Methodists celebrate Aldersgate this Sunday

The Methodist Church in St. Vincent and the Grenadines celebrates its Annual Aldersgate on Sunday, May 22, with a joint rally of the Georgetown/Mt. Coke and Kingstown/ Chateaubelair Circuits at the Arnos Vale Netball Complex from 10:00a.m. – 4 p.m.{{more}}

The annual Aldersgate highlights the life and works of the founding fathers of Methodism, Rev. John and Charles Wesley.

John Wesley and his brother Charles were part of large a family and were born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, in England. Their father Samuel Wesley was a vicar in the Anglican Church. He was married to Susanna Wesley. Both Samuel and Susanna had strong Christian beliefs, whose influences were found in their sons.

Both John and Charles went to Oxford University. John became Fellow to Lincoln College in 1726 and was ordained a priest in the church of England (Anglican Church) in 1728. Charles, still a student, began to meet with a group of friends for reading and religious study. John became involved as the group’s senior member, and its activities expanded to include charitable work among the poor and the imprisoned. Their concern for disciplined spirituality earned them the nickname “The Holy Club” or Methodists” for their methodical approach.

Charles was the main hymnist in the family, but John translated a number of hymns (mostly German) himself. John Wesley’s quest for holiness and peace with God took him to the new colony of Georgia, to work among the settlers and the Native Americans. He began studying the German language on board the ship Simmons, which carried him and Charles to Georgia in 1735. Also on the ship were 26 German Moravian colonists and Wesley wanted to be able to talk with them and share in their worship services.

Charles is credited to have discovered the vital doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone as he read Martin Luther’s commentary on the book of Romans.

The Methodist preachers emphasized constantly ‘heart conversion and a new creation by the Holy Spirit’, the need of being ‘born again’. (RT)