Wesley Pilgrimage 2023

Event Overview

UPDATE: The response to this year’s trip has been incredible and we have reached our capacity for the 2023 Wesley Pilgrimage. We are thrilled that there have been so many church leaders ready to explore the history of the Methodist movement in England with our group of historians and theologians.

In the event that someone currently registered for the trip drops out, you can add your name to the waitlist for this year’s trip and be added to the early contact list for the 2024 Wesley Pilgrimage. If spots for the 2023 Pilgrimage become available, members of the waitlist will be contacted in the order in which their interest was received.

Sign Up Today!

The 2024 Wesley Pilgrimage will take place from July 27-August 6, 2024 with roughly the same itinerary as the 2023 experience. Information on registration, costs, and scholarships will be available soon.

You are invited to a ten-day spiritual pilgrimage, walking in the footsteps of John and Charles Wesley. This journey is an opportunity to:

• Learn, pray, worship, and explore places where the Wesley brothers encountered the living God
• Form spiritual friendships with fellow pilgrims and Wesley scholars
• Integrate Wesleyan theology, ministry, and missional leadership
• Rekindle your spiritual passion

The Wesley Pilgrimage is open to all lay and clergy leaders. For ten days we will explore Epworth, the Wesley’s birthplace; Oxford, where John and Charles studied and led the Holy Club; Bristol, where the class meeting was developed and Methodism became a movement; and London, where both Wesley brothers experienced assurance of salvation. As British Methodism grew, London became the center of a new missional movement. The primary location for this pilgrimage is Salisbury, England, home to a vital Methodist congregation once served by Francis Asbury.

PILGRIMAGE REGISTRATION:

The online registration for U.S. Pilgrims and International Pilgrims is now open. All pilgrims pay the full event fee as explained below.

The pilgrimage registration fee is $2,295. The fee includes ten nights lodging, most meals, coach travel to pilgrimage sites, all admission fees, and more. The pilgrimage fee does not include round-trip airfare to England or ground transportation from the airport to Salisbury. However, included in this fee is a coach from Salisbury to Heathrow International Airport on July 20, 2023. Those planning to use this elective coach service should not book a flight with a departure time before 3:00 p.m. on July 20.

All pilgrims must pay a $350 non-refundable deposit to secure their place in the pilgrimage. Registration is “first come, first served.” The maximum number of pilgrims is 35; however, a waiting list will be available.

NOTE:

Applications and a non-refundable deposit of $350 are due by May 1, 2023.

SCHOLARSHIP REGISTRATION:

Those preparing for Christian Service may apply for scholarship assistance. This is a two-step process. Step 1 is the Scholarship Application (see below), and Step 2 is registration as a scholarship recipient.

There are a very limited number of scholarships available. Apply early and completely. The deadline for scholarship applications is March 1, 2023.

The registration fee for a scholarship recipient is $1,595. Successful applicants receive a $700 reduction in the cost of the Pilgrimage. Scholarship applicants preparing for Christian service will be given special consideration, including Commissioned Provisional Elders and Deacons, Licensed Local Pastors, Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers (CLMs). This event qualifies for three Continuing Education Units and credentialing credit toward a CLM Specialization in The Methodist Story and the Ministry of Memory (MSMM).

• Step 1: Scholarship Application (Note: scholarship applications are now closed.)
• Step 2: Scholarship Registration: After the scholarship committee has approved your application, you will receive a unique coupon code that will allow you to register at the reduced rate of $1,595. No other financial assistance is available from the event sponsors.

PILGRIMAGE SPONSORS:

The Wesley Pilgrimage in England is sponsored by The Upper Room, Discipleship Ministries, and The General Commission on Archives and History

This pilgrimage is physically demanding – we will walk over 50 miles during the ten days! If you have mobility limitations, we recommend you consider the Educational Opportunities Wesley Heritage Tour. Click here to learn more about this alternative tour.

For additional information about the 2023 Wesley Pilgrimage in England, please contact Sara Byrd at [email protected].

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Scholarship application deadline – March 1, 2023
• Application deadline/deposit due – May 1, 2023
• All fees due – June 2, 2023