UMC Lay and Clergy Invited to Walk in the Footsteps of the Wesley Brothers
The following announcement has been put out by the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) Since this is not an officially sponsored Central Texas Conference event, please refer all questions and comments regarding the trip detailed below to the GBOD at the numbers and address given in the release.
by Steve Horswill-Johnston*All United Methodist lay and clergy leaders are invited to walk in the footsteps of John and Charles Wesley as they participate in a 10-day Wesley Pilgrimage to England next spring - April 15-24, 2013.
Participants will immerse themselves in the Christ-centered leadership of the Wesley brothers during the pilgrimage offered by the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD).
“We will learn, pray and explore places where the Wesleys lived and served,” said Dr. Steven Manskar, director of Wesleyan Leadership at GBOD, who will co-lead the adventure. “On the pilgrimage, we will worship daily and make connections between the Wesleyan heritage and missional leadership for today.”
Dr. Paul Chilcote, Academic Dean and Professor of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio, will join Manskar to lead the pilgrimage.
The registration fee of $1,795 includes 10 nights lodging, most meals, ground transportation to pilgrimage sites and all admission fees. This event qualifies for three CEUs. During the journey, the pilgrims will explore:
- Epworth, the Wesley’s birthplace
- Oxford, where the brothers led the Holy Club
- Bristol, home of the Methodist societies and class meeting
- London, where both Wesley brothers experienced assurance of salvation and John Wesley built the center of British Methodism
- Salisbury, home to a vital Methodist congregation once served by Francis Asbury.
“I cannot imagine a better way to bring our Wesleyan theology, practice and heritage to life than to experience immersion as a pilgrim among pilgrims in the place where the Methodist Movement began,” said the Rev. Jim Winkler, District Superintendent in the East Ohio Conference, who was part of the 2012 pilgrimage.“This experience would be especially significant for those seeking to be ordained in response to God’s call to full time ministry. Nearly half our pilgrims were provisional members of conferences from across the continental USA. What better way to develop leaders deeply rooted in the Wesleyan tradition for the challenges facing the movement today?” Rev. Winkler said.
Registration deadline for the 2013 Wesley Pilgrimage is March 15, 2013. Limited scholarships for provisional elders and deacons will be provided by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
To register, or to get more information, go to gbod.org/WesleyPilgrimage, or contact Dr. Manskar at smanskar@gbod.org or (877) 899-2780, ext. 1765.
Steve is the executive director of Communications for the GBOD. stevehj@gbod.org / (615) 340-1726 GBOD’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD is located at 1908 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn. Visit www.gbod.org for more information or call the Communications Office at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 1726.