I'll be the vegetarian at the pot luck

Something caught my attention in my UMC Polity class this evening. (Yes! Something caught my attention in Polity, and it wasn't just Facebook on Meg's computer next to me!)

Dr. Frank was talking about how we can still see vestiges of historical understandings of Methodist ministry in the Book of Discipline. Of course I can't find what I'm looking for in the Discipline right now, but there was an old term still in there along the lines of "traveling ministry" or "covenant of traveling ministers." What a great way to look at itineracy.

I've done my share of grumbling about the itineracy system, especially since I decided to be ordained into it. It means, technically, that my bishop can appoint me anywhere in the Virginia Conference, and I have to go. And it means, I am convinced, that instead of being assigned to a nice urban church with a good homeless ministry, I will almost certainly be moving to a three-point charge two miles from West Virginia. That scares me. Especially the thought of announcing I'm a vegetarian at the first church pot luck. ("A what?")

But I've always loved to travel, and when you talk about itineracy as a ministry of travel, I'm in. As I've learned from being completely lost (literally and metaphorically) in places like Seoul and Madurai, you learn to rely a lot on God when you travel. You learn you're not as independent as you think you are, but you're also not as alone. You learn to be open to things and people you wouldn't be open to at home. Even just across the border from West Virginia.

There's something exciting about being completely not in control of your own future. Of course, I'm ignoring for now the politics and seniority that inevitably make their way into the appointment process. David assures me that God is present in the process, and David knows everything. So ministry of travel, I'm ready for you. At least, in a year or so. :)