had attended Sunday School and understood that God existed. After prayer, no visible sign of an impact but felt sure that T was putting on a brave face to cover unresolved issues from the past. White envelope given.

A Big Thank You to those gents who prayed for my Alergic Asthma. I woke up Sunday morning almost clear of the condition. Thank you Jesus.

Ed’s notes:

Robin and I prayed for a young man of Italian descent. He said his parents were Christians, but he was uncommitted. He had painful pecs when stressed, originally caused by lifting heavy blocks. We prayed against the trauma, healing and peace from the stress. Ministered the love of Jesus to him, gave him a white envelope. He was so blessed (as were we) and said he would start going to church again.

Geoff sat on a bench, was keen to talk, couldn’t come up with a need for prayer, but was happy for me to bless him and his family.

Two of us ministering to Maureen agreed on the prophetic word for her. Declared alignment in her body to stop her leaning over to one side

I am challenged to be more proactive and to raise my expectations. Once again thank you so much

Dorian’s notes:

We had several leg lengthenings in front of our people’s gaze on the Saturday morning and my sciatica needed prayer again during the afternoon –pretty good there at the moment!  

Most of the four hours of Mark’s teaching was testimony from Colerain HOTS and from other teams in Jamaica, Brazil, Birmingham (where lots of Farsi speaking Iranians are coming to Isa!! (Isa = Jesus)) and Sweden (where more Farsi speaking Iranians are coming to Isa!!). 

I asked a friend of mine, Andy, who has one good eye and one plastic eye to come down to Abbey Churchyard but Mark did not want to pray for him – I think he felt it was a set up!!  Ed and I prayed for Andy’s left foot on which he has a crippling heal bone spur and “plantar fasciitis” in the underside of the same foot. I felt something was happening but he felt no immediate change but will keep me informed. 

Myself and a new trainee, Helen (from Wales, married to a Bath Uni graduate engineer from my own era!!), spoke to two young Malaysian girls, studying here at Bristol Uni and prayed that Isa would reveal His love for them; then we spoke at length to a group of ladies visiting the Abbey from a chapel in south Wales, encouraging them to lay hands on the sick, the same as we do, when they get home.

On the Sunday Penny and I went with Mark and Linda (Mark’s wife) to the Vineyard church (their home church in Colerain is a Vineyard).  He gave some of the testimonies he had shared with us during the two days and then offered to pray. A young man was the first to volunteer, went up and Mark did the leg thing but the young man said his back was still hurting and nothing was changing – all a bit challenging for Mark in front of the crowd he had called out to watch – as he had done with us(!).

Meanwhile, I had a word of knowledge that someone was there with a degenerative eye problem; it turned out to be the lady standing next to me at the front being prayed for, for her back.  I had seen her hand go up I am sure before that of the young man and she came up to be prayed for by a member of the Church prayer team. She said she had a degenerative eye problem that meant that everything looked fuzzy never mind what glasses she wore. I joined the praying for her back. Before long she was her touching her toes and running around the hall, which she said she could not do before. I counselled her to find an excuse to go dancing, which was something she said she liked but had not been able to do for some time.  

Next (still with the same lady): I told blindness to leave, firmly. Then told the power of the Holy Spirit to restore them from the damage that the enemy had inflicted.  She cried but through the tears felt that she could see a bit better, so I felt I should repeat my prayer ministry. Then she could see much more clearly. She then told me she was an ordained Anglican minister, off work for the last three years due to the sight problems. She was in Bath to visit her daughter at Bath Uni and Vineyard church!!  As we left we found her in the car park reading car number plates which her husband assured me she could not do befor! So, praise the Lord the Living God and the Spirit of Jesus who does all things well. They recently moved to Warminster but I told her to come back to Vineyard next week to give her testimony.

A few of us have already booked to go to the Men United Big Gathering at Frome on Saturday 18th May 2019. Therefore, I’ve put us on a formal footing and will bring our flag so that we can set up at the back of the hall with a few chairs. If any other lads (sorry, no ladies) would like to join in then please sign up through http://menunited.net. A special sign-up list has been set up on the team page to use to register participation.

We will have open house at ours (25 Sion Rd, Bath, BA1 5SH) at 7.30pm on Monday 20^th May.  I think we have a few things to talk about concerning the way we do what we do following the visit of Mark Marx, plus any comments others may want to share.

There is a sign-up list for Bath Christian Festival, 27 July 2019, 12:30-5:00pm but so far it is unsigned!!