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When? Sunday nearest to 24 May (traditionally known as 'Wesley Day') or preceding Sunday 

It commemorates a life-changing moment in the Christian journey of John Wesley, the most prominent of the founders of Methodism.

In May 1738, John unwillingly attended worship at a Moravian ‘Religious Society’ meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. It was during this service that he felt his "heart strangely warmed", as he experienced God's love in a most personal and life-giving way. Until then he had known God in his mind, but not in his heart. Now he understood the value of a personal experience of God that would bring assurance of salvation to the believer.

 Read more about the Wesleys' story.

 

 

 

Aldersgate and A Methodist Way of Life
Resources for worship on Aldersgate Sunday
Singing the Aldersgate story
Feast of Faith resources

 

 

Aldersgate and A Methodist Way of Life

The twelve practices of A Methodist Way of Life are all great ways to encounter God.

 

How do you receive a life-changing encounter with God?

How do you receive a life-changing encounter with God?

John Wesley gives us a good example. He encountered God in a new way when he was 35. Somewhat reluctantly, he went to a meeting of Christians in a house in Aldersgate Street, London on 24 May 1738. While listening to someone read from the letter to the Romans in the Bible, John encountered God.

God changed John, and the Methodist Church came about soon after.

 

Experience

Today, all Methodists are encouraged to follow A Methodist Way of Life: twelve practices that help us encounter God. One of the practices is to notice God in Scripture and the world, which is what happened to Wesley that Wednesday evening. He had probably read the same words before many times, but this time the words allowed him to meet God in a new way. All twelve of the practices of A Methodist Way of Life work the same way; they are ordinary things, but they can be extraordinary, and allow us to meet God. And when that happens, things change for the better, both you and the world around you.

 

Reflection

It’s one thing to have experiences of God through the practices of A Methodist Way of Life. But we also need to take time to reflect on these experiences, to process them and let them settle into us.

John Wesley kept a journal throughout his life. We know about his experience with God at Aldersgate Street because he took time afterwards to look back and reflect on what happened, and write it down. He wrestled with language to try and describe the impossible, settling on a phrase that is both awkward and brilliant: “I felt my heart strangely warmed.” He also shared this story in his sermons, and his brother Charles wrote songs to share the story too.

 

Can I have an Aldersgate experience?

Yes! God is there, ready and willing to meet you. The twelve practices of A Methodist Way of Life are all great ways to encounter God. It probably won’t be exactly the same as John Wesley’s experience. But you may find that your heart is also strangely warmed, and who knows: you might hear a call to plant a new faith community that will help people have these kinds of encounters too. 

 

Questions to explore - in a sermon or discussion


Gospel reading: John 17: 1-11

Pray that God will be revealed in Scripture. Have someone read the passage aloud, slowly. Ask all present to write down the word that lands heavily with them. Offer space for people to share what their word was, and maybe why it is special for them this day.

Display three lists of words: body parts, adverbs, verbs. Ask people to combine one word from each column to make their own ‘heart-strangely-warmed’ formula to describe a time when they met God in a special way.

Body part

Adverb

Verb

Brain

Rapidly

Shivered

Guts

Forcefully

Glowed

Lungs

Calmly

Froze

Bones

Intensely

Leapt

Fingers

Gradually

Shook

 

Run through the list of twelve Methodist Way of Life commitments. Ask people to share which one they feel they are most likely to meet God through.

Ask people to share how they look back, reflect and process spiritual encounters: journaling, hymn writing, preaching, or something else?

 

Resources for worship on Aldersgate Sunday

A reflection for Aldersgate Sunday

The Revd Dr Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference 2019/20 reflects on Aldersgate Sunday. Please feel free to use this video in your own services.

 

 Download an mp4 file of Barbara Glasson's Reflection for Aldersgate Sunday here

 

A prayer for Aldersgate Sunday

By the Revd Dr Martyn Atkins

Resourceful Holy Spirit of God,
We thank you for your servants, John and Charles Wesley.

That you fuelled their zeal
and tempered it with divine grace;
brought them through dark times,
enlightened and renewed.

That you warmed their needy hearts,
assured and shaped them by your active holiness.
That through their willingness,
you worked out Your purposes of hope, mercy, and justice.

Somewhat daunted, we stand today in their deep footsteps.
In a world of new challenges and old needs in a time like no other.

But undaunted, we humbly ask you to do in us,
what you did in and through them.

May we know both your infilling and outpouring,
that whatever our situation or condition,
we will serve and honour Christ,
and in these, our days, know and believe
that the best of all is, “God is with us.”

Amen.

 

Singing the Aldersgate story

Including five hymns, by Charles Wesley and others, that explore what the Aldersgate experience meant to the Wesley brothers. Plus further hymn suggestions ideal for use in worship or small group discussion. 

 

 

 

 

Feast of Faith resources

To commemorate Aldersgate Sunday, we invite you to plan a Feast of Faith. 

In the context of a joyful sharing of food, and inspired by John Wesley's 'Aldersgate' experience, encourage your church members to talk about how their experiences of God's love and grace have changed their lives or are inspiring mission in your church or community.

For you and every member of your church, Feast of Faith should be about:

  • your relationship with God
  • your story
  • your thankful response to the call to live generously.

A suggested hymn to use as a prayer for your Feast of Faith service is Come, and let us sweetly join Christ to praise in hymns divine (StF 646). This hymn, by Charles Wesley, was published with the title "The Love Feast".

Having shared your faith stories, how might your congregation respond to the work of God in their lives: how we can each live more generously?

Organiser's pack

Download everything you need to hold your very own Feast of Faith here: