A Church is a gathering of people who meet together to praise, worship and give thanks to God. The members of the church share the belief of one God, who loves us so much that he sent his only son Jesus, to live and die for us. The believers are called Christians and believe that Jesus is alive today in the presence and power and working of the Holy Spirit.
Christians are people who believe that God, who is Holy and divine, came to earth and lived with us as Jesus, so that He could show us His love and power.
Christians accept Jesus as Christ, the one chosen by God, Lord and Saviour [the one who saves].
Christians live in communion with God; that is they pray to Him, and talk with Him to seek His guidance, strength and comfort.
Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is God's Spirit and power. He is present in every believer and guides, directs, encourages and helps them to live according to God's plan for them.
A Methodist is a Christian and member of the universal Church. They confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and accept the calling to serve Him in the life of the Church and the world.
Methodists believe that:
All need to be saved
All may be saved
All may know themselves saved.
Methodists try to reflect in their lives the love that God wishes to share with all people. In worship Methodists give thanks to God who loves us and has set us in this world of possibilities. They give thanks for one another. They pray that God will continue to sustain and enable everyone to live fulfilled lives. Methodist worship is characterised by a lively tradition of hymn singing and a passionate regard for preaching the love and justice of the gospel of Jesus.
The priority of Methodists is to tell people about Good News of Jesus and call them to faith and to Christian Discipleship. They also embrace care for individuals and communities; involvement in education and development for all, being alongside the poor, caring for the earth and getting to know other cultures and faiths.
Methodism has at its roots one person whose vision, determination and faith inspired fellow seekers to re-assess their lives and renew their relationship with God. John Wesley (1703 - 1791) challenged the religious assumptions of his day, urging those to whom he preached to 'trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation' for the assurance that we are all forgiven through Christ.
When John Wesley was at Oxford University, he was part of a small group of students who held regular meetings for Bible study, prayer and Communion. This earned them the nickname 'The Holy Club' or 'Methodists'.
Wesley became a priest in the Church of England, but in 1738 had a spiritual experience that he described as God working in his heart through faith in Christ. He launched a hugely influential preaching ministry and had a flair for organising people into small groups. These he named classes, with locally appointed preaches and leaders, which studied the gospels and prayed together. Wesley's new movement became a separate Church, which grew rapidly throughout the 18th century and afterwards.
Today, there are about 6,500 Methodist Churches in Britain. These churches have a total membership of about 350,000 people.
There are around 1 million people in Britain who in one way or another have a connection with the Methodist Church. There are 70 million such people across the world.
To worship is to praise, adore, and celebrate the one true God. In worship we offer our lives and ourselves to our father - God. We communicate with God through prayer and songs. We listen to His word when we pray, hear the Bible being read and through the message of the preacher. We respond to God's calling in our prayers, our lives and our giving.
Meeting with other Christians enables us to help one another and pray for each other as well as enjoying the unique and generous gift of fellowship.
The Methodist Church is the fourth largest Christian Church in Britain after the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches and the Church of Scotland. It has close spiritual links with these and the United Reformed Church and other free churches.
All the Christian Churches share in common a belief that God is the creator and sustainer of all life and that the death on a cross of God's son Jesus Christ was an act of total love, which through his resurrection offers a new start beyond our wildest dreams. We share this belief because of the presence of God the Holy Spirit, who continues to move and inspire in the world today.
Methodism encourages links between its churches, recognising the significant benefits in being part of a national movement. This, in Methodism, is called 'Connexion'. The Church is governed by the Methodist Conference - a democratically elected body that meets annually.
Local churches are grouped in Circuits, which organise worship for congregations. Pastoral care is also provided. Two thirds of all Methodist services are conducted by a local (lay) preacher. Stewards and a number of other members of the church council are elected by a General Church Meeting. At every level up to the Methodist Conference itself, lay people share in making decisions alongside ordained ministers and deacons. Every individual can play a part in influencing church policy.