Part I and II will be available end of day, May 2, 2022. The remaining four parts will roll out before Heritage Sunday (May 22, 2022) Thank you for your patience!

"If there be any word in the English tongue as ambiguous and indeterminate in its meaning as the word Church, it is one that is nearly allied to it -- the word Schism." -- 

These words, spoken by John Wesley, in a sermon entitled On Schism, were written as John faced division within his own movement called Methodism. His words allow us to ponder, question, and theorize the idea of Church as well as the idea of a schism within a church. What makes a church? You have to know what Church is before you can know what a schism in that Church is or how it will affect those who identify with a Church.

Many United Methodists are worried about the future of United Methodism and many wonder if what we’re going through is unprecedented. But, it’s not. Methodism has taken many many forms as a historic movement of faith. In fact, some might say that an honest examination of the peoples called Methodist shows that we split more often than we come back together. While this might sound a bit disheartening, it also provides room for new growth, new winds of the Spirit, and new forms of Methodist grace to sprout. 

Each year, GCAH produces a set of resources surrounding a particular theme for Heritage Sunday, celebrated on Aldersgate Day or its preceding Sunday. Given another delay of General Conference and the announcement of a new Methodist denomination, the Global Methodist Church, forming as of May 1, 2022, we are here to guide us through these changes. Together, we’ll examine our past, “Splits, Separations, and Reconciliations.”

This six-part course can function as an individual study, a small group, or a congregational study. Each week begins with an opening prayer and scripture. We then dive into the history and context of a split, separation, or reconciliation. We've included inside peeks to some of the historic documents housed in our denominational archive (GCAH) as well as videos with guest scholars. We hope you enjoy this workshop but more importantly that you learn a bit about our United Methodist history.

-Ashley Boggan D.

General Secretary, GCAH