|TOP|The Methodist Church has reported great progress so far as the Methodist Year of Prayer Without Ceasing already exceeds all expectations at the halfway stage.

By the end of 2005 over 8,000 hours of prayer in Methodist churches, as well as homes, schools and prisons were reported, in comparison with the only 4,368 hours that elapsed in the same period.

So far 13 of the 33 Methodist Districts have taken part in the cross-country initiative, one of the outcomes of the Methodist Youth Conference.

The districts each drew up a rota so that between them a Methodist building would be open for prayer all hours of the day and night.

|QUOTE|Methodist prison chaplains in the London South East district joined in the rota, reporting 30 hours of prayer from prisons, young offender institutes and the Dover Immigration Removal Centre.

The Pray Without Ceasing initiative was launched at the 2005 Methodist Conference following a motion introduced at the 2004 Methodist Conference in Loughborough which called on the Church to celebrate prayer, affirm prayer that is already taking place and provide ideas and inspiration for new ways of prayer.

Since the initiative was launched, the Pray Without Ceasing banner continues to make its way around Britain. Starting its journey in the London North East District on 1st July 2005 it will finish its tour of the country in North Wales on 31st August 2006.

|AD|Campaign coordinator, the Rev. Michaela Youngson, said: “We aimed for continuous prayer, but we have exceeded that. More importantly, people report that this has reinvigorated their personal and church prayer lives.

“Obviously prayer has always been a crucial part of Christian life, and always will be. But this year of Pray Without Ceasing shows we can regain the excitement and power of prayer by focussing on it.”

Local Pray Without Ceasing Co-ordinators have also given positive reports, testifying how powerful the experience has been. “We report the good news of an amazing time of blessing beyond anyone’s expectations,” wrote Lesley and Mike Sergeant from the Newcastle circuit in Staffordshire.

Derrick Norton in the Bristol District said, “the seven streams of prayer and worship caused a real buzz of excitement, and people want to repeat the experience.”