In praise of ... the Covenant Service

Good to see The Guardian with an editorial piece on In praise of ... the covenant service. This refers to the Methodist Church's Covenant Service, celebrated in January each year. The Methodist Church website says that the service is for members to "celebrate all that God has done for us, and affirm that we give our lives and choices to God". The traditional Covenant prayer makes it very clear that this affirmation is a serious one that embraces the whole of life. As the website says:

"Most people find it quite tough to say, and really mean it. But the prayer is so central to the Christian life that other Churches have also adopted it. In our culture we tend to prize our ability to make decisions and choose our own path in life. It can feel very hard to give that up. But this prayer is like a love poem. It is about surrendering to God in love and joy."