Four months before his death, in December 1790 the Rev. Mr. Wesley was walking through the streets of London collecting alms. According to his journal, this effort was to provide coal for warmth, food for sustenance and to meet other needs of the region’s poor. He describes the day as bitterly cold with freezing rain as he walked through slush that was over the tops of his shoes. He was 87 at the time.
When the first Methodist preaching house was built, the New Room in Bristol, it served multiple purposes. First, it was a place of worship designed to accommodate a large crowd on the floor and in the balcony that rimmed the main floor. It was a place for the class meetings to be held to assist people in their spiritual journey. Yet, the room was built with small benches instead of pews. The purpose for this was so they could be rearranged to meet other needs. These needs included a Sunday School that taught reading particularly to help the children have a future beyond back breaking work in the mines of the region. It provided an apothecary to help provide basic medical care since many of the poor could not afford a physician. It provided a lending bank to assist people who completed their apprenticeship to open their own shops as well as to launch cottage business for sewing, etc. It housed not only John but traveling preachers who were educated and prepared for ministry in this place.
The West Virginia Conference Global Ministries Service Award is a way to recognize those who have extended themselves, like the Rev. Mr. Wesley, to engage a hurting community in meaningful and long- lasting relations that lead to transformed lives.
We have one award to offer to either: a lay person, a clergy person or a group of people serving beyond the local church.
The deadline to nomination someone is April 30, 2023. Please follow this link to download and fill out the nomination form.
Award consists of:
- A plaque will be presented recognizing the Global Ministries Service Award winner.
- A gift of $500 will be made in honor of the Global Ministries Service Award winner from the West Virginia Conference Global Ministries team to assist with the mission project mentioned in the application.
Criteria:
- Individual(s) must be involved with the greater community beyond the walls of the church.
- The individual(s) engage the community in an ongoing effort to meet basic human needs and to assist people in improving their quality of life.
- The mission itself is inclusive of all persons regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or identity, nation of origin or religious affiliation.
Follow this link to download this flyer.