Educational Opportunities Tours

Tours

Wesley Heritage Tour with Rev. Dr. Pat Sparks, Rev. Whitney Peper, and St. Peter’s UMC | Sept. 24, 2024

10 days
England
Starting from $4048* Taxes & Fees Apply

Join Rev. Dr. Pat Sparks, Rev. Whitney Peper, and St. Peter’s UMC on a 9-day Wesley Heritage Tour, starting at $4,048* from New York or $4,398* from Houston on September 24, 2024. Journey to places such as Oxford, Bath, Bristol, London, Cotswolds, Stratford, and much more! 

Register Early & Save
$150 Register by December 5, 2023
$125 Register by January 5, 2024
$100 Register by February 5, 2024
$75 Register by March 5, 2024
$50 Register by April 5, 2024
$25 Register by April 5, 2024

What’s Included

  • All Inclusive Pricing
  • Breakfast and Dinner Daily
  • Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
  • Domestic Airfare
  • Entrance and Program Fees
  • First Class Hotels
  • Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes
  • Guided Tours
  • Hotel Gratuities
  • International Airfare from NY
  • Overseas Airport Transfers
  • Study Guide
  • Administrative Fee

^ Additional Baggage & Optional fees may apply.

† If air purchased through EO.

Daily Itinerary

Day 1 September 24 - Depart from the USA

Your Wesley Heritage travel study program begins as you depart the United States on your international flight to England.

Day 2 September 25 - Arrival in England and Coventry Visit

Arrive in London this morning.  Pass through the English countryside to the city of Coventry.    On the evening of November 14, 1940, a holocaust of bombs and fire destroyed much of Coventry. Experience the pain and the triumph of the townspeople when you visit the beautiful cathedral. The charred ruins of the old cathedral sit next to the exciting architecture of the modern cathedral. They stand together as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the British people. You will join the people of Coventry Cathedral for Evensong if occurring at this time. 

Day 3 September 26 - Epworth

The quiet English countryside and green, rolling hills will delight you as you travel to remote Epworth in the Fen Country. Here, Samuel and Susanna Wesley raised their brood of children in the Old Rectory while he served the Parish Church for 39 years. You’ll become familiar with the upbringing and early life of John and Charles Wesley when you visit their childhood home. You’ll see Memorial Church, built with contributions from around the world. Enjoy a worship service with the local people of Epworth. Then, visit St. Andrews Church at Epworth.

Day 4 September 27 - Cotswolds & Stratford

You’ll glimpse life as it was in the day of William Shakespeare when you visit his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. Not far away, he courted his wife, Anne Hathaway, in the garden of her delightful thatch-roofed cottage. You’ll also drive past Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried.

Day 5 September 28 - Oxford

Learn about the educational background of the Wesley brothers, John, Charles and Samuel, Jr., when you view Christ Church College at Oxford University.  Continue to Bristol for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 September 29 - Bristol & Bath

In the ancient port city of Bristol, you’ll have a lecture in one of Wesley’s early centers of ministry, the “New Room”. This oldest Methodist building in the world is unusually attractive in its basic simplicity. Then visit the home of Charles Wesley, the famous hymn writer. Bath, a spa town of Roman origin, deserves its name. Since the first century, the warm waters have refreshed and healed. You’ll see the unique Roman baths and enjoy this beautiful city of 18th-century streets and quaint shops. Continue to London for overnight. Dinner is on your own in London.

Day 7 September 30 - Free Day in London

Experience the lifestyle of our British cousins as you explore the vibrant town of London on your own. Go and see the regal adornment of Buckingham Palace. Take a ride on the London Eye. Visit the British Museum and wonder at ancient treasures and works of art. Experience a show in London’s famous West End theater district. Enjoy any of these options or more as you enjoy the sights and sounds of London on your own today. Dinner is on your own in London.

