Together for Good: Together for All

To be together in God and to act together out of God’s goodness for all people is the Church’s challenge. Being together for the common good propels us out – together – for all. This calls us to listen and to act beyond what’s comfortable.

As the Methodist people, we are called to pray together today. With the world experiencing wars and the threat of war; as negative and anti-immigration voices abound, so we are challenged not to retreat. Instead, we stand together wherever we are in the full reality of our world’s situation and our local circumstances, refusing to be elsewhere.

Therefore, we pray for all: To be and see God’s goodness tangibly in our world. In this way, we engage in national, district, circuit and neighbourhood issues – positively for all.

For the 2027/2028 Prayer Handbook, we invite prayers getting involved with God to:

• Welcome everyone into our churches and communities – whatever their background
• Have humility to listen and confidence to lead in sacrificial ways
• Grow in compassion, wisdom and justice-seeking
• Encourage people to act justly, refusing to retreat
• Take a stand, not giving up the argument for our common good
• Build new expressions of life, especially where there is little hope
• Share in solidarity with all who hope for new life in their communities, despite closed doors making people seem invisible
• Strengthen trust within and between our communities and churches.

By submitting a prayer for the 2027/2028 Prayer Handbook you are getting involved, sharing and standing in solidarity with people looking to care for one another and communities seeking to build new life.

You are taking a stand for God, for good, for all.

Guidelines for submitting prayers

Deadline 11 January 2027 at the very latest

1. Prayers must not exceed 120 words.
2. Please submit no more than two prayers.
3. All prayer content must be appropriate for use from September 2027 to August 2028.
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

Please note by submitting a prayer, you agree that it may be edited as the editor requires. 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 may 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

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 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 29 January 2027.

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