Guidelines for submitting prayers
Deadline Friday 16 January 2026 at the very latest
- Prayers must not exceed 100 words.
- Please submit no more than two prayers.
- All prayer content must be appropriate for use from September 2026 to August 2027.
- 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
- 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
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
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
It is not possible to include all prayers submitted for the Prayer Handbook or its enhanced online content.
Guidelines for submitting photographs
- 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.
- 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
- Images are reproduced small in the printed Handbook, so ensure your photos are bold and clear.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 30 January 2026.
If you have any queries, please contact the editor prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk