Spanning from the days of horseback to the modern age, the practice of churches rotating pastors is a tradition that’s been around for hundreds of years.

The Methodist Church and the Catholic Church commonly rotate pastors from one congregation to another.

“It’s always been part of our denominations,” said Mike Selleck, director of Connectional Ministries for the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. “Circuit-rider preachers would, on horseback, move from place to place and start churches.”

The preachers would continue riding to all the churches on their circuit. During the first Methodist national conference, the preachers changed circuits.

The system, now called the itinerant system, is still in place. Selleck said there is no set time for moving a Methodist preacher from one church to another, but the average length of time is between four and six years.

“We go where we’re sent, but usually there is a strategy,” said Pastor James Smith, who moved to District Line United Methodist Church near Bremen on June 27. It is his third church in the 14 years since he became a pastor.

“They want this particular church to grow and that’s kind of my specialty,” Smith said. “They don’t have to give you a reason.”

Selleck said the system is always being studied for potential improvements, but it seems to work well for the United Methodist Church.

“The focus of a congregation should not be who the pastor is,” Selleck said. “Sometimes, if a pastor is in one place too long, the focus shifts.”

He said churches and pastors agree to an appointment system, which helps prevent any arguments while the congregation tries to find a new pastor in a called process, in which the congregation approaches a pastor to come to its church.

“[The itinerant] is an old system and it is a modern age, but until we find something that works better, we’re still use it,” Selleck said.

Smith said he thinks the system is good for the pastor and the congregations.

“It gives the new church a time of refreshing and the new pastor opportunity to do things he started at previous churches; new opportunities,” Smith said.

Pastor Robert Manley is in his third year at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, the fourth church he has served in the 12 years he has been a full-time pastor.

“Of the appointments I have had, they have been wonderful appointments. I’ve met some wonderful people,” Manley said. “It’s always a sad occasion when you have to leave, but you know ultimately God’s hand is directing your call.”

He said the itinerant system is the best system available to make sure the needs of a church are met through the gifts of a pastor. Some churches do not want female pastors and some churches are better served with pastors with specific abilities, he said.

With a growing Hispanic population in North Georgia, the Catholic Church is keeping Spanish-speaking priests busy, said Meaghan Schroeder, assistant communications for the North Georgia Diocese, which oversees Catholic churches in 69 counties.

“It all depends on the needs [of the congregation],” Schroeder said.

The diocese ordained six new priests last week. She said most of them are expected to be attached to a church that already has a pastor in need of assistance.

Gary Atkinson of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church has been a deacon for six years, though he has been a member of the church since 1984.

“Deacons can be reassigned, too,” he said, though it’s not a common practice.”

Whether Methodist or Catholic, Selleck said congregations grow and adapt. Sometimes the growth or the goals make one pastor a better fit for a church.

“If a church is growing and needs to build a new church and one pastor has experience building a new church, they may fit,” he said. “We think it [the itinerant system] is a good method.”