Methodist Prayer Handbook

Praise and Protest – 2024/2025

Order online at methodistpublishing.org.uk or phone: 0845 017 8220

Following the prophet Isaiah’s call, echoing through the ages to us, the 2024/2025 Prayer Handbook contains prayers on how the Church can “learn to do right; seek justice and defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17a, NIV).

In her song of praise, the ‘Magnificat’ (Luke 1:46-55), Mary thanks God for the child Jesus, who will announce God’s kingdom which “brings down the powerful from their thrones and lifts up the lowly.”

To engage in God’s mission and be part of that transformation, we believe the Methodist Church is called to become an increasingly evangelistic, inclusive and justice-seeking Church.

Prayers from Praise and Protest feature as A prayer for the day and daily on our social media feeds.

Our Story, Our Song

From ancient times, communities have defined themselves by the stories they tell and the songs they sing about themselves. In 2025/2026 we call upon the Methodist people to join us in a soul expedition deep into the heart of our calling, journeying afresh into the story of grace and the vocation that God has placed upon us.

We invite you to immerse yourself in the story of grace – learning to live, work, pray and play in ways both true to our roots and open to the presence of God in the songs and stories of others.

We encourage churches, circuits and districts to ask some fundamental shaping questions about themselves: What story do we want to tell about ourselves? What song is God calling us to sing? How shall we sing our song in a strange land? How will the story of grace root us and shape us as we unfold the next chapter of our story?

The Methodist Church is committed to living out a story that calls us to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Jesus Christ by living out our discipleship in worship and mission.

We seek to sing a song rooted in grace, deep memory and present experience, which yearns for the transformation of ourselves, our neighbours and our world, building communities that are growing, inclusive, evangelistic and justice seeking – shaped by the pattern of Christ and empowered by God’s Spirit. The psalmist calls us to express this in vibrant, festal worship in the context of God’s glory and presence and a vision of all people and all creation bringing their praise.

As we explore this theme, we pray that as a people we will grow in hope and confidence learning to sing afresh, or perhaps for the first time, songs new and old, discovering:

• A Shared Story – exploring the richness of God’s love and grace to, with and for us in Christ, learning to live by hope for the future, and rediscovering our story by celebrating our roots.
• A Shared Harmony – responding by living in a way that draws others to bring their praise to Jesus and by longing and working for a world transformed.
• A New Song – sharing in a soul expedition as we journey with God’s Spirit to discover the new songs that God is inspiring within, among and around us.
• A New Chapter – rediscovering the gifts of testimony and storytelling as we commit ourselves to hear not only our own voices, but the voice of Christ amongst those who are marginalised, sharing stories of lament, hope, surprise, expectation and festal joy for opening a new chapter in our mission.

For supporting the Church’s prayer life as effectively as possible, the format and style of the Handbook is under review.

This offers contributors the opportunity to submit more varied, creative prayers. For example, prayers could be petitionary, or liturgical, poetic, generated by a group working together, or offered as creative artwork, etc. Feel free to be imaginative! Visual prayers, such as drawings, may also be submitted.

To help users pray relevantly, please include specific information on: named countries, regions, communities, groups OR needs or projects, eg praying for people who have specific needs, care for the environment, or rural concerns, etc.

Digital integration of the Prayer Handbook means that prayers will be used for Prayer for the Day and also on the Church’s social media platforms. In addition, prayers from the Handbook are used in Prayer Focus the prayer journal of the Methodist Church in Ireland.

Please note that by submitting a prayer, you agree that it may be edited as the editor sees fit. All published prayers will be edited, to ensure:

• they fit on the page
• they conform to the theme
• they work as part of the Handbook’s online content.

The Methodist Church is committed to becoming an Inclusive Church. Please use inclusive language in your prayers. The editorial process will ensure all prayers comply to the The Methodist Church Inclusive Language Guide

It is not possible to include all prayers submitted for the Prayer Handbook or its enhanced online content.

Guidelines for submitting prayers and photographs: deadline Friday 10 January 2025 at the very latest

1. Prayers must not exceed 100 words.
2. Please submit no more than two prayers.
3. All prayer content must be appropriate for use from September 2025 to August 2026.
4. When submitting prayers, please give your postal address, your full name, and how you would like to be described, eg Jane Jones, local preacher, Townton. Please email your prayers or photographs to: prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk
5. All prayers must be your copyright. They may have been used or published elsewhere, but you must have permission to reproduce them. Unless you request otherwise, by submitting your prayer for the Handbook it becomes the copyright of Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes.

Prayers may be posted to: Prayer Handbook Editor, Methodist Church House, 25 Tavistock Place London WC1H 9SF

Guidelines for submitting photographs

1. Please provide a caption so that the editor knows what the photo is, and state where it was taken. NB: if your photograph is used it may be given a different caption to support the theme and other prayers on the page.
2. All photos (or artwork) must be sent as digital high-resolution files: JPEG, 300dpi. If your email gives you the option of sending an image in a different size please choose ‘original size’ (or the biggest file size). If your email account will not allow you to send large files please use wetransfer.com to email to prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk
3. Images are reproduced small in the printed Handbook, so ensure your photos are bold and clear.
4. Make sure you have permission from the people shown in your photograph: They must have given their consent for their photo to be published. It is crucial that parents/guardians of children give written consent. When you email in your photo(s), please also send consents.
5. Photographs must be your own copyright. If you take a photograph of a piece of artwork (eg someone else’s painting or sculpture) and that work is in copyright you must also send the artist’s written permission for their artwork to be used in the Prayer Handbook.
6. Unless you request otherwise, on submission your photo will become the copyright of Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes.

Schools, children’s groups and young people

The deadline for submission of prayers and photos from schools, and children/young people is Friday 31 January 2025.

If you have any queries, please contact the editor prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk