“A JOURNEY BACK TO MY ROOTS”

 “A JOURNEY BACK TO MY ROOTS”

My Journal and Reflection as Scholar-Participant of the 2018 Wesley Pilgrimage in England, July 8-22, 2018

By Rev. Jeric C. Cortado

Southern Philippines Methodist College, Inc. Kidapawan City, Philippines

The Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church has chosen 35 young leaders of the UMC all over the world to participate the Wesley Pilgrimage in England from July 9 to 19, 2018. I am one of them! And I am grateful to Rev. Dr. Steven Manskar and Rev. Dr, Paul Chilcote who facilitated the activity and for their lectures, together with Ms. Melanie Gordon and Rev. Victoria Rebeck; to Prof. Framer Cristy P. Mella, President of the SPMCI for allowing me to participate; to Bishop Rodolfo A. Juan for his blessing; and to the people called United Methodists who supported me in this journey. My deepest gratitude to the following: Engr. Edwin and Mrs. Joyce Subillaga, Mrs. Marissa Estampa, Dr. Gloria Redoble, Rev. Patria Agustin-Smith, Mrs. Betty Cortado-Wilson, Mrs. Crisanta Riingen, Ms. Earlie Pasion-Bautista, Mr. Eddie & Mrs. Juvy Cortado, Mr. Edward Cosmiano, Mr. & Mrs. Romeo Valdez, Mrs. Alma Bella-Respicio, Bishop Pete Torio, and to Rev. Dr. Romeo del Rosario a good mentor of mine during my seminary years who supported me financially for my travel expenses; to the Makilala Multi-Purpose Cooperative who allowed me to loan for my plane tickets with low interest; to my wife Dss. Cristine and my daughter Sofia Rev for their prayers, understanding, and love.

The following books and articles I’ve read and reviewed prior to and during the pilgrimage help me a lot to make my journey following the trail of John Wesley and the people called Methodists in England more meaningful and exciting.

1.      Michael J. COYNER, et al, A Year with John Wesley and Our Methodist Values, USA: Discipleship Resources, 1989.

2.      Rupert E. DAVIES, Methodism, London: Epworth Press, 1976.

3.      Ensor, David, 250 Years of Methodism in Salisbury, UK: Salisbury Methodist Church, 2009.

4.      Mary GREETHAM, Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism, London: Woodspring Resource Centre, 1988.

5.      Richard P. HEITZENRATER, Wesley and the People Called Methodists, USA: Abingdon Press, 1995.

6.      Donald L. KLINE, Susanna Wesley: God’s Catalyst for Revival, USA: The CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 1980.

7.      Herbert Boyd MCGONIGLE, Epworth: The Cradle of Methodism, United Kingdom: Moorleys Print & Publishing, 2014.

8.      Charles A. SAUER, A Pocket Story of John Wesley, USA: Discipleship Resources, 2000.

9.      Barrie TABRAHAM, The Making of Methodism, Great Britain: Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, 2000.

10.  Howard A. SNYDER, The Radical Wesley & Pattern for Church Renewal, USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1980.

11.  David Lowes WATSON, Covenant Discipleship: Christian Formation through Mutual Accountability, USA: Discipleship Ministries, 1996.

July 8, 2018 (Sunday). I arrived at Sarum College, Salisbury, England successfully after a long travel via bus, taxi, plane, and coach. I am thankful for my kababayan I’ve met in the Heathrow International Airport, London for giving the tips, the do’s and don’ts while staying at England. An OWF employed as nurse in one of the Hospital of England, guided me towards the Central Bus Station bound for Salisbury. A Filipino couple employed also in one of the Hospital in England, offered me a coffee and bread, and guided me also on how to go to Salisbury through coach (bus). I am warmly welcomed by the hospitality team of Sarum College who lead me to my room (# 310). Tired but inspired with the people I’ve met the way of my journey from Kidapawan City to Davao International Airport, to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines, to Heathrow International Airport, London, to Central Bus Station of London, to bus station of Southhampton, England and finally to Sarum College, Salisbury, England. God is so good.

July 9, 2018 (Monday). We visited the Salisbury Methodist Church (a British Methodist) located at St. Edmunds Church Street, Salisbury, southern part of England.  

