Wesleyan Pilgrimage for Probationers
May 2010

The Wesleyan Pilgrimage for Probationers will immerse participants in the historical, theological, and spiritual heritage of the Methodist movement. They will visit many sites associated with John and Charles Wesley and the development of the Methodist movement — Oxford, Bristol, and London.

The pilgrimage will be a partnership the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD). It will be lead by Dr. Paul W. Chilcote, Professor of Historical Theology and Wesley Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary and President of the Charles Wesley Society and Dr. Steven W. Manskar, Director of Accountable Discipleship for GBOD.

Drs. Chilcote and Manskar will provide a series of lectures on Wesleyan history, theology, and spirituality. They will interpret the significance of the various sites to be visited, connecting the historical and theological meanings to life and ministry in the 21st century.

Participants will be organized in small groups for daily theological reflection and prayer. They will experience daily worship and Eucharist that will immerse the them in the Wesleyan tradition.

The Wesleyan Pilgrimage to England will be an important part of the probationary process. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition that will equip them to live, teach and invite others into the United Methodist Way of following and serving with Jesus Christ in the world.

The Wesleyan Pilgrimage Scholarship Fund

Your help is needed to make this pilgrimage possible. Most women and men in the probationary process are serving small congregations. They are supporting themselves and their families on minimum salaries. They will not be able to bear the full cost of the pilgrimage on their own; which is why we have established the Wesleyan Pilgrimage Scholarship Fund.

We estimate the total cost for the pilgrimage will be $3,500-$4,000 per person. This figure includes round-trip airfare to England.

Your generous tax-deductible gift to the Wesleyan Pilgrimage Scholarship fund is an investment in the future leadership of The United Methodist Church. You will play a vital role in the development of women and men who will lead the church into the future God is calling us toward.

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