Numerous people have asked why Methodists change ministers so often. Actually, they don't move around all that often, it just seems like it, because time passes so swiftly. Here in Harlan, for instance, Ministers Stratton, Yates, Burton, Douglas, Cain, and Wingo, have stayed 6, 9, 11, 7, and 6 years and only once, a minister served for a short 2-year period.
Across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there are numerous Methodist Churches located in 12 geographic districts. A Superintendent presides over a district. All of the combined districts come under the leadership of a Bishop. So, the Bishop and the Superintendents work together regarding pastoral assignments.
Each Church sends delegates to an Annual Conference in June. On the last day of a four-day meeting, the assignments are read by the Bishop. However, ground work has preceded the announcements.
For instance, if a minister desires to move on, for whatever reason, he makes his wishes known, early on, to the Superintendent and to the Bishop. The same is true if a Congregation is dissatisfied with a minister for some reason. Representatives of the Congregation, lay delegates, may ask for its minister to be transferred. The requests are granted whenever possible, in such a way they are amenable to each party.
It goes without saying that prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit are underlying forces in each ministerial move. Pastors and Congregations always beseech God's will in the matter.
For those of us who are Methodists, that system seems to work to most everyone's satisfaction with the least amount of hassle. Ministers aren't "auditioned." They are simply mutually assigned to new churches.
The first Wednesday after annual conference, Methodist ministers and their families play "Chinese Fire Drill". All of those who are transferred to new locations move their households on the same day. That kind of synchronized organization smacks of the kind of "modus operandi" for which the denomination's founder, John Wesley, was noted.
Wesley rose to prominence in England in the mid to late 1700s, when his street preaching and evangelistic movement reformed thousands of alcoholics in and around the city of London. The process of the distillation of whiskey and gin made those beverages 100 proof alcohol and available to the masses. Gin was causing the ruination of so many lives and families that John Wesley and his brother, Charles, took to the streets and preached against the "demon gin."
You may recall that London's cockney character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw' play, "Pygmalion", which was made into the musical, "My Fair Lady", said that her aunt ". . . drank something chronic! In fact, gin was mother's milk to her . . ."
The Wesleys gathered so many converts into their fold; they actually formed a new Protestant denomination. They went about conducting everything concerning their missionary ventures so "methodically," they and their congregation became known as "Methodists."
A huge part of the Wesleys church services involved singing. Together, brothers John and Charles Wesley wrote more than 9,000 hymns which have become familiar to congregations the world over. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" are two of their beloved songs.
Learn their tunes before learning any others, afterwards learn as many as you please.
Sing them exactly as they are printed, without altering or mending. If you have learned to sing it otherwise, unlearn it as soon as possible.
Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you.
Sing lustily and with good courage. Lift up your voice with strength; beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep.
Sing modestly. Do not bawl so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.
Sing in time. Whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before or stay behind. Take care not to sing too slow.
Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself. Attend strictly to the sense of what you are singing.
The rules regarding the proper way to sing the Wesley's hymns reminds me of a moment in another play called "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder. A choir of adults is practicing Sunday's anthem and the poor, sensitive and weary choir director is trying to get his singers to tone their voices down a notch or two. The character, Simon Stimpson, pleads, "It's- a- prayer- ladies- and- gentlemen. Softly, softly. Don't try to out sing the Methodists. . . you couldn't even if you tried."
So, in Methodist Churches the "beat goes on." Ministers change pastorates as easily and as smoothly as our United States presidents vacate the White House when administrations change.
As confusing as the Methodist' system of transferring ministers may seem to others, to those of us who are of John Wesley's persuasion, a slightly altered quote from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" seems most appropriate . . . "There is 'method' in our madness."
Note: For further information or clarification, contact David L. Davies, Harlan First United Methodist Church's Music Director and lay delegate to annual conference for many years.
