Category Archives: News

The latest edition of Connexion magazine is now out.

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:

• Learn

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.

• Seek

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.

• Defend

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

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 2024 to August 2025.
4. Specific prayers. To help users pray relevantly, please include specific information on:

• named countries, regions, communities
• needs or projects, eg praying for people with specific needs, care for the environment, or rural concerns, etc.

5. Creative prayers. Feel free to move beyond lists of information to form a more creative prayer. Visual prayers, such as drawings, may also be submitted (follow guidelines for photos below).
6. The Methodist Church is committed to becoming an ‘Inclusive Church’. Please use inclusive language in your prayers. For example, refer to people for who they are, not by their experience, ie ‘people experiencing poverty’ (not as ‘the poor’).
7. All prayers must be your copyright. They may have been used or published elsewhere, but you must have permission to reproduce them. Unless you indicate otherwise, on submission your prayer will become the copyright of Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. Extracts from the Prayer Handbook are used for ‘Prayer for the Day‘ on the Methodist Church website and also in ‘Prayer Focus’, the prayer journal of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
8. Please note that all published prayers will be edited, more or less, depending on how they fit on the page and relate to other prayers in the Handbook. The editorial process also ensures all prayers use inclusive language. By submitting a prayer, you agree that it may be edited as the editor sees fit. 
9. 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).
10. Please note that it is not possible to include all prayers submitted for the Prayer Handbook or related online content.

 Guidelines for submitting photographs

1. Photographs must support your prayer and help bring our theme to life. Photos most likely to be published will show people in action.
2. 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 in order to fit the theme and the prayers on the page.
3. All photos must be sent as digital high-resolution files: JPEG, 300dpi. If your email gives you the option of sending a photo 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 
4. Images are reproduced small, so make sure photos are bold and clear, ie no group shots.
5. Make sure you have permission from the people shown in your photograph: and that they have given their consent for their image to be published. It is crucial that parents/guardians of children give written consent. When you email in your photo(s), please forward permissions and consents.
6. Photographs must be your own copyright. If you take a photograph of a piece of artwork (eg a 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.
7. Unless you indicate otherwise, 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 26 January 2024.

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

When a church ceases to meet, there are various steps that need to be taken as part of the closure process.  The Guidance on Closed Church Buildings was created collaboratively by the Conference Officer for Legal, Constitutional Practice, the Law and Polity Committee, TMCP, the Property Development Committee, the Heritage Committee and the Property Support team.  The aim of the guidance is to provide useful information, including a checklist and templates, to assist with this process.  

Click here to view a pdf version of checklist or click here for a Word version.

Additionally, click here for further pastoral support on Endings.  

The Revd David Hardman, the Methodist Liaison Officer for Jerusalem, has been talking to JPIT’s Politics
in the Pulpit podcast. The podcast considers the political dimensions in the Bible readings that are to be
explored in churches the following Sunday.
David talks about history, propaganda and peace in the context of his recent experience of living in
Palestine and what it is to be a Christian activist and disciple.

The Methodist News 30th November 2023

The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference have released a statement on the situation in Israel and Palestine. They have written to the UK Government to ask them to work for peace in the region and are asking you to join them in praying for those affected by the attacks. The Methodist Church has published resources, prayers, background and reflections.

Merciful God
We cry out to you, in anguish and horror, at the situation in Israel – Palestine
The images we are seeing, the stories we are hearing, of homes, hospitals, places of sanctuary, healing
and care, destroyed.
We know that there are so many more stories which have not yet been told, and perhaps never will be.
Of precious lives lost, of grief and trauma beyond that which most of us can imagine.
Compassionate God, you came and dwelt among us; you know and understand the suffering of this world.
There is no place beyond your reach; you are everywhere, even in places where we fear there is no hope
left.
Where we are tempted to despair, your spirit brings mercy, and justice, and healing.
You call us, again and again, in times of conflict and destruction, to be attentive to those who are most
vulnerable.
Give us the compassion to weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn.
The discernment to recognize the limits of our own wisdom, and to avoid those actions and words which
may cause further harm.
Inspire in us a renewed commitment to walk humbly with you, seeking the peace and flourishing which
you desire for all of your beloved children,
Amen

What is unconscious bias?

‘Unconscious bias refers to a bias that we are unaware of, and which happens outside of our control. It is a bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick judgments and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment and personal experiences.’

Hidden biases have the power to undermine and derail our desire to act Justly, and fairly towards other people and lots of areas in our decision making. eg, when it comes to recruitment, promotion, and openness to new sources of ideas. It is possible to be unconsciously biased regarding disability, religion, race, gender, age, social class, and more.

This training session is suitable for those engaged in the stationing invitation process, as well as all members and leaders of the Methodist Church.

This single online 75-minutes session includes some preparatory material and follow up afterwards.

To find out more and book a place on an upcoming course see: Unconscious Bias Training Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Training in unconscious bias can also be delivered locally using the resources that are made available here.

We also offer a more in depth course through our online learning platform MCBX. The course can be accessed here.

Taking inspiration from the Wesley’s Holy Club, Methodist Young Adult Fellowship (MYAF) has been formed by a group of Young Adults within the Methodist Church as a group to offer fellowship to one another. Comprising of a WhatsApp group and monthly zoom gatherings, MYAF hopes to be a safe and inclusive space for young adults to meet, chat, pray and get to know one another in a church which can sometimes feel very grey. 

The group is for 18-30 year olds who have connections with the Methodist church and would like to spend time connecting with other young adult Methodists. 

To join the group or find out more, please email admin@yorkshirenemethodist.org 

The Benefact Trust has a short video on this topic. Note that they have a fund specifically for Methodist projects.