Healing and Revival

"Healing and Renewal in the Anglican Church"

Alfred James Glennon was born on December 2, 1920 in Double Bay, New South Wales Australia to John Kiltanen and Marguerite Bessie Florence (Trayner) Glennon. He grew up in Clovelly, Wentworth, New South Wales, Australia. During his childhood Glennon developed intense fear and anxiety. He hardly had any relationships outside of his family. He had so much anxiety that he would hide behind a chair if someone even knocked on the door.

The Glennon family was not particularly religious. Glennon had a conversion experience in his teen years at an Anglican mission meeting, though it didn't seem to make a great impact on his life at the time. He joined the army during WWII but lost his left eye during an artillery accident. He stayed in the army until the end of the war and was released in 1946. Even during this time period Glennon shied away from relationships to try and keep himself feeling secure. It was a very difficult life.

After the war Glennon decided to study to become an Anglican minister. He attended Moore Theological College. He didn't have a particular passion for the ministry, but saw himself as an able administrator whose gifts could be utilized by the church. When students were asked to seek God for where they were called Glennon heard one thing from God "you must learn how to pray." He set his heart to that end and prayer became the linchpin of the rest of his life. Upon graduation he to curate positions in Australia and then took a position in the United Kingdom at St Martin in the Bullring, in Birmingham. And for a short time he was at St Augustine's College, Canterbury in the UK.

Once he returned to Australia he went back to school and studied at Social Science University, specializing in the psychological development of children. He took a position with St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, Australia. He also taught at Moore Theological College and supervised students who visited hospitals. Glennon called this his "Old Testament period" where he believed in God but felt no intimacy or love from God. Slowly as Glennon searched the Word he felt the call to "believe God for all things." He understood he was to put everything in God's hands. Slowly Glennon learned to turn all things over to God and trust Him.

When Glennon was 40 years old his emotionally fragile state gave way and he had a nervous breakdown. His fears overwhelmed him and death seemed like it would be a relief. He met with doctors, psychologists, and social workers. People were caring and sympathetic but could not bring any relief to his despairing soul. Slowly he felt called to change his thinking and stand on the truth of God's love for Him, even if he could not feel it. It would be two years of pressing in before he saw a change begin to occur. Glennon came to understand what he focused on would be empowered. If he focused on fear then it would become stronger. He learned to set his mind on God and praise Him, whether he felt it or not. He came into a deep understanding of total dependence on God. He knew there was nothing else that could save him. Slowly the darkness began to lift in Glennon's life. The next thing that happened surprised Glennon. Even as he slowly and painfully worked through his own issues people were drawn to him to receive help for their own problems. Most people didn't even know what he had been going through, and yet God was drawing them into Glennon's life and circle because he could comfort them with the comfort he had received. In many ways he was a forerunner in teachings about the battle for the mind.

Glennon had never heard of Divine Healing but read a book by Agnes Sanford called "The Healing Light." The charismatic renewal was just taking off, spearheaded by Dennis Bennett, an Episcopalian priest who had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Glennon was approved to start a Divine Healing service at St Andrew's Cathedral and held the first meeting on September 28, 1960. It only included a small number of women from his prayer group. The ministry grew really unexpectedly as people began to be healed. Word of mouth spread and soon the group moved into the main Cathedral. The ministry hit a roadblock when healings seemed to stop. Not knowing what to do Glennon heard Agnes Sanford was in town. He met with her and she prayed about many of his emotional issues with words of knowledge. Then she led him to be filled with the Holy Spirit in a way he'd never experienced before. The healings and miracles began to break out in a greater way and the meetings grew larger.

Unfortunately, there was no support for the new teachings on the Holy Spirit within the Cathedral or the denomination as a whole. Glennon was directed to never teach on the Holy Spirit. Although Glennon himself identified as charismatic, his church and denomination did not recognize that distinctin. Glennon worked within the context he was allowed. He taught the Word, allowed people to give testimonies, and shared his own personal testimonies as well. The meeting grew so large that 750 people were attending. At one point attendees would have to stand in line for an hour before the meeting in order to get a seat. A deaconess who attended the meetings started writing up notes and giving them to friends. The "friends" list grew and grew. Soon the sermon notes were being sent all over Australia and internationally. At it's peak sermon notes were being mailed to over 5000 addresses, many with multiple copies, and to 36 countries. These were known as the "Postal Congregation." Glennon would never have believed what God would do when he started his small healing service with 6 ladies.

In 1985 Glennon's ministry took another step forward. St Andrews Cathedral, with the help of the healing ministry supporters, purchased property for "Golden Grove." In today's context it would be operate in a healing center and healing homes model. It provided space used for prayer groups, Bible Study groups and a wide ministry including workshops focusing on training people in praying, supporting, encouraging people who are sick or hurting. It also included rooms for those those staying for longer periods to receive prayer and support.

After 33 years at St Andrews Cathedral and 28 years leading the Healing Ministry Glennon "retired." He began accepting speaking engagements across Australia and internationally. This was predominantly within his denominational context. Like many ministers he felt he received more welcome outside his home country than within it. In Australia he was known as a local Canon, while outside he was a respected leader of a known healing ministry. He spent 10 years in his traveling ministry, with a particular influence in the United States. At 75 he decided he had enough of traveling and he needed to stop.

Glennon felt the need for fellowship after his travels were over. He visited St Mary's Waverly, in a suburb of Sydney. He was approached by the Rector who asked him to start a healing service and prayer ministry. Although not as large as his ministries from past years, he settled in and began to develop healing and prayer ministries. Jim took extra services, as required, and supported the church and rector when an accident made the rector a quadriplegic. Glennon supported St Mary's until he retired when in his 80s. Since Glennon never married he set up a the Jim Glennon Trust Fund to support the healing ministry long after he passed into glory. His heart for healing still pulses in that vibrant ministry.

Glennon died June 11, 2005 a greatly loved, and somewhat controversial, figure in the Anglican church of Australia. His obituary said that he had impacted over 500,000 people in his ministry over his lifetime. That was truly an outstanding accomplishment for a man so bound by fear in his youth. Canon Jim Glennon wrote "Your Healing Is Within You" and a compilation of his sermons was published under the title "Healing is a way of life : practical steps to healing." After Glennon's death his friend Sid Eavis wrote a biography titled "A Healing Ministry: My Recollections of Canon Jim Glennon." Many of those he mentored continue the work he started.

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