The Methodist Conference 2004 will kick off this Saturday, 26 June at Loughborough University. This annual meeting will involve major reporting and decision making processes, and has drawn the attention of many Methodists.

While many churches have been facing a loss of young people participating in church, some young Methodists, however, have played an active role in supporting the conference. These young Methodists, who are from the Methodist Youth Conference, are urging all Methodist Church leaders to encourage their members to become more active in prayer, especially in praying for the upcoming Methodist Conference.

The call has been well responded to by the Methodist Churches in Tyneside and the whole of the Newcastle upon Tyne District. About 190 churches in 19 circuits are going to engage in "twenty-four-seven" prayer relays, providing 180 hours of blanket prayer. The campaign is named Great North Prayer, which will last from Sunday 27th June until Sunday 4th July.

Chairman of the Tyne District, Rev Lionel Osborn said he was amazed by the young people’s campaign. According to the Methodist Youth Conference, the aim is to carry the prayer campaign beyond the churches and into their neighbourhoods. The Great North Prayer takes place as the Methodist Conference meets in Loughborough, and some of the Newcastle District representatives have been allocated a couple of hours' prayer time in Loughborough on Sunday 27th June.

Co-ordinator of the circuits' responses, Andrew Murphy said, "It would be great if the Conference could join in with the Great North Prayer in some way. We would find that greatly encouraging.”

Running alongside the Methodist Conference, a session is scheduled for Youth Methodist Conference on Monday 28th June. Murphy said the Youth Conference would like to encourage all churches to take part in “twenty-four-seven” prayer.

"We want to do something to change the perception of 'Church', encourage church growth and hope that through this emphasis on prayer the Gospel becomes more widely known,” Murphy added.