FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Jan. 22, 2020 /The Upper Room / — The 2020 Wesley Pilgrimage in England, a 11-day event that helps leaders deepen their understanding of Wesleyan heritage by engaging in spiritual practice while exploring historic Methodist sites, is quickly filling up.
The 2020 pilgrimage will take place July 27–August 6. It features visits to six cities important to the Wesley family and the founding of Methodism and will include talks from faculty members whom specialize in Methodism. Opened to all members of The United Methodist Church, to the larger Wesleyan family, and to ecumenical friends, the pilgrimage is a partnership of The Upper Room (through Discipleship Ministries), the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and the General Commission on Archives and History.
Spiritual leaders for the 2020 pilgrimage include:
Manskar, senior pastor of Trinity UMC in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says he still carries advice from one of his seminary professors who believed “United Methodist preachers need to make pilgrimage to two places: the Holy Land to walk where Jesus and the apostles walked and to England to walk in the footsteps of John and Charles Wesley and the people called ‘Methodists.’”
According to Melanie Gordon, “Something powerful happens when you travel to the Old Rectory in Epworth and walk through the rooms where Susannah Wesley taught her children how to read the Bible and pray. Visiting these pilgrimage sites reminds us of the importance of spiritual formation in the family and inspires us to do the same today.”
The Rev. Dr. Paul Chilcote says he continues to participate in the pilgrimage each year because “I have seen the fire of love for God and neighbor rekindled in pastors and church leaders. I have seen clergy spouses reconnect with the Wesleyan vision and mission. And I have seen lay men and women inspired by the Holy Spirit to new levels of love and good works. This pilgrimage gives new life and spiritual energy to all of us who share this journey.”
Tom Albin, Director of Spiritual Formation and Congregational Life for The Upper Room, sums up the experience in these words: “Something too deep for words takes place when we experience God in the culture and context of a spiritual community. We are changed as we learn together, walk together, eat together, worship together, and pray together. The spiritual connections made during this 11-day pilgrimage often result in life-long friendships.”
The pilgrimage costs $2,195. This amount covers all lodging, pilgrimage travel, admission fees, group insurance, laundry service, and most meals. It does not include the round-trip airfare to Sarum College in England. All participants will receive a certificate of completion and 3.0 CEUs.
Scholarship funds are available for those preparing for Christian service, including UMC commissioned provisional elders and deacons, licensed local pastors, lay servants, lay speakers, and certified lay ministers. Scholarship recipients pay a reduced registration fee of $1,095. Scholarship applications must be submitted no later than February 15, 2020. To apply, visit here.
A $350 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration, and full payment must be received no later than July 3, 2020. Participants may pay in installments. For more information, contact Tom Albin or learn more here.
The Upper Room is a global ministry dedicated to helping people create daily life with God. From its beginnings as a daily devotional guide, The Upper Room has grown to include publications, programs, prayer support, and other resources to help believers of all ages and denominations move to a deeper level of faith and service. The Upper Room is a part of Discipleship Ministries. Visit UpperRoom.org to learn more.
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Sherry Elliott
Executive Director of Interpretation and Development
[email protected]
615-340-7520
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