Christian Year

ALDERSGATE SUNDAY

John Wesley (1703-1791), together with his brother Charles (1707-1788), is regarded as the founder of Methodism. Together they formed the “Holy Club” when they were at Oxford University. John was ordained as a priest in the Church of England and had undertaken missionary work (unsuccessfully) in America.

However, it was after his return to London that on 24 May 1738 he attended a meeting of Moravian Christians and here he had a conversion experience which he described as follows:

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

That experience led him to travel extensively preaching the gospel throughout Britain (and further afield).

Methodist churches often celebrate the event on 24 May if that is a Sunday or otherwise on the Sunday before calling the day “Aldersgate Sunday” or “Wesley Day”.