May 24, or Wesley Day, celebrates the anniversary of the day when John Wesley attended a church meeting at Aldersgate Street in London and experienced something which he described as his heart being ‘strangely warmed’.

This infilling of the Holy Spirit acted as a turning point in his Christian ministry and the eventual founding of the Methodist Church.

At the last Relax and Refuel Cafe Church, held on May 26, Rev Ian and Local Preacher Christine Beggs, focused on a well-known hymn written by Charles Wesley (John’s brother) called ‘And Can it be’. There was particular focus on the words in the fourth verse ‘……my chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth and followed Thee.’ Ian spoke about the joint experience of the Wesley brothers and what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Christine lead the group in creating paper chains which were then joined together into one big circle to hold while prayers were said for the world, the church and our own communities. At the end, the chains were broken as they sang the hymn together at the end of worship.

What a wonderful celebration!