Asbury Celebrations 2016

Asbury 200 Celebrations

Today set off to Birmingham as part of Francis Asbury's Celebrations, marking 200 years of his death. Anne and I lived in Selly Oak for three years whilst I trained at Queens College for ministry. Two of our boys were born in Birmingham, and  whilst we worked at the Overseas Division of The Methodist Church. (Methodist Missionary Society) at Church House in London we were frequent visitors of Selly Oak federation of colleges where the Methodist Church trained Missionaries as they were called at that time for overseas service. Asbury was one of the first missionaries commissioned with Thomas Coke by John Wesley to go to America when the Bishop of London recalled most of the CE clergy during the war of independence. Asbury became the first Methodist Bishop and joint Superintendent with Coke..

Whilst the main event is on Saturday we decided to make a couple of visits to various sites around the

Oak House Museum

Black Country this afternoon. First stop was Oak house Museum, at Sandwell. A hidden gem, this Tudor house was the home to the Turton Family 400 years ago. now owed by Sandwell Council it is a hands on museum with a great children's playground. John Wesley preached twice in the courtyard which today is marked by a blue plaque.

We traveled down the road  to Wesley Memorial Church in West Bromwich to see the 'Hand and cross' sculpture by Chris Dunseath, commemorating the preaching of John Wesley. Unveiled in 1989 in Duchess Parade St but moved to the present site outside the Methodist church in 2013.

Our final visit of the afternoon was to Asbury's Cottage at Great Barr. We will revisit this on Saturday and travel by vintage bus! But as we were so close and who knows what the weather will be like on Saturday a quick photo shoot was in order. The cottage was Asbury's childhood home where he lived with his parents until he was in his mid 20's, at the age of 26 he left for America.

Tomorrow we attend the "Who do you think you are...live" at the NEC, where the Methodist has a stand, hopefully a chance to find out and discover more about Black Country Methodism.