March 3 - John & Charles Wesley Remembered

The Anglican and Episcopal church calendars have set aside today, March 3 as a time to give thanks to God for brothers, John and Charles Wesley, 18th century Anglican Priests who started the Methodist movement. March 3 was chosen since both John and Charles died during this month. Charles died in 1788 and John died in 1791.

Methodism began as a reform movement within the Church of England and in 1784 became it's own denomination in America. The denomination began as the Methodist Episcopal Church and in 1939 it became known as The Methodist Church, and in 1968, the the new name of The United Methodist Church was given because of a merger of The Methodist Church with the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

The prayer below recalls John Wesley's famous phrase when he received an assurance of his faith at a prayer meeting in London in 1738 - "I felt my heart strangely warmed."

Prayer

Lord God, who inspired your servants John and Charles Wesley with burning zeal for the sanctification of souls, and endowed them with eloquence in speech and song: Kindle in your Church, we entreat you, such fervor, that those whose faith has cooled may be warmed, and those who have not known Christ may turn to him and be saved; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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