John Wesley visited the place 40 times that became the first official Methodist Society in the southern England in 1748. John Wesley first preaching in one of the worship services of the society was in September 6, 1750. In 1758, the faithful members of the Methodist Society in Salisbury purchased a lot at St Edmunds Church Street, where the current sanctuary is located and build. In 1759, the said building opened as preaching house was where Francis Asbury appointed by John Wesley to administer. Most of the members then of the society came from the poor, oppressed, marginalized, exploited, deprived but struggling people. Thus, later became an extra ordinary people leading the evangelism and growth of the Methodism in Salisbury. These humble people developed as lay preachers, lay leaders, Sunday school teachers, and missionaries of the Methodist society. With this experiences, the Methodist Society of Salisbury then gained a reputation of Methodism in England as movement that enable person committed to serve God, honed to be mission-oriented in the daily walks of life, in solidarity and in giving oneself to one another, journeying towards the transformation of the world where the fullness of life experience by all. Thus, Methodism is a way of life, a life that is Compassionate, doing Holy things, Inspiring, Spirit-filled, having the potentials to Transform lives. Methodism is a way of life, a life that is CHRIST.

At 7:30 in the evening, Rev. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote[1] gave a lecture on “Renewal in the Wesleyan Spirit” held at the Cavell Room of Sarum College. He pointed out that Methodism is a movement of renewal, a renewing force within the Church of England, committed to prove in experience what the church professed in doctrine. He discussed his observation of the Church during the time of John Wesley and during our time.

John Wesley tried to renew the Church to its original purposes of existence passionately lives out the transformative apostolic traditions and the great commission of Jesus Christ, thus incarnate the love of God, made practical the professed doctrines and mission of the Church, in solidarity with the poor, oppressed, marginalized, exploited, deprived but struggling people towards the fullness of life. The Church should be freed from privatized leadership and program components, wherein the leadership and administrative responsibilities in all the aspects of the Church confined only to the ordained and the lay people are merely spectators. Preserving the fixed rules and hierarchy of authority and forget the distinctive being and calling of the Church. It should be freed from individualism and institutional, that being a Christian is an individual matter and is not essentially bound to life with others, and imitating the organizational structures and management of profitable corporations confined in the bureaucratic pressures. Thus, the Church consciously or unconsciously hides the hunger of the people for companionship and community, overlooked the status of the body and the spirit of the people, and narrowed with the fixed rules and hierarchy of authority. The Church should be freed from being traditional, in a sense that the Church lost from its purpose of existence and from its understanding of the tradition. The apostolic tradition and ministry passed on to the Church is to be contextual in doing the ministry. What the Church inherited from our fore-parents of faith was how to become proactive of the realities of the times, and how to live out faith in our context. Moreover, the Church should be redeemed from being separated from the people by having a big gap between the lay people and the clergy. Though, the authority to preside the sacraments is only for the clergy but to become sacramental is for everybody’s calling either clergy or lay. In our understanding, sacraments are collective celebration of clergy and lay making the grace of God visible to them, through them, and with them in the unity of the Spirit of God poured out upon them that made them empowered to preach good news to the poor, enlightenment, freedom and liberation, provide sanctuary, and the realization of the fullness of life. The Church should be sacrament of God’s grace and God’s liberating acts.

As pointed out by Rev. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote about John Wesley’s assessments, that the Church is in the PITS (P.I.T.S) or in the depths of despair. So, the Church needs to be renewed in the Spirit of God, thus, needs TIPS (T.I.P.S) or reminders, guidance or instructions for renewal living in the power of God’s love for a transformed and transforming spirituality. And in the emergence and the development of the Methodist Societies, the TIPS made Methodism a phenomenal faith community throughout the world, that claimed by John Wesley as his parish.

July 10, 2018 (Tuesday). We visited Oxford, England. The coach (bus) from Salisbury dropped us at the Oxford Coach Park, in front of the Oxford Castle and Prison located at New Road, Oxford.

           

The Oxford Castle and Prison has significance in the life of John and Charles Wesley and the people called Methodists. The place where John, Charles, and the people called Methodists launched their first prison ministry. It was August 1730 when they agreed to visit at least weekly the debtors and condemned lawbreakers in Castle Prison, and they were able to extend ministry to the persons incarcerated in the jail at the North Gate in December 1739, as suggested by their colleague William Morgan.

