It is that time of year again: when many United Methodist pastors are on the move. This year I am one of them.  When I arrived here two years ago I thought I was settling in for the long haul. When I realized that the anticipated long haul would include living in the constant stress of an adversarial position I knew that God and I needed to rethink this plan. My sojourn in this stereotypical rural setting has reminded me who I am as well as who I am not. I am a woman in a male dominated profession. I am not interested in trying to act more like a man. I am gifted with a vision of an eclectic and inclusive community. I am not an ethnicaly exclusive person dedicated to preserving the status quo. I believe that God sent Jesus for every single person and that ministry is the calling of everyone who calls him/herself “Christian.” I do not believe that the purpose of the church is to “take care of our own.” I claim, like the founder of my denomination, “the world as my parish.” I am not called to be a chaplain dedicated to the whims of parishioners to the exclusion of everyone else. I am compassionate and patient with people. I am not a doormat or scapegoat.  I read in my Bible that we are called to be united with Christ as our head so that we seek to do God’s will. I do not read there that I am called to referree squabbles between parishioners each of whom wants to have it “their way.” I can teach and preach and facilitate the way out most proverbial boxes. I cannot sit silently with thumbs up while the deck chairs on the Titanic are being rearranged. So I find myself moving this year. My new parish lies in the metropolis of my state. Many of our neighbors do not speak English as their native language.  Most of them do not share our racial heritage. In fact, one of the worship services is in Spanish. We will need to learn new and better ways of relating to our community. Our challenge is to avoid an “us and them” division. As the movers load our stuff I am praying that everything I am, and all that I have learned and relearned about myself in the past two years will become the salt for this new stew in which I will serve and lead. I pray that together we can become that unique flavor called grace.