One Faithful Promise: The Wesleyan Covenant for Renewal

By making Three Simple Rules and Five Marks of a Methodist accessible for a current United Methodist and Wesleyan audience, Abingdon Press has reintroduced Wesleys formative identity and boosted our way of Christian living in thousands of congregations. The next most important document that Wesley delivered to the rapidly expanding societies and congregations was The Wesley Covenant Prayer and Renewal Service from 1755, which are crucial to Methodist identity. This service, a liturgical event in 1755, was preceded by several mornings of teaching from John Wesley about the means of increasing serious religion. Charles Wesley also wrote a hymn supporting the prayer Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine. Over the centuries since 1755, many Methodists have used this liturgy on New Years Eve the Watch Night Service as a service of renewal of the individuals covenant with God for the coming year. More recently many churches have found other opportunities to provide this opportunity for the congregation. Wesleys covenant renewal can function now as an accessible church-wide campaign that culminates in the liturgical affirmation and faithful promise to love God and neighbor faithfully. The campaign could be: 1) Used during Advent and culminate on New Years Eve with the Covenant prayer committed to memory and resolve. 2) Used from mid-September, with emphasis on homecoming and harvest, and culminated with the liturgical event on All Saints Day. 3) Used prior to Lent and culminate on Ash Wednesday, or 4) Used during Lent and culminate on during holy week.