Methodist Prayer Handbook

Hidden Treasures – 2023/2024

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

'Hidden Treasures' is based on Isaiah 45:3, with inspiration from Romans 8:22-29 and Psalm 139.

We talk easily about ‘the light of Christ’, yet truly God is at work in the darkness, and in the most difficult of times. We believe that God’s hidden treasures are present, often in unexpected places and unexpected people, and we continue to see God at work even in marginalised communities. This Handbook contains prayers for the Methodist Church to be the Church that God desires; and that explore how we should live out Our Calling, as we respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ.

Please note that there is an error on page 95 of the handbook. You can download a revised version of the page here.

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Praise and Protest – 2024/2025

We need your prayers!

The 2024/2025 Methodist Prayer Handbook title and theme is: Praise and Protest.

Please use the following to craft and submit a prayer: 

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.

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

We invite you to offer prayers using Isaiah’s three key actions for becoming the justice-seeking Church we are called to be, in response to God’s love in Christ:

We invite prayers that we might be attentive to God’s ways, and discern how we go about learning to live justly in our local communities and churches.

Please offer prayers that seek God and God’s ways, and invite us to love God and to love our neighbours. Prayers could relate to looking actively for what God is showing us as the Body of Christ corporately, or more personally, to become people who recognise injustice and take action.

Finally, we welcome prayers for the Church to become more aware of the voices of the people we are called to defend – those who are marginalised and silenced. We welcome prayers that support others in their protest and prayers for how we get involved. 

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Guidelines for submitting prayers - deadline Monday 8 January 2024

Please email your prayer and any related 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

Schools, children’s groups and young people

The deadline for submission of prayers and photos from schools, and children/young people is Friday 26 January 2024.

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