Then we walk through the New Inn Hall Street where the First Methodist Meeting House in Oxford is located and held in 1783, a plaque on the wall commemorates John Wesley preached there on 14^th of July 1783, then continue towards Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, opened for worship in February 1818. Rev. Dr. Martin Wellings, Minister of the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church gave a lecture on “The Holy Club and Oxford Methodist”, after a refreshment offered by them to us.

Tracing back to the time of John Wesley, from Charterhouse, London having obtained scholarship He went up to Christ Church College at Oxford for his undergraduate or bachelor education in June 1720 and finished in 1724 with solid academic reputation. The Christ Church College was the largest college constituted the University of Oxford at that time. In the 19^th day of September 1725, he was ordained deacon by Bishop Potter. Some accounts said that prior to his ordination, after reading one of the books of Jeremy Taylor, Rule and Exercise of Holy Living and Holy Dying published in1650, began journaling to record and measures the progress of his spiritual life journey. He was elected as fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford in March 1726, and served as tutor of Greek, Logic, and Philosophy, and in following year (1727) received his Master of Arts degree. John Wesley’s teaching at Lincoln was interrupted when he responded the request of help for help. He served as curate (assistant to his father) for two years at Wroot and ordained priest in September 22, 1728.  It was September 1729, when John Wesley returned to his teaching ministry at Lincoln College, Oxford and got acquainted with the group organized by his brother Charles Wesley known as the “Holy Club” through Charles Wesley, the then undergraduate student of Christ Church.

July 11, 2018 (Wednesday). At the Cavell Room of Sarum College, Dr. Paul W. Chilcote, gave his lecture on the “Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit: Foundations” from 9:15 to 10:45 in the afternoon (UK time), and after a short refreshment, Ms. Melanie Gordon[2] gave a lecture on “Covenant Relationship with Families and Children” from 11:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

One of the many interests of John Wesley is educating children and young ones. During the meeting of John Wesley with his companions held at Oxford dated August 1730, they decided to visit and teach orphan children at least weekly. In 1731, they began bringing together the children of the poor family regularly at Oxford, and hired Mrs. Plat to take care of the children. At Georgia, John Wesley continued his children ministry in the School at Savannah with Charles Delamonte. They did only teach children on literacy and numeracy but also gave catechistic instruction to the younger and older ones. And in London and Bristol, the Methodist Society through the supervision of John Wesley were able to established learning centre for children (Kingswood School) and employed teachers to take charge in the literacy-numeracy program, and a stewards to take charge with the parents of the children.

                                                    

In the afternoon, after Lunch, we are given a time to do journaling from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Attended the Evensong Service at the Salisbury Cathedral located just in front of the Sarum College. Taken pictures in the different chapels at the Cathedral, then back to Sarum College Refectory for supper, and then roamed around at the city from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Our daylong activity yesterday is concluded with Compline (an Evening Praise and Prayer using the pattern of the Order of Saint Luke) at 9:00 p.m. It was a tiring but inspiring journey, and I am thankful to God.

July 12, 2018 (Thursday). We left Salisbury at 9:30 in the morning and arrived at West Bromwich at 11:30 a.m. After having our lunch, we visited the Cottage of Bishop Francis Asbury at Newton Road, Swanwick, England.

Bishop Francis Asbury, known as the father of American Methodism was born in Hamstead, England in 1745, a son of a farm labourer Joseph and a gardener Elizabeth Asbury. His family moved to Newton Road when he was 1 year old. He went to school at Snails Green a mile away from their home and became a good scholar. He was able to read the Bible by the age of six by the guidance of his mother who has a great influence to his spiritual life. At the age of 13, Francis Asbury worked as apprentice to a Methodist blacksmith that prepared him physically in the ministry.  He began attending Methodist activities at his early teens and impressed by the services, the nature of the singing, prayers and sermons of the Methodist society. At the age of 18, he became active member of the Methodist society and in 1766 became a full time itinerant preacher based at Salisbury. Francis Asbury became instrumental for the establishment and development of the Salisbury Methodist Society. It was August 1771, during the Methodist conference held at Bristol when he responded the call of John Wesley for a missionary work in America. In September 4, 1771, Francis Asbury set sail from the port of Pill at Avon (an old English term of the river) near Bristol bound for America (known then as New World), and later consecrated as the first Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. The cottage located at the New Road, Swanwick, England is a reminder of a person came from the margins, a son of a farm labourer and gardener, and a skilled blacksmith who became a great person of the American soil and in the Methodist movement.

It is about 4:00 p.m. (July 12, 2018) when we arrived at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, England.

