07/06/2026
As I visited my children in New York City, I took the opportunity to fulfill another goal of my sabbatical by visiting John Street United Methodist Church, known as the “Mother Church of American Methodism.”
In nearly 100-degree heat, I first visited John Street UMC on Friday, July 3. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for the Fourth of July holiday. So Jisun and I returned on Sunday to worship with the congregation and visit the small museum downstairs.
This congregation was organized in 1766 by Methodist lay preacher Philip Embury with the encouragement of his cousin Barbara Heck, both Irish immigrants. What began as a small gathering in a home became the birthplace of American Methodism.
The church carefully preserves many treasures from its early history, including a wall clock given by John Wesley, the first pulpit built by Philip Embury, and the round chairs used for the early class meetings—the small groups that nurtured discipleship and spiritual growth.
Pastor Stefanie graciously allowed me to stand behind the historic pulpit where many Methodist leaders once preached, including Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke, the first bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. It was a humbling and unforgettable moment.
My heart was heavy as I looked at the many empty pews in this historic sanctuary. Outside the church, the streets were full of people eating, shopping, and walking. It reminded me of the spiritual condition of our time. So I prayed that people’s hearts would turn back to the Lord, that our churches would once again be filled with true worshipers, and that God would bring a fresh movement of the Holy Spirit in our generation.
History reminds us that God often begins great movements through a small group of faithful believers. My prayer is that He will do it again.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23)
