When John was starting small
groups, the Church of England didn’t allow women to preach or lead. They were
not allowed to be pastors, but they had a big part in Methodism from the start.
A large part of that is because of John and Charles mom, Susanna. Susanna had a
lot of kids, and she taught them all that day to day things made a big difference
in their faith. She had her own small group that met at her house.
It is said, that one time John was
frustrated because a woman had the nerve to preach at her class meeting. He
complained to his mom about it. Susanna told him he better list to the woman
preach before he decided she shouldn’t. John did just that, and realized women
were as good at preaching as men. God seemed to be calling them to leadership
and using them to reach new people with the gospel. Many women would feel God’s
call to be leaders and follow those calls, even though it would take until 1956
until women could be fully ordained in Methodist Church.
Other remarkable women in the early Methodist movement
(pulled from http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/timeline-of-women-in-methodism
) :
1768
Barbara Heck, known as the mother of American Methodism, urges Philip Embury to start preaching in New York and designs John Street Chapel in New York City.
Barbara Heck, known as the mother of American Methodism, urges Philip Embury to start preaching in New York and designs John Street Chapel in New York City.
c. 1770
Mary Evans Thorne is appointed class leader by Joseph Pilmore in Philadelphia; she is probably the first woman in America so appointed.
Mary Evans Thorne is appointed class leader by Joseph Pilmore in Philadelphia; she is probably the first woman in America so appointed.
1787
Despite objections of some male preachers, John Wesley authorizes Sarah Mallet to preach as long as “she proclaimed the doctrines and adhered to the disciplines that all Methodist preachers were expected to accept.”
Despite objections of some male preachers, John Wesley authorizes Sarah Mallet to preach as long as “she proclaimed the doctrines and adhered to the disciplines that all Methodist preachers were expected to accept.”
1827
Isabella Bomefree, a slave who later changes her name to Sojourner Truth, is emancipated when slavery is abolished in New York State. That same year, she co-founds Kingston Methodist Church. In 1843, she feels "called in the spirit" and begins to travel and preach. She becomes involved in the abolitionist movement, and her public speaking combines her religious faith with her experiences as a slave.
Isabella Bomefree, a slave who later changes her name to Sojourner Truth, is emancipated when slavery is abolished in New York State. That same year, she co-founds Kingston Methodist Church. In 1843, she feels "called in the spirit" and begins to travel and preach. She becomes involved in the abolitionist movement, and her public speaking combines her religious faith with her experiences as a slave.
1866
Helenor M. Davisson is ordained deacon by the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, making her the first ordained woman in the Methodist tradition.
Helenor M. Davisson is ordained deacon by the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, making her the first ordained woman in the Methodist tradition.
Questions:
1.
Why do you think women were willing to break church
rules?
2.
Do you think there are church rules today that need to
be broken?
3.
How do you decide if a rule should be broken or kept?
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