Riding the Circuit

Pk’s Corner

August 2015

Matthew 28:19a  “Go and make disciple of all he nations.”

I am a circuit rider.  What that means is that I serve multiple churches that make up an entity called a “Charge”.  I travel from church to church as often as necessary in order to make a circuit.   This has been a tradition of the Methodist pastors since John Wesley started preaching out of doors.  Bishop Francis Asbury is said to have traveled 5,000 miles a year on horseback to meet the needs of his pastors.

I am proud to be called a circuit rider.  I am proud to serve as many people as I can, in as many communities as I can.  I am humbled to realize that I am part of a long heritage that extends back to pre-Revolutionary War days.  Although my circuit is small, I stand with those who have had 5 or more churches on their circuits.

I am also very humbled, for you see circuit riders are servants to the churches they serve.   A church that is on a circuit must have strong leadership within it members  in order to maintain the teachings of the preacher that attends it.  Not every church in America can be a circuit church.  The circuit church must be able to continue to share the gospel, teach the bible, minister to the living, lift up the down trodden and meet for worship even when the pastor is not there.  It takes a special church to be a circuit church.

Most circuit churches are in small rural communities spaced out over miles and miles of open spaces.  A circuit rider can travel for hours just to get to their next appointment.  Some churches even have odd meeting times, yet they are still faithful to attend and hear the Word of God.

While I may brag about being a circuit rider, I am most proud of the churches I serve, for they allow me to be about making disciples. While I am out in the world they are truly training and growing disciples in their midst.   Without the strength of these churches the UMC, as a whole, would be just a dead sect.  The churches that make up the circuits are the churches that hold this denomination together.

Making disciples is the great commission we are all called to, and thanks to the circuit churches of all shapes and sizes, we as United Methodists are about making disciples. 

We are truly blessed.

Amen