Balwyn Wesleyan Methodist Church, Deepdene, VIC

We are a gathering of local churches and ministries from around Australia serving together under the umbrella of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia. We find our roots dating back to John Wesley who was a key component of 18th Century revivals in England. His desire was to spread the message of Scriptural Holiness around the world. This is our mandate today. From these beginnings came the Holiness Movement and at its heart is the message of perfect love, which is to love God with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our strength and our neighbor as our self. (Mark 12:30-31 NIV) We, the Wesleyan Methodists of Australia, are a part of a wider church that is connected together under the name, the Wesleyan Church. We are now found in over 80 nations. In 2011, worldwide Sunday morning worship attendance was 475, 000 persons in more than 5, 000 congregations. Worldwide total membership was 368, 000. In 1946, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia was officially formed in Melbourne under the leadership of Kingsley Ridgway. While the initial beginnings were slow, we have now spread across the country with around 80 churches. Our people come from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and communities. While we do celebrate our diversity, we also acknowledge the values that hold us together - such as our love for the word of God, the bible, our commitment to Christlikeness, our passion for disciple-making, and our call to servant leadership. The message we share is a message we are experiencing everyday. It is a message of hope, it is the message of love, and it is the message of life. It is the message of Christ and the Cross. John10:10b “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (NIV) Rev. Rex Rigby National Superintendent.