Heritage Sunday
Heritage Sunday (May 24 or the Sunday preceding) is a Special Sunday celebrated by United Methodist congregations to reflect on our heritage, to celebrate the church's history, and look forward to the future.
Celebrating the 300th Anniversary of Charles Wesley's Birth
Charles Wesley is sometimes called the "first Methodist" as he was the first to bring like-minded Christians together in the "Holy Club" at Oxford. Today people are much more familiar with Charles Wesley's hymns than with John Wesley's sermons. Charles wrote hundreds of hymns, many that are still sung today. He was also one of the most prolific poets in the English language.
Global Ministries Resources:
- Celebrating our Past:
Heritage Sunday in The United Methodist Church - Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism
- Selected Hymns of Charles Wesley
- United Methodist Mission History
- United Methodist Women's History
- The Wesleys and Their Times
- Charles Wesley at 300: A Poet with a Mission; a Global Praise resource
Heritage Sunday shall be observed on Aldersgate Day (May 24), or the Sunday preceding that date. The day provides an opportunity for reflection on heritage, celebration of where the Church has been, how it understands itself as it shapes us today, and the meaning of Christian conferencing. Heritage Sunday calls the Church to remember the past by committing itself to the continuing call of God. (From 265.1, The Book of Discipline, 2004)
Offsite Resources:
- The Evangelistic Impact of Heritage Sunday; General Board of Discipleship
- Heritage Sunday Resources: General Commission on Archives and History
- Heritage Sunday: Manual for Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History
