Little Church

The United Methodist Church traces its roots back to 1739 when John Wesley and his hymn writing brother, Charles, began a rival movement within the Church of England. While studying at Oxford, the brothers Wesley and several other students formed a group devoted to disciplined Christian living known as the Holy Club.Outsiders labeled them “Methodists” to describe the odd, systematic spiritual exercises and methods of the Holy Club.Influenced by the Moravians, the brothers Wesley began preaching an evangelistic message with an emphasis on conversion and holiness. Over time, the brothers were banned from preaching in most established pulpits in England. Dedicated to their mission, the Wesleys began preaching in homes, open fields, cemeteries—wherever they found an audience.The Wesleys did not set out to create a new church, but instead to revitalize the Church of England through small groups. Soon, however, Methodism spread to America and at the Christmas Conference in 1784 a new denomination was established known as the Methodist Episcopal Church.Methodism flourished in America becoming one of the largest denominations in the country. In 1968, The United Methodist Church was created when the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church, a fellow Wesleyan tradition. Today, the United Methodist Church is a worldwide denomination with nearly ten million members serving the mission of Jesus Christ.