One Sunday morning a preacher noticed some visitors at the service. After worship, he shook hands.
The visitors stayed till everyone left. They introduced themselves as the pulpit committee from Big City Church. They explained they had their eyes on him and wanted him to come and be their preacher. He would have an assistant, secretary, car provided and they knew what he made and he would get a big raise.
He thanked the committee and said he would have to pray about it. They told him they needed to know soon or they would move on to their next choice. He went home and explained everything to his wife. He said, “Dear, I am going to go and pray about it, and I want you to start packing.”
As a Methodist preacher, I am often asked how long Methodist preachers stay at a church. There is no easy answer to the question.
In the Methodist Church, we have a system of placing preachers called the itinerant system. Preachers agree to go and serve in whatever community the Bishop sends them. It is part of the Apostolic tradition.
Yes, there is a process where the preacher and the church leaders are consulted. The needs and desires of the preachers, their families and the needs and desires of the churches are considered. The Bishop has a group of ministers – District Superintendents – who are over the clergy in each district. They take everything in consideration and through a process, the Bishop appoints each preacher to each church.
While the desires of the preachers and churches are considered, the mission of the church comes first. With over 1,000 churches in our western North Carolina Conference, this is not an easy task.
In a letter, the Rev. John Wesley, one of the founders of the people called Methodist wrote, “We have found by long and consistent experience that a frequent exchange of preachers is best. This preacher has one talent, that another; no one whom I ever yet knew has all the talents which are needful for beginning, continuing, and perfecting the work of grace in a whole congregation.”
While the itinerancy is not perfect, it works for the United Methodist Church. In the early days of our country, the Methodist circuit riders had a very hard and dangerous life to travel the frontier. Some covered hundreds of miles of territory.
Francis Asbury (1745 – 1816) the first Methodist Bishop, appointed each preacher to circuits every three, then six months. In time, it moved to on average four years. In recent years, it has been the goal to have longer pastorates.
This is with the understanding it takes time to build relationships and trust in a community. While a Methodist preacher can stay longer than four years, they are still appointed for only one year at a time and each year the mission of the church comes first.
I am very grateful to announce Beverly and I are appointed to Robbinsville United Methodist Church for another year.
Eric Reece is the faith columnist for The Graham Star. He is the pastor of Robbinsville United Methodist Church. Email him at ereece@wnccumc.net.