Itinerancy

Itinerancy names a primary characteristic in Methodist polity, in which clergypersons travel (itinerate) widely throughout an appointed geographical area. The practice began with John Wesley appointing the Methodist preachers to various circuits on an annual basis at Conference. A preacher’s "charge" would include oversight of a number of Methodist societies, each with its own class meetings and band meetings. This traveling system provided Methodism a mechanism for maintaining the Methodist "connection," especially as it continued to grow. Itinerancy is still a hallmark of many contemporary Methodist denominations, although the duration of appointments has increased drastically over the years.