Pastoral thoughts and musings
Senior Pastor, First Methodist • Downtown Jackson
Jackson, Tennessee USA
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Methodism
Wesley Covenant Prayer
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen. - John Wesley
Perhaps one of the ways to regain the method of Methodism is to pray the above prayer daily: that God might use us as a vessel, and that we might submit ourselves to the discipline of being available to God.
Dr. Jonathan Jeffords lectured at our district clergy meeting this week, and reminded us of the Wesleyan understanding of salvation: our salvation is not just about what we’re saved from, but also what we’re saved to. In other words – God saves us and loves us: unconditionally and absolutely. Now… what are we going to do about it?
Go forth, in Jesus’ name.
Pax,
Sky+
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2 comments:
I am learning the histories of various denominational family) lines in the church. Perhaps you can tell me - what is the method in methodism?
Thank you.
The Method was quite simple - Wesley outlined them in disciplines and the means of grace: accountability with fellow Christians, prayer, piety, doing good works/acts of mercy, participating in missions, the reading of scripture.
All of these are done in the context of community life... which the U.S. is having a harder and harder time of doing.
Sky+
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