Day 8 October 1 - Wesley’s London

John Wesley left his mark on the town of London. You’ll have a lecture at City Road Chapel, the site of Wesley’s home and grave. Across the street in Bunhill Fields Cemetery, Susanna Wesley is buried along with other famous personages such as John Bunyan and Daniel Defoe. You’ll walk on Aldersgate Street, where on May 24, 1738, John Wesley had his “Warming of the Heart” experience. You’ll walk past the entrance of “Little Britain,” where Charles Wesley had his conversion experience just three days earlier. Drive by the major city sites such as Marble Arch, Speakers Corner of Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square and much more. Your first view will be of Westminster Abbey, where royalty is christened, married and buried. You will visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, where John Wesley often worshiped. On the day of his conversion, Wesley came here for an afternoon service and was deeply moved by the choir’s anthem, “Out of the Deep Have I Called Unto Thee, O Lord”. Dinner is on your own in London.

Day 9 October 2 - Additional Day in London

Additional Day in London

Day 10 October 3 - Return to the USA or Enjoy an Extension

Say farewell as you return to the USA or enjoy an exciting extension in London or Ireland.

Enhance Your Journey

Ireland Starting from $1548

October 3 - 7, 2024 | Starting at $1,548*

October 3 - Cork, Cobh, Blarney
Depart England on your flight to Cork, Ireland. Our representatives will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your Irish bus as we head for Cobh. Here, you will visit the Heritage Center. From this port, between 1845 and 1860, 2.5 million people sailed to America. If you had an ancestor who came from Ireland to America, chances are they departed from this very place. Find your family name on the archived passenger lists. You can enjoy the multimedia exhibition and the railway station that has been completely refurbished in the style of the era. Visit Blarney Castle and Blarney Woollen Mills Shop. At the Castle of Blarney, you will see the fabled Blarney Stone. Legend says that those who kiss the stone acquire a gift of eloquence. Check into your Killarney area hotel for dinner and overnight.

October 4 - Ring of Kerry, Waterville, Muckross House
Delight in some of the most spectacular scenery as you travel the Ring of Kerry. Pause at the seaside village of Waterville. Here, Charlie Chaplin owned a summer home, and Payne Stewart was Club Captain of the local golf course. Visit the 19th-century Muckross House. You will enjoy this magnificent Victorian mansion that is considered one of Ireland’s leading stately homes. You will experience the elegance of the day when you see the elegantly furnished rooms. Downstairs, however, reveals the working conditions of the servants employed in the house. Return to Killarney for dinner and overnight.

October 5 - Adare, Rock of Cashel, Dublin
Enjoy the beauty of the thatch-roofed streets of Adare. The church here has a Norman castle keep at its center. See the Rock of Cashel, the traditional seat of Irish kings. Here, St. Patrick is thought to have converted the King of Munster. The present ruins are from structures built in the 12 and 13th centuries during the Norman era. Continue on to Dublin for dinner and overnight.

October 6 - Dublin
We begin our journey this morning with a stop at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The church was transitioned from a Catholic church to the Church of Ireland over the centuries. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels and a critic of British rule, was a pastor here. John Wesley spoke and administered communion here on one of his numerous visits to Ireland. Take a walking tour of Trinity College. Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, it is the oldest college in Ireland. We’ll visit the Old Library here and see the Book of Kells, an ornately illustrated Bible produced by Celtic Monks around 800 AD. Enjoy lunch at The Church, a pub that was originally a church Wesley preached at on his first visit to Ireland. Enjoy an afternoon to explore and shop on your own as you walk along the Liffey River or visit the various museums. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

October 7 - Return to the USA
Say farewell to Ireland this morning as you return home with memories of the people and places of England and Ireland!

London On-Your-Own Stay Starting from $1098

October 3 - 6, 2024 | Starting at $1,098*

October 3 - 5 - Time in London
Explore and enjoy the vibrant capital city of London on your own. The London Pass gives you free entry to the subway (Underground) and bus transportation systems, as well as over 60 attractions, including the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, the London Zoo and Kew Gardens. To see the current list of attractions covered, log on to: www.londonpass.com. This extension does not include airport transfers, hotel tips, lunch, dinner, or guide.
 

October 6 - Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

Departure Dates

  1. Tuesday, September 24, 2024
    From $4048* Register Now!
*A 3.5% surcharge will be added to all credit card transactions