Methodist Episcopal Church

The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784. Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke were the first bishops. Circuit riders, many of which were laymen, traveled by horseback to preach the gospel and establish churches until there is scarcely any crossroad community in the United States without a Methodist expression of Christianity.

Related Topics:
Christmas Conference - 1784 - Francis Asbury - Thomas Coke - Bishop - Circuit rider - Laymen - Gospel - Church - United States - Methodist - Christianity

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The church split over the question of slavery in 1844 with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South being formed in southern states.

Related Topics:
1844 - Methodist Episcopal Church, South

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In the late 1840's, separate Conferences (the Methodist equivalent of a diocese) were formed for German-speaking members of the Methodist Episcopal Church who were not members of the Evangelical United Brethren. Among these was the St. Louis German Conference, which in 1925 was assimilated into the surrounding English-speaking conferences, including the Illinois Conference.

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In 1939 the two branches, together with the Methodist Protestant Church, united to form the Methodist Church.

Related Topics:
1939 - Methodist Protestant Church

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In 1968 the Methodist Church united with the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) church, which were spiritual descendents of German-speaking Methodists, to form the United Methodist Church.

Related Topics:
1968 - Evangelical United Brethren - German - United Methodist Church

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There are many offshoots of the original Methodist Episcopal Church in the US. For more detail see: Methodism.

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