Parkin (cake) in November had many Christian festivals, and like Celtic festivals that preceded them they were celebrated with a fire and ritual cakes. November starts with All Hallows Eve, that runs into All Saints Day (1 November), which is followed by All Souls Day (2 November). Little Lent and the forty-day fast until Christmas, started at Martinmas. (11 November). On All Souls Day soul cakes were baked. The Martinmas fair was important being the traditional day when cattle were bought and sold, and servants were hired for the following year. It was also the date that cattle were slaughtered and salted
Aldersgate Day of the church union which created The United Methodist Church) or the Sunday following that date, but in 2004 the United Methodist General Conference moved Heritage Day to coincide with Aldersgate Day. In Britain, Wesley's Aldersgate experience is celebrated on the Sunday preceding 24 May if that day is not a Sunday. Shirley Murray's hymn "How small a spark has lit a living fire!" celebrates Welsey's Aldersgate experience and was written in 1988 for the 250th anniversary of the event. Aldersgate Day Aldersgate Day is a commemorative day celebrated by Methodist Christians on 24 May or the nearest Sunday. It