Pilgrimage to Mark Charles Wesley Tercentenary
November 2, 2006
Duke Divinity School and the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) of the United Methodist Church will mark the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley’s birth by hosting a pilgrimage in England from July 31-Aug. 10, 2007.
The trip, which will immerse participants in the legacy of this important Methodist founder and hymn writer, is led by Paul Chilcote, visiting professor of the practice of evangelism and Wesleyan studies at Duke Divinity School and president of The Charles Wesley Society; Steve Manskar, director of accountable discipleship at GBOD; and Tim Macquiban, principal of Sarum College in Salisbury, England.
The pilgrimage will acquaint participants with the historical background and religious heritage of the Methodist movement and the life and witness of Charles Wesley. They will visit Epworth, his place of birth; Oxford, where he studied and taught, and where he founded the so-called “Holy Club;” Bristol, where he helped to form the first Methodist Societies and began to raise his family; and London, where Charles Wesley and his family spent the final years of his life, overseeing the expanding Methodist movement with his brother, John.
Other destinations on the pilgrimage include Salisbury and a stay at Sarum College; West Bromwich near Birmingham, Frances Asbury’s training ground; Glastonbury and Wells, with their connections to the Arthurian legends; Gloucester, associated with the Wesleys’ friend and colleague, George Whitefield; and important sites in London such as St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey.
“People on this pilgrimage will delve into the ministry, theology and spirituality of Charles Wesley through daily prayer and worship, visiting historic sites, and other activities,” Chilcote says. “They also will come to understand the essential role of Charles Wesley’s hymns in Christian formation in the Wesleyan heritage, and to make a connection between the Wesleyan/Methodist heritage and the life and ministry of their home congregations.”
The event is open to the public, and particpants earn three continuing education units. View more information, including fees and schedules, and register. For additional details, contact Becky Caudill, 877-899-2780, ext. 7059, or bcaudill@gbod.org.