Pastor Sandra Cox in the pulpit of New Room in Bristol, England, which was built by John Wesley in 1739.
Where I grew up, when you met someone for the first time it was not uncommon to ask, “Where do your people come from?” As in, “Are you kin to the Jacksons from Donelson or the ones from Madison?” Presumably, knowing where you came from helped to understand who you might be now. With that same spirit, 12 of us made a pilgrimage to England to discover what it means to claim our roots in John Wesley and the movement he began in 18th century England. We travelled to London, Oxford, and Bristol to stand where he stood and walk where he walked. (Oh, wow, did we walk!) And to see if there was anything in our past that might strengthen our future. This Sunday I’ll launch a sermon series, “The People Called Methodist” and attempt to share with you some insights I gained on our summer pilgrimage. I believe there is much in our heritage that can speak to our lives today. Join us this Sunday as we take a look at how our past can shape our future.