By Rev. Alfred T. Day, III, General Secretary
The General Commission on Archives and History
This year’s annual denomination-wide special Sunday for remembering and reflecting on United Methodist history, ethos and DNA (Discipline 264.1) falls squarely upon May 24, Aldersgate Day. Add to that the fact that the date falls the week after the much anticipated, anxiety-stirring, potentially divisive and surely historic 2020 General Conference will gavel its conclusion. In anticipation of this confluence of events, GCAH has gathered a select group of Methodist historians, communicators, and GCAH commission members to brainstorm ideas for how this year’s Heritage Sunday can find some insightful, useful and hopeful perspectives for the Church when the denomination at all levels will be living-into the impacts of the General Conference. The next few years of the UMC’s life will be both challenging and formative.
What insight does our shared history offer to United Methodists’ thoughts and feelings at “just such a time as this?”
What stories do we need to remember and retell? Are there silver-linings from past struggles for unity?
Watch the GCAH website (beginning in March) and our partners from United Methodist Communications and Discipleship Ministries as we offer devotional, group study, educational and worship resources in the coming weeks and months. If your church marks Heritage Sunday, this year can bear a message from our past to shape the future like no other. If your church does NOT mark Heritage Sunday, this is the year to start.
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