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 – 2025/2026

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.

Guidelines for submitting prayers and photographs: deadline Monday 10 January 2025

Please email your prayers or photographs to: prayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk

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

Guidelines for submitting photographs

Please ensure the photo is your own, and that all people featured in the image give their consent for it to be published.

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 editorprayerhandbook@methodistchurch.org.uk