This Centre accommodated the conference organized by the Student Christian Movement of England (Great Britain) in May 1911. The Student Christian Movement of England is one of the participants and instrumental for the formation of the World Student Christian Federation, an international federation of the Student Christian Movements committed to dialogue, ecumenism, social justice, and peace. The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) was organized in 1895 and John R. Mott, a Methodist from the United States of America was elected the first General Secretary.

And at 4:30 p.m. after settling down in our particular room (I am in Room 55 on the 3^rd floor of the building), Dr. Philip R. Meadows[3] gave his lecture on “Developing Spiritual Life of Mission-Shaped Disciples”. He pointed Mission as Discipleship, as well as articulated the Spirituality of Mission, and the Spirituality of the Wesleyan Band Meeting. 

July 13, 2018 (Friday). Travelled to Epworth from Swanwick, towards the Old Rectory where the founders of Methodism, John and Charles Wesley was born.

According to the accounts, they were nineteen born in the Wesley Family but only 10 survived - three boys (Samuel Jr., John, and Charles) and seven girls (Emilia, Susanna, Mary, Mehetabel, Anne, Martha, and Kezia). John Wesley was born in June 17, 1703 (June 28 in the present calendar) as the fifteenth child and Charles Wesley was born as the eighteenth child of Susannah Annesley Wesley and Rev. Samuel Wesley on December 18, 1707. Their father at that time is the rector of the Saint Andrews Parish of the Church of England at Epworth. The Methodist spirituality, the dedication to learning, devotion to God, love of Scripture, being responsible to the entrusted responsibilities and the discipline of time by John and Charles Wesley moulded and honed from Old Rectory under the tutelage of their beloved mother Susannah Annesley Wesley.

We visited the Saint Andrew Parish, Epworth, England on that day, where the father of John Wesley assigned as Rector for three decades.  

The father of John Wesley, Reverend Samuel Wesley (1662-1735) and his mother Susanna Annesley Wesley (1669-1742) arrived at Epworth in 1696.  Reverend Samuel Wesley served as Rector of Saint Andrew Parish, Epworth, England until his death. He died in April 25, 1735 at the age of 72. John Wesley made his first and weeklong visit back to Epworth in June 1742. Sunday, June 6, 1742, John Wesley offered himself to the parish priest (curate) of Saint Andrew to assist during the Worship Service, but the curate refused his offer. After the Service on that Sunday, John Taylor, one of the friends invited the people to go back at 6 o’clock in the evening to listen to the preaching of Reverend John Wesley. The five feet in height John Wesley, delivered his sermon upon his father’s tombstone surrounded by the people of Epworth – merchant, miller, farmer, fisherman, soldier, smith, weaver and washerwoman – whom he and Charles had grown up with.

Then we dropped by at the Market Cross of Epworth, where John Wesley preached in many occasion during his annual and occasional visits in 1760s and 1770s. The little of town Epworth give birth the founders of Methodism.

July 14, 2018 (Saturday).  In the morning at the Cavell Room of Sarum College, Rev. Dr. Steven Manskar[4] gave the lecture on the United Methodist Rule of Life.

What I’ve learn on this lecture is that, the early Methodist Society is a lay monastic society within the Church of England, similar to the Franciscan because of their ministry with the poor, disadvantaged, and their concern to all creation. In addition to this, the early Methodist Society is similar to the Jesuits for their spiritual discipline, devotion to God and to the Scripture. And Methodism started as a network of ecclesiola en ecclesia or of a small church within the Church (of England) intends to reform the nation, particular the Church and spread scriptural holiness throughout the nation. Rev. Steven Manskar, discussed clearly the General Rule of Discipleship which is “To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow His teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”   To “witness” here, means to give evidence what we have seen and experience with Jesus the Christ, and share it to the world. “Follow his teaching” would mean, embracing and live out the teaching of Jesus which is the greatest testimony that we could do. The acts of compassion, acts of justice, acts of mercy, acts of devotion is our spirituality, the outcomes of what we have witness to Jesus Christ and the teachings that we have embraced.

As what I have understood with the lecture of Rev. Steven Manskar, the Methodist spirituality reflects the spirituality of Jesus, and the Methodist Society reflects the Society of Jesus, enlightened by the experiences of life and empowered by the Spirit of God.

