|TOP|Apostle James said the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. The Methodist Church has proven just how right that is as its fourteen months of non-stop prayer finally come to an end.

And the prayer marathon initiative, Pray Without Ceasing, has certainly bore fruit. Not only has it encouraged churches and individual church members to re-dedicate themselves to prayer, it has also strengthened existing prayer efforts in the churches and encouraged them to think newly about prayer.

The initiative – the brainchild of Methodist youths - was initially launched with early-morning beach gatherings in Torquay in June 2005 before it spread across the UK and finished in North Wales on 1 September.

The nationwide marathon was interspersed with a number of national events, including a multi-faith prayer conference, but its success lay mainly in the enthusiasm and commitment of local churches.

|AD|But the estimated 22,000 hours of prayer throughout the 14 months were no bland affair. Prayers were innovatively spiced up by local congregations through new additions including a prayer graffiti wall, Celtic prayers, an overnight youth prayer lock-in and dance workshops, reports The Good News.

One group, the Kidderminster and Stourport Circuit, even took a prayer train journey, praying at different stops and holding a candlelit Communion on the platform at Upper Arley train station.

And now Methodists even feel invigorated enough in prayer through the Pray Without Ceasing to weave the spirit of the concept into daily church prayer and personal prayer lives.

Rev Michaela Youngson, Methodist secretary for pastoral care and spirituality, said: "We hope that people have found that their relationship with God has deepened as a result of this renewed focus on prayer."