Methodist Church hopes to strengthen mission with new heritage guide

The Methodist Church hopes a new book on its history will boost the mission of the Church.

The Methodist Heritage Handbook has been launched at the Best of Britain & Ireland travel show, currently taking place at the London Olympia.

It offers readers a guide to visiting 100 historic sites, including the Old Rectory at Epworth in Lincolnshire, the childhood home of John and Charles Wesley, and the first ever Methodist building at the New Room in Bristol, built by John Wesley as a place for preaching and education, a dispensary and also as a lodging for himself and his itinerant preachers.

The Church's Heritage Officer Jo Hibbard said the story of the Methodist Church's past would support the mission of the Church in the future.

“All our sites are linked by one story and by a shared history and inspiration. This is not only the story of the growth of a worldwide Christian movement; it also illustrates the relationship and relevance of faith to spiritual, social and economic development over the past 300 years, today and for the future,” she said.

The handbook has been endorsed by Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, presenter of the BBC’s highly successful The History of Christianity.

“Methodism has been at the heart of Protestant Christianity worldwide since the eighteenth century - far beyond the churches which call themselves Methodist," he said.

"Without the new departures in Christian life inspired by John Wesley, the movements which encompass Pentecostalism, the Salvation Army and the many independent Churches of Africa and Asia would not exist in anything like their present form.

"It is a task of global importance to preserve the places and experiences in Britain which triggered this extraordinary variety of Christianities.”

Sites mentioned in the free, full-colour booklet include those visited by John Wesley on his nationwide preaching tours, as well as those of significance to the development of Methodism in the 19th century.

“Our Methodist Heritage sites have never had much central support or promotion, and yet they represent a huge asset to the Church’s mission," said Hibbard.

"Now we have a committee to give oversight and encourage collaboration and an officer to access advice and support fundraising.

"Every Methodist Heritage place, artefact or archive has a unique part of the story of Methodism to tell, and we have over 100 historic gems for visitors to discover.”