July 15, 2018 (Sunday). In the morning, we attended the Holy Communion Service at Salisbury Methodist Church, have a conversation and fellowship with members after the service. Buy some souvenirs in their shop, took pictures. Then in the afternoon went to Bath, hailed at the south west England founded in the 1^st century by the Romans who used the natural hot springs of the place as thermal spa, became the centre of wool industry during the Middle Ages, and developed into an elegant spa city during the reign of George I, II, and III. And with the goodness of my newly found friend in the pilgrimage, Rev. Young (Korean Pastor) and Rev. Clint (American Pastor) I was able to roamed around the city, known during the time of John Wesley as the city of the rich and influential people.

According to Dr. Paul Chilcote, John Wesley visited the city to preach the Gospel to rich people, established connections and linkages among the wealthy of the city for the ministry with the poor people. He was also known then to the street children of the city and allocated time to play and fellowship with them. John Wesley was able to establish a boarding school (Kingswood School) for the sons and daughters of the preachers of the Methodist society in 1742. Wherein, according to Dr. Paul Chilcote, the collections of books of John Wesley is deposited and kept in the library of the school.

July 16, 2018 (Monday). We went to Bristol City, the second largest city hailed at the south western England, and visited the John Wesley’s Chapel (New Room), the Museum, and the Cottage of Rev. Charles and Mrs. Sally Wesley.

The city of Bristol during the time of John Wesley (1739) is one of the birthplaces of industrial revolution and among its biggest industries were shipbuilding, glass making, weaving, and sugar refining. This maritime city was known then the dirtiest city of England, surrounded by coal mines. It was also known as the epicentre of slave trade and trafficking of England at that time. The few wealthy merchants and businesspeople controlled the city and there is a big disparity between the poor and the rich, that John Wesley criticised and condemned. John Wesley came to Bristol in March 1739, through the invitation of The Rev. George Whitefield, an evangelist and a former Oxford colleague of John and Charles.  

In Bristol, John Wesley discovered the engagement of George Whitefield on open-air or field preaching which gave impact to the poor, oppressed, marginalized, exploited, and deprived people of Bristol. At first, John Wesley was reluctant to what George Whitefield did, holding services in an open field though it was not illegal but it was irregular and was associated with the dissenting movement of that time. But John Wesley discovered that open air or field preaching is very effective to bring the gospel to the people where they are, and to the people who could not or would not be able to go to church at the appointed time of worship services. And through the open field preaching they will be able to preached to 10,000 to 30,000 people of Bristol. John Wesley and George Whitefield’s open air or field preaching made them unacceptable to the clergy and bishops of the Church of England, to the point that they were threatened by the bishops to be excommunicated. With such experiences, John Wesley said, “My ordination is not to any particular parish but to any part of the Church of England…my ministry is not limited by parish boundaries, but I look upon the world as my parish.” He shared all his experiences to her mother, Susannah Wesley and gave her approval to what he is doing. From then on, it became the habit of John Wesley to preach whenever and wherever he could get a chance and opportunity.

John Wesley immediately took over the ministry at Bristol when George Whitefield left to Wales. He organized a number of societies, class meetings and bands. The societies organized by John Wesley have a weekly meeting for worship and fellowship, prayer and instruction that carefully scheduled to avoid conflicts with parish services of the Church of England. The people called Methodists were encouraged by John Wesley to attend the regular mass or services at St. James Parish of the Church of England in Bristol. The early meetings of the Methodist Societies in Bristol held at the houses of the members, and through the guidance of John Wesley they were able to purchased lot at Horsefair Street, Bristol, where they build a “Society Room”. This place that serves as their central meeting place was dedicated in July 11, 1739, before George Whitefield left to Wales. Few years later, the “Society Room” was refurbished to accommodate the growing numbers of the members.

The “New Room” was built equipped with a living room off from the chapel, with bed rooms for the itinerant preachers, and for John Wesley. The building is located at the pasture land of Bristol then, but now is already surrounded by malls and business establishments at the heart of the commercial complex. The New Room has two level pulpits wherein the first level pulpit is for scripture reading and leading hymn singing, and the second level pulpit is for the preachers. When Holy Communion is not already accessible for the people called Methodists, below the first level is the table of John Wesley used for the celebration of Holy Communion.  He provided a clock visible to the gathered community and to preachers for timekeeping.

