Hearts Strangely Warmed

21 May 2026.

As I sit down to write this, my heart is warm. Heather and I had the unexpected blessing

of spending a few minutes with our grandkids at lunch today. They were passing through

town so our visit was short but it was a time loving and being loved. They are so free

with their hugs and ‘I love you Nana and Papa.’ Our hearts have been warmed.

This Sunday marks an occasion when our founder John Wesley also felt his heart

warmed, ‘strangely warmed as he wrote.’ Sunday is Aldersgate Day, which is celebrated

on May 24 (or the Sunday closest) to commemorate the day in 1738 when John Wesley

experienced assurance of his salvation.

Later that evening, Wesley would write in his journal, “In the evening I went very

unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to

the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the

change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, 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.”

Until that night, religion was a matter of the mind for Wesley. This had left him

disillusioned, unable to fathom that he could ever experience God’s grace. Afterwards,

Wesley’s life was changed such that for the next 53 years he became one of the most

influential preachers in history. At the time of his death in 1791, he had commissioned

492 preachers, sent 19 missionaries around the world, and welcomed almost 115,000

new believers into God’s kingdom in England and America.

Our legacy as Methodists began because of Wesley’s heart-warming experience. When

was the last time you felt your heart warmed? I invite you to join us on Sunday as we

celebrate the love Jesus has for us all.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Marty