Aldersgate refers to the name of the street in London where the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, had in the evening of 24 May 1738 “very unwillingly” visited a society where “one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.” Wesley wrote in his journal that “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.”

This work of the Holy Spirit marked a life-changing moment for Wesley, renewing his vigour in ministry, and it led to a bold step that he took the following year. On 2 April 1739, he began to preach in the open air – a courageous move at the time, and it launched the movement that became the world-wide Methodist church as we know it today.