We also visited the grave of the sons and daughters of Rev. Charles and Mrs. Sally Wesley in front of St. James Parish of the Church of England at Bristol, as well as their cottage. Then to the museum which depicts the life and works of the John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and the people called Methodists.

It highlights the ministry with the poor, the advocacies against slave trade, unfair wages by the workers and tenants, the disparity between the rich and the poor people, the open field preaching and the formation of the societies and class meetings of the Methodist societies.

July 17, 2018 (Tuesday). We arrived safely at Royal Foundation of St. Katherine, London from Sarum College, Salisbury where we stayed most of our days in the pilgrimage.

The Royal Foundation of St. Katherine is a conference and retreat centre in the eastern part of the London founded in 1147 by Queen Matilda of England as a religious community, and hospital for the poor and sanctuary for the immigrants. This was dedicated and in honour to St. Katherine of Alexandria, born in a wealth family, well educated women, and devoted to the Christian faith. She refused a proposal of marriage from the emperor and so she was tortured by being tied to a spiked wheel and then martyred.

In the afternoon, we have given a free time for city sightseeing. Together with my co-pilgrims (Moses from Kenya, Yong and Clint from USA), we went to the Tower of London who served as refuge by the kings.

The Tower of London was started to build by William the Conqueror in 1078 and completed in 1240, the also served then as royal residence, arsenal and a prison.

After few minutes, we walk towards the London Bridge, known to the world through the nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down”, built by the Romans 2000 years ago, across the River Thames. This bridge is where the criminals executed during the Romans. Passed through the Elizabeth Tower Clock or known as Big Ben that currently under renovation, towards the Westminster Abbey and the Parliament Square.

Few blocks from the Parliament Square, hailed the Methodist Central Hall (at Westminster, London) established in 1912, and where the first meeting of the United Nations in 1946 was held. Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Billy Graham visited this place. Then after the Methodist Central Hall, we walk towards the location of Buckingham Palace, where the royal family of England is residing.

And then went back to Royal Foundation of St. Katherine after having a dinner in an Asian restaurant.

July 18, 2018 (Wednesday). Woke up at 5:00 in the morning, have my breakfast and attended the Morning Praise and Prayer presided by an Anglican Priest at the RFSK Chapel. 10:00 in the morning, we went to John Wesley’s Chapel or Preaching House, the Museum of Methodism, John Wesley’s House located at the City Road, London.  The preaching house of John Wesley established in 1778, is currently use as one of the sanctuary of The Methodist Church, most of the members here are African immigrants.

To back track a bit, after returning to England from Georgia, John Wesley visited his ill brother Charles whom in May 21, 1738 experienced an evangelical conversion at the house of John Bray at Aldersgate. During his visit, through his brother Charles he met James Hutton, an owner of a bookshop and lodge where John Wesley stayed. John Hutton became instruments for John Wesley’s acquaintance with Peter Bohler and the Moravian missionaries. In May 1, 1778, John and Charles, James Hutton, Peter Bohler, and few others met at James Hutton’s home and organized a Religious Society that regularly meet at the Fetter Lane. They have weekly meetings for prayer and confession, and a monthly love feast from 7:00 to 10:00 in the evening. Then the heart-warming experience of John Wesley happened in the evening of May 24, 1738 in a prayer meeting at Aldersgate.

John Wesley succeeded to lead the little society and wrote the Rules of the Band Societies in December 25, 1738. John Wesley’s ministry grew in number to the point that they need a regular meeting place for preaching for a large crowd. So they moved at the Royal Foundry which is abandoned canon factory, and John Wesley was able to leased building remodelled into a preaching house where the first Service was held in November 11, 1939. It became the John Wesley’s headquarter in 1740. It was June 16, 1740 during the meeting, when John Wesley and eighteen members of the Fetter Lane Society walked out during the meeting due to the disagreements with the Moravian leaders.

The first meeting called by John Wesley after broke up was held at the Foundry, instead at the Fetter Lane. John Wesley developed their building into a chapel that can hold 1,500 people, with a large room which could accommodate 300, a dispensary and a bookshop for the sale of his books and pamphlets. He also put up a learning centre for children for free, and a shelter for widows. In the second floor of the building, John Wesley set rooms for him and for the Preachers. He intended to put plain benches instead of pews that symbolizing the equality of the membership status whether you are rich or poor. The building at Foundry became the site for regular preaching services done twice daily, 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning and 6:00 or 6:30 in the evening. The pattern Services usually begin with a short opening prayer, a hymn, and half-hour sermon, another hymn, and a concluding prayer.

