The Methodist "Society"

The Methodists as Wesley describe them were an intense bunch. I can't help but look around at our modern United Methodist Church and be disappointed in it when looking at this society. Each member spoke to Wesley at least once every three months, weekly meetings for the bands, hierarchy that demands more attention, separate sections for the children, and the list goes on. The leadership asks that they keep tabs on the bands, any differences, have societal trials, and coordinate with other leaders. Reading this text reminds me more of Calvinist Geneva rather than the UMC I grew up with, though part of me wishes that there was more of this in the modern Church.

There is a lot of structure here, which does make me question the parallel nature of this society. I know inevitably the society became a church proper, but this structure has much overlap with existing church hierarchy. It seems difficult to construe that this is in fact a society and not a new church, with the roles of deacons, lay leadership, ministers, preachers, children's schooling, all of which would be functions carried out by the Church of England. So why go through all this trouble to set this up if this is only meant to be a parallel institution?