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Last updated 10th December 2024

Year of Prayer for Growth and Renewal

Join us for the Year of Prayer

We are inviting parishes to make 2025 a Year of Prayer for Growth and Renewal across our Diocese. 

The intention for the year is for parishes to pray for new and deeper disciples for Jesus Christ, and to pray for themselves that they may be cleansed and renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit for a season of mission in our centenary year 2026.

How can your church get involved?  We are inviting you to do three things:

  1. Pray together the ‘Prayer for growth and renewal’ prayer in your meetings, services and personal prayer rhythms. The prayer is below.
  2. Set up a weekly half hour service or time of prayer with a specific focus on praying for growth and renewal 
  3. Pray around your parish: rediscover the ancient spiritual disciplines walking and praying the bounds of the parish. 

In addition:

  • There will be a range of Parish Quiet Days at  Whalley Abbey so you may like to promote one of them or organise your own.  For information about booking, please contact Whalley Abbey.
  • For Lent 2025 Bishop Philip will be making a Lent Course to go on our Discipleship App, Fruitful, which will focus on prayer. The Lent Devotional will follow the same theme.

Resources for Parishes

We are currently developing resources to help you as we pray together for growth and renewal:

  • Materials to help you adapt the half hour weekly service of prayer for different church contexts;
  • Ideas to help organise parish prayer walking or traditional beating of the bounds or a walking day;
  • Videos of short stories of answered prayer for churches/PCCs to tweak and use through the year to include prayer for growth and renewal.
  • Logos for use on publicity are available.

Resources for Schools, Children and Young People

On the 26th and 27th November, Bishop Philip and Sam Cheesman hosted the largest ever collective worship session with primary schools across the diocese learning how to pray quiet and noisy prayers - see here.  It is estimated that 22,000 children took part.

Schools are being encouraged to pray throughout the year collectively and in classes.  You may like to look at these resources and use them to support schools that you have links with. The Board of Education have a range of excellent resources; you can find materials here.

 

 
 

 

Resources to Download

Year of Prayer Logo

Year of Prayer Logo with writing to the right

Year of Prayer Logo with wrap around words

Prayer Card

Year of Prayer prayer card

Prayer for Growth and Renewal Stories

Prayer for Growth and Renewal videos

  1. Year of Prayer Launch Video: Bishop Jill Duff encourages everyone to take part inthe Year of Prayer
  2. Burnley, West All Saints: Fr Charlie Hill shares about how God has answered prayers for their growth in Burnley
  3. Accrington, St John with Huncoat, St Augustine: Revd Hugh Scriven and Margaret Poole share about how Godis answering their prayers for growth in Accrington
  4. Holy Trinity Freckleton and St Paul's Warton: Anne-Marie Aspden shares how God is answering prayers in Freckleton and Warton

These videos can be found on the Fruitful App together with discussion questions which can be used for small groups and PCCs.

Prayer Walking and Prayer Pilgrimages: Thank you to Revd Hannah Boyd and Revd Pippa Daniels for providing resources

What is Prayer Walking? Guide to prayer walking in your parish

Rural prayer pilgrimage cover sheet

Rural prayer pilgrimage poster example

Dolphinholme prayer pilgrimage example

Dolphinholme prayer map example

Over Wyresdale prayer pilgrimage example

Over Wyresdale prayer map example

Quernmore prayer pilgrimage example

Quernmore prayer map example

 

24/7 Prayer event: thank you to Revd Matt Gaze

Prayer activities

Prayer sign up sheet

24/7 prayer guide official starter pack

24/7 risk assessment

Email invitation to the wider community

Prayer tent dedication service

 

Liturgy examples

Midday prayer: thank you to Revd Dave O'Brien

Mass for Mission: thank you to Revd Neil Kelley

How people are praying around the diocese

We would love to know how people are praying for renewal and growth in your local communities.  Here are examples:

Guild of Simeon and Anna at Rufford, St Mary and Tarleton, Holy Trinity

In 2020, the church launched the Guild of Simeon and Anna.  Fr Mark wrote at the time: "In my sermon this morning I mentioned that God has called us all to his service and that while the elderly may feel age or disability make it impossible for them to serve, we can all be part of God’s mission with prayer. Simeon and Anna were two elderly people who prayed daily ….and met the Messiah. I am today launching the Guild of Simeon & Anna within the parish. Membership of the Guild is open to all housebound who may wish to enter this ministry of prayer for the Church and the world."

The Guild members will be receiving a year of prayer bookmark at the beginning of December, then during Lent the church will be focusing on a different part of the diocesan  prayer each week.

Information about the Guild can be found here.

Scripture Themed Anglican Rosary: Ribbleton Parish Church

The Revd Linda Tomkinson has written a book explaining how to use Anglican Rosary Beads and Bible verses as a meditative way of deepening people's relationship with God.  You can find out more here.

Contacts: Joy Rushton, joy.rushton@blackburn.anglican.org and Sarah Marston, sarah.marston@blackburn.anglican.org

 

Resources