According to the accounts, there were 66 class meetings met at the Foundry weekly supervised by John Wesley and assisted by the Methodist Preachers. The people called Methodists at the Foundry passionately lives out the C.H.R.I.S.T.I.C. or liberating spirituality. The “C” stands for Compassionate, where all members were be fed and nurtured to be a leaders, preachers, and missionaries. The “H” stands for having a holistic ministry component such as preaching and teaching the word, prayer, healing, livelihood program, children and youth ministries. The “R” stands for a Redeeming fellowship where are freed from bondage of sin and in any forms of evil, and being redeemed into its original image with the capacity to build empowering and harmonious relationship with one another and with other God’s creation. The “I” stands for Inquiring faith or faith seeking understanding. The “S” stands for Solidarity with the poor, oppressed, marginalized, exploited, deprived but struggling people. The “T” stands for Transformative society in sense that an ordinary individual transformed as become enlightened, equipped and empowered to participate in missions. The “IC” stands for Intercultural Competent for having the capacity to respect one another’s race, culture, social status, and language, and for possessing the gift of working with one another. Methodism at the Foundry has a profound identification with the poor and marginalized.  

In 1778, the headquarters of Methodist Society at the Foundry is relocated to the current location of the Wesley’ Chapel at City Road, London. The original pulpit and some benches were also relocated to the Wesley Chapel.

We visited the graveyard of John Wesley back of the Chapel, and Wesley’s House and Museum. Then at the Aldersgate Street, London where the Aldersgate Flame was erected closely as possible in the old Nettleton Court of the 18th century Aldersgate Street, where the Museum of London is now located.

Our last place we visited was the Cathedral of St. Paul where the life size statue of John Wesley is located in the compound. This would possibly in honour to the founder of Methodism that despite of the persecution and attacks against him from his colleagues and bishops of the Church of England, still died as a priest of the Church of England.

July 19, 2018 (Thursday). I maximized by day to encode my journal. Read books in my rooms, and then walked around the Royal Foundation of Saint Katherine.

July 20, 2018 (Friday). I woke up 5:00 in the morning, fixed my things and ready for check out. Attended the Morning Prayer at the Chapel presided by the Anglican Priest Rev. Atkin and then had my breakfast at Yurt Café. Then at 11 in the morning checked out from the Royal Foundation of St. Katherine, head off to Heathrow International Airport (London), it’s about 1 hour and 30 minutes via Tube Lane (Train), then bound for Manila, Philippines through Philippine Air Line PR 721 at 10:20 in the evening and arrived at Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Philippines at about 7:30 in the evening of July 21, 2018 (Saturday), it was a 12 hours and 30 minutes flight. Then, 4:00 in the morning of July 22, 2018 (Sunday), bound for Davao International Airport, Davao City, Philippines, and arrived at 5:45 in the morning, taxicab to the L300 Van Terminal bound for Kidapawan City, and finally backed home at 9:36 in the morning of the same date.

It is a great opportunity for me to visit and explore some places following the trail of John Wesley and Methodism in England. These also motivated me to read related books and articles about Wesleyan Heritage and Theology. It deepened my understanding and appreciation of Wesleyan Tradition and Spirituality and be more passionate in upholding and living out the treasured tradition and spirituality. The people called Methodists are people dynamically participate with Christ in his on-going work of transforming the world and in the journey toward God’s shalom. Passionately lives out to be a channel of grace for others and for all creation, a sign community of the coming and realization of the Kindom of God. Putting faith into practice through self-giving ministry that intends to address the suffering and economic deprivation of the poor. ###

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[1] Rev. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote while giving his lecture on the "Renewal in the Wesleyan Spirit", at Sarum College, Salisbury, England. He is the Director of the United Methodist Studies and Professor of the Asbury Theological Seminary, USA.

[2] Ms. Melanie Gordon while giving her lecture on "Covenant Relationship with Families and Children" She is a Religion Teacher of Christ Church Episcopal Upper School (IB) Greenville, South Carolina.

[3] Dr. Philip R. Meadows is a Professor of Evangelism Studies of Asbury Theological Seminary, USA.

[4] Rev. Dr. Steven Manskar while giving his lecture on Discipleship, Cavell Room, Sarum College, Salisbury, England. He is the former Director of the Wesleyan Leadership – Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church, USA.