Deirdre Meintelofferings, and clairvoyance, when messages, as clairvoyant pronounce-
ments are called, are given by one or several mediums to individuals
present.^11 A prayer and hymn conclude the service.
Messages given by mediums at church services may concern, for ex-
ample, health, work, or relationship issues; the spiritual development
of the individual addressed; or several such themes. Usually the me-
dium does not know about the personal life of those receiving clair-
voyance. Discretion is generally used when talking about personal is-
sues (“I don’t know if you have anyone in your life right now, but if
you don’t, you will soon!”). In messages about health problems, me-
diums are supposed to present any advice as suggestions, mainly to
avoid violating laws against practicing medicine without a license
(e.g., “I see green vegetables all around you, you need to eat more
green vegetables; just a suggestion, we’re not doctors here.”). Mes-
sages may refer to spirits the medium sees, for example, a spirit guide
(“your native guide”) or a deceased relative (“I see a mother figure,
she could be your mother or your grandmother”). Occasionally, a
trance service is offered where a medium goes into a deep trance and
channels a spirit guide.
Interestingly, glossalalia (Goodman 1972 , Csordas 2001 ) is not
found in the mediums or among members of the congregation. More-
over, spiritual gifts for different kinds of clairvoyance or healing are
not considered signs of spiritual merit, as among Pentecostals (Good-
man 1972 ). One rarely hears proscriptions of any kind in the sch;
however, Michel often warns against esoterism (exploitation of such
gifts for non-spiritual, egotistical ends).
At the healing service, a minister and several healers transmit heal-
ing through the laying on of hands in an area arranged for this in the
front of the church. A guided meditation, with New Age music in the
background, occupies those present until their turn is called. In fact,
the healers normally do not touch the body of the person seated in
front of them but rather pass their hands over the area around the in-
dividual, considered to be their energy field. The healers’ way of work-
ing somewhat resembles that of the magnétiseurs (literally, “mag-
netizers”) described by Acedo ( 2000 ). As in other kinds of services,
there is a collection, a blessing of the offerings, and opening and clos-
ing prayers.