• The Bible is authoritative and inspired by God.
• God's nature is one of universal, everlasting and unlimited love.
• Humankind was created so that this love could be expressed and shared.
• Because mankind became disobedient to God, He sent Jesus to save us from the consequences of our sin.
• As God's only son, Jesus shares His father's authority.
• Jesus was both divine and truly human.
• He suffered death but rose again to life.
• By sacrificing his human life, He has reconciled us to God.
• We will be forgiven for our sins and have everlasting life if we acknowledge our need for forgiveness, accept Jesus's sacrifice and choose to follow Him and commit ourselves fully to loving, obeying and serving Him.
• We cannot earn this everlasting life through our own merits; it is a gracious gift from God. The Holy Spirit is God at work in the world and in people.
• We can communicate with God through prayer.
• Jesus will eventually judge our lives.

Characteristics of Methodism

In Methodism, lay people (as opposed to ordained ministers) take a major role in the leading of worship, in pastoral care, and in administration of the church. Methodists believe in the doctrine of the 'priesthood of all believers'. Every member of the church has gifts and abilities which can and should be used in God's service.

Methodist worship may follow set forms (liturgy), as in Holy Communion and the Covenant Service; but more often it is spontaneous, arising from the needs and inspirations of the moment. Prayers are generally extemporary, and the preacher may select his/her own choice of lessons from scripture.

Methodists believe that God's grace is offered to every person, irrespective of social or economic standing or life style. Each person is free to accept or reject what God offers. Nobody is predestined to salvation or damnation.

Methodism insists on the personal nature of Christianity. Each of us is invited as an individual person into the Kingdom of Heaven; we must make a personal choice to enter or stay out.

Methodism has always placed great emphasis on social concern. Following John Wesley's fierce opposition to slavery, Methodists have devoted much energy to the elimination of social evils and the promotion of human rights.

Supreme authority within the Methodist Church is held by the Methodist Conference which meets annually. Unlike the Archbishop of Canterbury, the President of the Conference holds office for one year only. Each district operates under the leadership of a Chair (equivalent in many respects to a Bishop in the Church of England).

John Wesley (1703-1791)

John was the son of Rev. Samuel Wesley, the Anglican Rector of Epworth in Lincolnshire. Samuel had nineteen children; eight died in infancy and only six remained when John, the fifteenth was born. When John was six years old he was rescued from a fire which destroyed the rectory in which the family lived.

He was educated in London and Oxford and was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1728. He helped his brother Charles to establish a religious study group called 'The Holy Club' in Oxford. Because of their methodical, disciplined way of living the members of this club were nicknamed 'Methodists'.

From 1728 onwards he rose at 4.00am every day. He became involved in social work, caring for the education and welfare of prisoners, giving food, medicine and books to the poor in the workhouses, and running a school.

He travelled to America and tried, without much success, to convert the American Indians to Christianity. His faith was deepened at a meeting in London in 1738; he wrote 'I felt my heart strangely warmed'. In his lifetime he is said to have preached over 40,000 sermons.

Despite an increasing level of income, he always lived on £28 a year, and gave the rest away. It is estimated that during his life he gave away £30,000. He travelled about 5,000 miles a year, mostly on horseback. He preached in streets and fields to anyone who would listen, but mostly to ordinary, humble working people, avoiding the rich. He believed that God loves every man, woman and child, and wants them to be good.

During his lifetime Methodism was a 'movement', not a separate church. John was banned from preaching in Anglican churches but remained an Anglican all his life.

Sayings of John Wesley

I look upon all the world as my parish.

Once in seven years I burn all my sermons; for it is a shame if I cannot write better sermons now than I did seven years ago.

Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

Having first gained all you can, and secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.

Do not speak evil of Jesus Christ. You may sometime stand in need of him. And if you should, you will find him the best friend in Heaven or earth.

Since God is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve God in our neigbour, which God receives as if done to Himself in person.

I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

The church has nothing to do but save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.

The Bible knows nothing of a solitary Christian.

The Gospel of Christ knows no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.

I am a Bible-bigot. I follow it in all things, both great and small.

The best of all is, God is with us.