We are constantly looking forward and planning ahead for the New Year of 2006, and one of the best things happening in our Corbin District is our annual "9 County Cluster Weekend Revivals", from February through April.

One of the new things we want to add this year to our 9 County Cluster Weekend Revivals is a time of Teaching, Learning, and Sharing. This came out of our Nov. 28 Quarterly Gathering of our Pastors and District Leadership Team.

Click here for the document "CLEAR" that we shared on Nov. 28. Most of our Districts in our Ky. Conf., have a training event for Local Church Officers and Leaders early in the new year as they meet at a strategic location for a one day event.

In our Corbin District, instead of doing this just "1 time at 1 place," we are going to have this kind of training in all 9 counties during the 9 County Cluster Weekend Revivals. It fits perfectly into our Cluster Ministry.

You will notice that the training begins with a "devotional" time (page 1), as we study what the Early Church did: FLOWS, as outlined in Acts 2:41-47. Page 2 is more "practical" (hands on & nuts and bolts) about the work and ministry of 4 of the Main Teams in the Local Church.

Special thanks to Rev. Susan Elkow, Associate Pastor of Corbin First UMC, for editing and re-typing this 2 page document into an improved format.

We also give thanks to Pastor Roland Moore (Jennies Chapel UMC in our Casey County Cluster), who has encouraged me in this, and also to Pastor Richard Held (Burnside UMC in our Pulaski County Cluster) who wonderfully "jogged" my memory at the Nov. 28 gathering, reminding me of the CLEAR Day (Conference Leadership Enrichment & Renewal Day) we used to have in our former Kentucky Conference. I remember well during our ministry in the former Barbourville District (1971-1980), taking our leaders to the former Centenary UMC on Nicholasville Road during Advent for this excellent training.

Now, this Saturday morning training event in the 9 County Clusters will be called "CLEAR" Morning (Cluster Leadership Enrichment & Renewal). The only exception will be in the Harlan County Cluster Weekend Revival (April 28-30), where it will be on that Sunday afternoon, "CLEAR" Afternoon (4:00 pm - 6:00 pm).

Another good benefit of this Saturday Training Event is that it gets me into another church in the cluster, and also gets our people into all the churches. Last Sunday afternoon, as we gathered in the sanctuary of the Pineville UMC, one of the good leaders from the Middlesboro Covenant UMC, the other church in the Bell County Cluster, shared with me that he had never been in the Pineville UMC before. "Clustering" (Christian Conferencing) helps us to know each other better and get "closer" together.

As an example, as you look at the Harlan County Cluster Weekend Revival, that weekend I will be in all 6 of the Harlan County Churches. During the 9 County Cluster Weekend Revivals, I will personally be in 38 of our 62 churches, and all of us will become "closer" to one another. It is a GOD-THING!

Also, during our PPR Teams and Pastors Consultations during the month of January in the 9 counties, this will add to the blessing of the "clustering" and preparation for the rest of the year.

We love you all, and our best days are ahead because of Jesus!

In Christ, Who is the REASON for the season and all seasons,
Terry Faris, Corbin D.S.