We talk a lot about John Wesley in the Methodist Church, and for good reason. We are passionate about Wesley and the example he left us.
Wesley was not an innovative theologian trying to invent a new Christianity. He did not set out to start a new denomination. Instead, he looked deeply at Scripture and traditions of the Christian faith and saw a church that had grown too comfortable. His answer was not a new faith, but a reinvigorated one.
Wesley took the Gospel out of the comfortable parsonages and away from corridors of power into the fields, coal mines, factories, hospitals, and prisons. He preached Christ to people the established church neglected. He called Christians to a faith that was disciplined, joyful, holy, and alive.
Wesley did not teach us to seek something new. He taught us to drink deeply from the faith we already had.
In 2026, we stand at a similar moment in church history. We can look out at a church that is safe and comfortable and wonder if we have lost some of the passion that once sent Christians into the world with the Gospel. Have we become content to maintain what we have rather than pursue the life of holiness, service, and witness to which Christ calls us?
Wesley’s answer would not be to invent something new. It would be to return to the source: to Scripture, prayer, the sacraments, Christian fellowship, works of mercy, and the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. The fire does not need to be invented. It needs to be rekindled.
John Wesley is important to us because he was on fire with holy passion.
We hope you join us on upcoming Sundays for our worship series, Living Passionately: Wesley and the UMC.
Sunday, September 6 – Romans 8:28-30 – Wesley Family History
Sunday, September 13 – Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 22:37-39 – Mission and Vision of the UMC
Sunday, September 20 – Galilee History: Who We Are, What We Believe
Sunday, September 27 – 1 Peter 2:9-10 – What Sets Us Apart?
Sunday, October 4 – 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12 – The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
Sunday, October 11 – How Are We Connected? – Rev Sarah Calvert
Sunday, October 18 – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 – Laity Led: Courageously
Sunday, October 25 – Colossians 1:9-14 – Ministry to the Community
Galilee worships at 10am on Sundays (11am at the Chapel). We also have many resources for you to worship via livestream.
The new UMC Handbook is an excellent resource on the history and direction of our denomination.
The day-to-day governance of our church is laid out in a rulebook called The Book of Discipline.
