Moving Day

Today is Moving Day. I told one of the girls last night that she might get an "itch" to make some significant change in her life today, but to hang on and it would pass. It was my way of reminding her that today was Moving Day across the Annual Conference. For those not in the know, on Wednesday after the second Sunday, those preachers who are moving to new appointments are on the move. It is sort of a Methodist version of "fruit-basket turnover." Fortunately, I am not participating this time around as we return here for year seven, but Moving Day does bring memories, nonetheless.

If I count right, and me counting is always a suspect thing, there have been seven Moving Days which have involved our family. The first one in 1971 took us to the Stapleton Charge. Then after three years, there was a move to Tennille and then after two years at that church there was a move to Talbotton where we stayed for four years. The fourth move was to the St. John Church in Columbus for a nine year stay and then to Vidalia where the unthinkable happened as we stayed there for an entire decade. After Vidalia there was a move to Perry for a four year stay and then on here to Richmond Hill where the seventh year is beginning. I have been fortunate and blessed to be able to stay in three appointments for twenty-six years of my ministry.

This ride on the itinerant ministry train has taken me to places I never would have thought about going. In every place lessons were learned and every place there were those folks with whom God enabled me to share in significant moments in their spiritual journey. Those people moments are the things remembered and the things for which I am most grateful.