Church History

Standing in front of the pulpit of John Wesley’s New Room in Bristol, England, the Rev. Jonathan Pye leads a Sept. 12 service celebrating the 250th anniversary of Francis Asbury’s crossing of the Atlantic to America. Pye is the chair of the Bristol District of the Methodist Church in Britain and deputy chair of the trustees of John Wesley’s New Room. Attendance for the service was limited to allow for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Tim Tanton, UM News.

Celebrating Asbury’s impact on 2 shores

The 250th anniversary of Francis Asbury’s crossing of the Atlantic from England to America is being celebrated jointly by the Methodist Church of Britain and The United Methodist Church.

Church History

Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church has been called one of the sites all United Methodists should see because it has been a Methodist house of worship continually since 1769. Video image by Jess Warnock, courtesy of United Methodist Communications.

Ask The UMC: Where was the first Methodist annual conference in America?

The first annual conference in America was held in 1773 at a church that is still in existence today.

Church History

The Rev. Ju-sam Ryang is called the âAsbury of Koreaâ because he played an important role in unifying the two Methodist denominations of Korea. Photo courtesy of the General Commission on Archives and History; graphic by Laurens Glass, United Methodist Communications.

Ask The UMC: Who are Korean pioneers in Methodist history?

Mission and Ministry

Jackie Bolden (left), director of the World Methodist Museum, shows the John Wesley death mask to Anthony Elia (center), director of Bridwell Library at Perkins School of Theology, and the Rev. Craig C. Hill, dean of the Perkins School of Theology, during the final meeting of the Friends of the World Methodist Museum in Lake Junaluska, N.C. Photo by Ryan Hipps.

Trove of Methodist treasures comes to SMU

SMU’s Bridwell Library will soon be home to the entire World Methodist Museum collection, including John Wesley’s traveling pulpit and a number of his handwritten letters.

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