A Prayer Guide For Lent

Introducing the 2026 BHB Lenten Prayer Guide: “Let Go Of…"

As Lent approaches each year, many of us feel the gentle pull to slow down, take stock, and make space for God in the midst of daily life. The BHB Lenten Prayer Guide 2026 has been created with exactly that spirit in mind, offering scripture, prayers, poetry, artwork, and reflections to help us pause, breathe, and reconnect with the God who journeys with us.

This year, we join with the wider Methodist Church in exploring the theme “Let Go Of…”. This is an invitation to release what burdens, distracts, or diminishes us, and to open ourselves to the life God longs to give.

Why “Let Go Of…”?

Lent is often thought of as a season of giving something up, but the heart behind this year’s theme is deeper. It’s about allowing God to gently reshape our mindset, shifting from scarcity to abundance, from fear to joy, from rigidness to openness. It is about making room.

As one of the contributors writes, Lent helps us “switch from a negative mind-set to a good news mind-set – because life is fuller when we start believing the good stuff.”

What You’ll Find Inside

Across the weeks of Lent, from the first Sunday to Easter morning, the guide leads us through seven spiritually rich invitations:

Let go of idols – make room for God
Revd. Andy Fitchet opens the journey by helping us name the modern-day distractions that quietly become idols in our lives.

Let go of form – embrace the Spirit
A prayer from Matthew Forsyth reminds us that God breathes newness even into the traditions we treasure.

Let go of scarcity – embrace abundance
Both reflection and prayer challenge our instinct to focus on what we lack, drawing us instead into the generosity of God.

Let go of appearances – embrace what’s inside
Rooted in 1 Samuel 16:7, this week’s reflection invites us to see ourselves and others with God’s compassionate vision.

Let go of despair – embrace “respair”
Contributions this week remind us that even when tangled up in life’s barbs, God is quietly restoring and renewing.

Let go of violence – embrace gentleness
A blessing for Lent guides us toward softer hearts and a willingness to be shaped by grace.

Let go of certainty – embrace mystery
Good Friday reflections hold space for sorrow, honesty, and the unexplainable love of Christ

The guide concludes on Easter Sunday with the joyful call to let go of fear and embrace joy, reminding us that God’s grace always gets there before us, rolling away stones we could never move on our own.

A Resource for Individuals and Communities

Whether you’re using the guide for personal devotion, small group conversations, or congregational worship planning, it’s designed to accompany you gently through Lent. The variety of voices (ministers, deacons, artists, and writers) makes it a rich, reflective, and deeply human resource.

Many of the images and prayers come from across the Connexion and beyond, reflecting the shared creativity of our wider Methodist family.

A Prayer for the Journey

As you begin this Lenten season, our hope is that this guide helps you carve out sacred space – moments to pause, reflect, and be renewed. May this be a season of loosening your grip on whatever drains life, and opening your hands to receive what God longs to give.

May you discover again that God is near, God is gentle, and God is already at work in the quiet corners of your life.

Blessings on your Lenten journey.