Church of England parishes have begun a "great wave of prayer" in the week leading up to Pentecost Sunday.

The movement is in response to a call from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Justin Welby and John Sentamu wrote to churches in February inviting them to take part in the initiative and pray for renewal.

In their letter the archbishops said the heart of the project would be the Lord's Prayer, saying it was "impossible to overstate" its "life-transforming power". "It is famous enough to be spoken each day by billions in hundreds of languages and yet intimate enough to draw us ever closer into friendship with Jesus Christ," they said. "It is simple enough to be memorised by small children and yet profound enough to sustain a whole lifetime of prayer. When we pray it with sincerity and with joy, there is no imagining the new ways in which God can use us to his glory."

The week of prayer will culminate in 'Beacon events' around the country over Pentecost weekend. These will include events at St Paul's, Durham, Coventry, Winchester and Canterbury Cathedrals and at St Michael le Belfry in York. Each will include worship led by contemporary practitioners including Lou Fellingham, Tim Hughes and Matt Redman.

Archbishop Welby will send a message by live video link to other Beacon events.

The initiative is supported by a website, www.thykingdom.co.uk, which contains resources, advice and worship materials. Among these are prayer walks, a week of 24/7 prayer and a plan to "pray for five friends" during the week.

The archbishops conclude the letter, sent to every serving parish priest in the Church of England, by saying: "The dream is this: imagine every Anglican, perhaps even every Christian, in this nation praying that prayer together with the specific intention that all may come to know Jesus as Lord. We profoundly hope that you and those you serve will want to be part of this great movement of prayer."