Methodist ministers are never allowed to stay long in one place. But in fact they stay much longer than was once the case.
In the 18th century they moved from circuit to circuit at yearly intervals, and it was as that century was drawing to a close that the maximum term was extended to three years.
Before the end of the 19th century that was being regarded as too short, and was extended to four, and then in the present century to five, years.
About 30 years ago the maximum term in any one circuit was fixed at eight years, and more recently provision has been made for this to be extended in special circumstances.
One of the consequences of this system is that ministers move from one appointment to another at the same time each year, the first two weeks in July.
Another is that Methodist circuits rarely experience the long vacancies that can occur in other churches.
The changes are proposed by the Stationing Committee and are the subject of consultation between this committee and, on the one hand, the circuits and, on the other, the ministers.
The consultations are carried on through several months.
This year the Rev Winston Good has retired from Knock breda in Belfast, and has been replaced there by the Rev Gregory Alexander.
Mr Alexander has moved to Knockbreda from the Greencastle church on the Newtownabbey Mission Circuit, where he has been replaced by the Rev James Lemon, transferred from Donegall Road in Belfast.
Mr Lemon's successor at Donegall Road is the Rev Derek Johnston, who in turn has been replaced at Braniel by the Rev Robin McKibben.
Mr McKibben was previously serving as second minister at Enniskillen, where the new appointee is the Rev John Wonnacott, going to his first charge.
The Rev Levistone Cooney has retired from Adare in Co Limerick, and the Rev John Purdy has taken up the work there. It is Mr Purdy's first appointment.
The Sandymount Church in Dublin is an alternating ministry. The Rev Robin MacDermott, who has retired from the active ministry of the Presbyterian Church, has been replaced there by a Methodist, the Rev Donaldson Rodgers.
Mr Rodgers has gone from Ballyholme in Bangor and has been replaced there by the Rev Thomas Deacon.
Mr Deacon has been succeeded in Castlederg by the Rev Mervyn Ewing, going to circuit for the first time.
The Rev Clifford Taylor has returned to Zimbabwe, where he served for some years, and his place at Agnes Street, Belfast, has been taken by the Rev David Mullan, who has spent the last eight years in Portadown.
The new superintendent of the Portadown circuit is the Rev James Rea, who has moved from the East Belfast Mission. There he has been replaced by the Rev Gary Mason.
Mr Mason has worked for some years in the Belfast Central Mission as second minister and, in that capacity, has been followed by the Rev Stewart Morris.
The Rev Colin Weir, taking up his first appointment, has gone to Dunkineely, where Mr Morris was.
In this group of changes a particularly interesting one is that of Mr Rea, who was appointed to the Newtownards Road circuit more than 20 years ago.
He immediately recognised the very considerable social need of the area, and transformed the church there in the East Belfast Mission. (Mission appointments are not subject to the eight-year rule.)
The Belfast Central Mission has now been given a third minister in the person of the Rev David A. Campton. Mr Campton has left Glastry in Co Down, and been followed there by the Rev Gary Millar. Mr Millar's successor at Donegal is the Rev Ian Henderson, formerly of Sligo.
The new minister at Sligo is the Rev Robin Waugh, formerly serving in Lurgan.
The untimely death of the Rev Dr William McAllister last year left the Methodist College in Belfast without a chaplain.
That post has now been filled by the Rev Jonathan Rodell, who has transferred from the English Methodist Church.
Tomorrow the president of the church, the Rev Dr Kenneth Wilson, will be preaching at Portstewart, and from the following Sunday for seven days will be participating in the Castlewellan Holiday Week.
This is an annual event which attracts several hundred people to Castlewellan Castle for fun, games, worship and study.
On Sunday, August 1st, RTE Radio 1 will broadcast morning worship from the Methodist church at Waterside in Londonderry. The service will be led by the Rev Frederick Munce.