In the bustling flow of life, moments of reflection can often slip by unnoticed. But what if you could anchor your day with a moment of prayer, a minute of communion with United Methodists all across Louisiana? 

In 2025, this is our calling once again.

Last year, Bishop Delores J. Williamston asked all United Methodists in Louisiana to collectively pause in prayer each day at 4:24, a moment to hold the year in prayer. 

Bishop Williamston is calling on United Methodists in Louisiana to do the same this year, pausing at either 4:25 AM or PM to hold 2025 in our prayers. 

Bishop Williamston’s vision is to encourage individuals to pause and offer prayers for matters of global significance or even personal concern, all of it designed to foster a habit of reflection and spiritual connection.

Together, in prayer, we will move forward with HōPE to build, connect and equip disciples of Jesus Christ.  

Praying in 2025

Pray for Peace:  Encompass in your heart your loved ones, your mentors, your community, and leaders across the earth. Envision them leading with wisdom, compassion, and courage.

Pray for Every Place You Hold Dear: Whether it’s the streets of your hometown or a faraway land, pray for harmony, for justice, and for bridges of understanding.

Pray for Leaders of the Church: Pray for your pastor, your lay leader, your district superintendents, members of the Louisiana Conference cabinet, Bishop Delores J. Williamston and leaders all across the jurisdiction and the connection.

Pray for the United Methodist Church: Pray for unity, and the fulfillment of its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Pray for Your Own Path: Seek grace in living out the simple edicts — Do no harm, Do good, and Stay in Love with God. 

Bishop Williamston’s Letter of Invitation

Greetings Louisiana Conference!

Romans 12:12 says this: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” I want to invite all of you to join with me on a Journey of Prayer in 2024. Together, we will pray daily at 4:24 PM or AM. Or, if it’s easier, anytime you see 24 on your clock. 

What shall we pray for in 2024? Here are a few things I would like for the Louisiana Conference to pray for.

First, pray for all people everywhere. Pray for your family, your church leaders, your community leaders, our national leaders and leaders everywhere. Pray that those in leadership lead with wisdom, compassion and courage.

Pray for all communities, our towns, our cities, our state, our nation and pray for all nations around the world — pray for justice, pray for peace; pray for reconciliation.

Pray for the church, The United Methodist Church, our General Conference, our Central Conferences, our jurisdictions…and pray for the Louisiana Conference…pray for unity, resilience — pray for guidance and direction. 

Pray for our districts, our District Superintendent’s — pray for your friends in ministry, your colleagues — pray for renewed energy and pray with thanksgiving. 

Pray for God’s creatures and creation, for God has placed so much in our care; may we shepherd with care. 

Pray that we live with the three simple rules; do no harm, do good and stay in love with God…

Pray for those who suffer in heart, mind and soul…pray for their comfort, when mercy and justice seem absent.

Prayer for yourself — pray that the gifts you are given will strengthen the church of Jesus Christ. Pray that we can reflect God’s love and grace in the world. May our actions, words, and thoughts promote peace, justice, and compassion. 

Pray that we receive wisdom to understand the needs of those around us and the courage to act in ways that bring hope and healing.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians, may we pray without ceasing! 

Or as Edward J. Farrell puts it — in your awareness of a desire to pray, it’s already a prayer! 

And, as the desert fathers would often say, “if you want to pray, you are already praying…”

2024 will be an eventful year — may we pray for the discernment to recognize what requires our attention, and the grace to let go of what we cannot control.

Let us pray for strength to sustain us when we feel weary, may we pray for God’s unending love to be our constant reminder that we do not carry our burdens alone. 

For we know – we are already praying together! Let our prayers never cease, as we journey through this new year. 

And let prayer undergird all we do in The Louisiana Conference, as we move forward with HoPE to build, connect and equip disciples of Jesus Christ.

So let it be!

Bishop Delores J. Williamston