Within Francis Asbury’s time space, we have entered December, 1791. Last night, we rested in Annapolis, MD and awoke this morning, ready for a walking tour of waypoints near our hotel.

Friday, September 26, 2025: Our first walking stop was to the “Circle” where the Maryland State House is located… but St. Anne’s Episcopal Church is nearby. On the iron fence surrounding the church, were many prayers, quotes and concerns posted. St. Anne’s is historically important to Asbury, because before his own ordination in 1784, this is a likely place where he would have taken communion whenever he was in Annapolis.

This is the Maryland State House, as you can see from the historical plaque, it would have been here during Asbury’s visits to Annapolis. Some of my identified waypoints on Asbury’s circuit of 1791 are somewhat of a scavenger hunt. My research suggested there was another historical marker located near the State House that was of particular interest. Due to construction around the State House circle, not all areas of the grounds were accessible, but perseverance yielded the prize, which was found on the grounds depicted in the third photo above.

Inscription on the marker:

Francis Asbury, father of American Methodism, founded a Methodist Society in Annapolis in 1777. They built a meeting house in 1785 within the present grounds of the Naval Academy. In 1789, the “Old Blue Church” moved to this site and housed one of the earliest Methodist congregations in America. In 1818, they built a new church on State Circle at North Street, where they worshipped for 155 years.

Erected by the Calvary United Methodist Church.

And so, off we walked, about 3/4 mile to the west…

We arrived at Calvary UMC, and was greeted by Nancy, Calvary’s Director of Discipleship. Calvary is a direct descendant of the church at State Circle and North Street. They have a large, beautiful campus. The second photo above is the spacious sanctuary. The third photo is of a stained glass window in a small worship chapel… I hope you notice that it depicts Francis Asbury preaching.

Since this completed our waypoints in Annapolis, we summoned an Uber ride to return us to the hotel and departed Annapolis, MD for Alexandria, VA.

Saturday, September 27, 2025: This was intended as an “off day”, but neither of us was interested in hanging out in the hotel all day, so we got an early start on a couple of our waypoints for Sunday, which will be our last day of the circuit.

This is Trinity United Methodist Church of Alexandria. Tomorrow, we will be worshipping here before completing a final few waypoints and returning home. From the online history of Trinity UMC:

There were fewer than twenty Methodist preachers in America when on November 20, 1774, a young preacher, William Duke, galloped into Alexandria. Duke had been personally recruited to the ministry by Francis Asbury, the legendary preacher who later was to be authorized by John Wesley to serve as general superintendent of the Methodist movement in the fledgling United States of America. Duke preached to a small group of followers and noted in his journal: “Formed them into a society.” From this date, Trinity has remained in continuous existence.

Trinity has utilized three meeting houses: 1791, 1804 (both in downtown Alexandria) and its present building, and 1942. Francis Asbury drew the plan for the first meeting house and dedicated the second. Virtually all the greats of early American Methodism visited Trinity.

Asbury entered Alexandria by taking a ferry from Oxon Hill, which proved to be quite an experience for him:

Wednesday, December 7. A day to be remembered. We stopped once in forty-three miles: when we reached Oxon Hill Ferry, opposite to Alexandria, I was nearly frozen, being hardly able to walk or talk. We crossed the Potomac in an open boat, on whose icy bottom the horses with difficulty kept their feet; and still worse it would have been, had I not thoughtfully called for some straw to strew beneath them; we had five of them on board, and the waves were high.

It began raining as we headed south to visit King George and Port Royal (for the second time). Asbury’s journal entry:

Sunday, 11. I could not find the way to the hearts of an unfeeling people at the widow Bombry’s; thence we went in haste to Port Royal; the inhabitants, seeing us, ran together, to whom I spoke on Acts 2:27: the people were respectful and attentive.

We had been to Port Royal back on Day 10, which was April 28, 1791 for Asbury:

We hasted to Port Royal, where a number of fine people were waiting, to whom the Doctor preached on “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God:” they expressed a desire for me to preach also; but it being late, I declined it.

Sometimes, local historical societies, with their museums are unexpected resources. The Port Royal Museum was closed on our Day 10 visit, but was open today. Kerri, the Board President of Historic Port Royal, Inc., greeted us as we walked in, finding shelter from the rain. After introducing ourselves, she began looking through some historical books, as I shared with her Francis Asbury’s journal entries. Early in the history of Port Royal, a space was set aside for a meeting house, where various faith communities (Methodist, included) met and worshipped.

The Historical Society of Port Royal has reprinted Hidden Village Port Royal, Virginia, a history from 1744-1981. Only having time to skim the book, I purchased it for use when composing my reflections on this journey.

We returned to our hotel, and our final night on the road.

Peace,
-Pastor Tim