1. Methodist Ethos Methodist Schools
What makes methodist schools distinctive?

2. TWO CONTRASTING VIEWS…..
‘There is something about your schools’
What’s Methodism and …..?

3. Being the crack where the light gets in…
There’s always a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in …
You who are my disciples must be like light – you must make the life of the whole world worth living

4. WHAT MIGHT A METHODIST IDENTITY BE?

5. There are no distinguishing marks of a Methodist (!)
John Wesley

6. What sort of a world was Wesley born into?
Hanoverian
Jacobite rebellion
Colonial expansion
American expansion
African slave trade
After the English Civil War
Before the French Revolution
Intellectual enlightenment

8. What drOVE WESLEY’S REMARKABLE MINISTRY?
Finding a faith that works
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.
I now have peace with God

9. miles later ….

10. A message with impact 8 million Methodists in America
80 million worldwide
85 UK schools, 25,000 children
Worldwide school and alumni
Methodist Homes for the Aged
Action for Children
G2L AIMS
A message with impact
First school – for miners’ children
First permanent free clinic in London
Walked miles collecting for charity
Vehemently opposed slavery
Critical of the behaviour of the rich
Promoted drinking beer, not tea!
Allowed lay people and women to preach
The reason why there was no French revolution in England

11. Becoming like god in mercy, justice, truth – and love
Singing the faith - worship which is accessible but also challenging. People found joy in the emotional singing and learned their faith through memorising the words
‘For all, for all’ - startling inclusivity (women, the uneducated) married with a belief in change and transformation and improvement
‘Living with contradictory convictions’ – Liberal in thought and learning. ‘Let every one enjoy the full and free liberty of thinking for himself’. A Catholic Spirit - the willingness to accept that other people earnestly hold opinions different from yours and not falling out over it; including on religion; ‘If the Methodists leave the CofE, God will leave the Methodists
Connexional. Asking ‘what is the work of God in this place?’ Recognising the importance of context: "Consider, with deep and frequent attention, the peculiar circumstances wherein you stand.“ But at the same time, joined up and supportive of each other
A transformative belief in the love of God. ‘I am more assured that love is of God than that any opinion whatsoever is so’.
Knowing the loving fatherhood of God creates a distinctive relationship of brotherly love with other people. Because of this we ‘watch over one another in love’ and ‘build each other up’.
The world is my parish – Methodists live on a larger map. We see ourselves in the big picture and take on active global citizenship
Promote a religion that works, that is not just a formality – hearts strangely warmed; living without fear.
Social holiness: the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion; a challenge to do good (all the good you can …) Radically ahead of its time on issues like slavery.A persistent speaking of truth to power, resistance of evil. ‘Either, therefore, you must consent to give up your principles, or your fond hope of pleasing men’.

12. Methodist cHARACTERISTICS
God loves, so we love
Watching over one another
A religion that works
The world is our Parish
Social holiness – doing ‘all we can’
Singing the faith
For all, for all
Living with contradictory convictions
Educationally liberal
Individual and connexional
Ecumenical engagement