First of all, let's celebrate a "WOW" that the Lord gave us last Sunday (Aug. 27), at our Corbin District-Wide Picnic at the Barbourville Water Park with over 425 PEOPLE present from the 9 counties of the Corbin District in southeastern Kentucky.

Special thanks to Dr. Ed de Rosset and Rev. David Miller and the Union College Family, and to Dr. Joel Allen and the Barbourville UMC Family, and to Pastor Delila Miller and the Trace Branch UMC Family, for hosting us. We began to eat at 5:00 pm with two serving lines, and because of the wonderful crowd and that Judy and I were some of the "last ones" through, we didn't get to eat until 6:15 pm. What a wonderful problem.

From 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, we had the water park all to ourselves, and it was wall to wall people. Over 1/2 of the crowd (well over 200 of the people) were children and youth, and along with a few brave adults, it was 2 hours of family fun and recreation.

We had 3 persons in their 90's, who shared in the joy of the District Picnic, and I share their attached photos with you:

1. Bill Cannon is 92 years old and is battling cancer, but he was there in his wheelchair. He heard my announcement at the worship service that morning at Corbin First UMC, and told his daughter, June Martin, that he wanted to come. June and her husband, Buddy, are 2 of our wonderful neighbors in Corbin. Bill Cannon is one of my "favorite" people, and he is an inspiration to all of us.

2. Fannie Morgan is 95 years old, and is the Treasurer of the Whitley City UMC. In the photo with Fannie is Rev. Chuck Spice, who was her Pastor for 15 years, Rev. Anthony Cleary, her present Pastor, and her niece, Betty Olson, and her husband, Elmer Olson. On Sunday, Sept. 24, at 5:00 pm, we will gather in the "Fannie Morgan Picnic Pavilion" at Whitley City UMC for our McCreary County Cluster Summer Outdoor Picnic and Gathering.

3. Elizabeth Davies is 95 years old, and an active member of the Barbourville UMC. In the photo with her is Betty Hauser, and don't you love her T-Shirt "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing". Their job during the picnic was to keep placing bottled water and cans of soft drinks in the ice tubs. What wonderful and faithful servants of the Lord.

4. The de Rosset Family - Ed is the President of Union College, and his wife, Lou Ann, is the Dean of Graduate Studies. Their beautiful little daughter, Chloe Rose, was born on Dec. 22, and it was a joy to be with the entire family.

5. "Barbourville Burners" - Cooks: John David King, Bob Dunaway, and Clif Gregory from the Barbourville UMC. Are there really hamburgers and hot dogs underneath all that smoke? The Knox County Cluster (Union College, Trace Branch UMC, and Barbourville UMC) did a great job in hosting and serving our Corbin District Family.

6. "Praising DS" - I love to lead in worship, and as we prepare to join hands and lift hands as we sing together, "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!", the look on my little friend's face (Matthew Daniel of Atwood Chapel UMC), seems to wonder where we are going in all of this. Special thanks to Jim Garrett of Union College, for the use of his good sound system.

7. "Praising Chuck" - Chuck Horton, Pastor of Sardis Chapel UMC, and his people are getting into the song.

8. "Wall to Wall Kids" - you could almost "walk on this water". Well over 1/2 of the people present, were children and youth. Praise the Lord! What a future!

One of our Corbin District Pastors confessed to me:

"Terry, I thought you were dreaming in expecting 400 PEOPLE to attend the Corbin District Picnic, but it's a Reality!"

My loving and affirming response to him was: "They thought that old Noah was sort of crazy, but he would'nt let go of his vision."

I'm 60 years old, and have more energy and enthusiasm for the work of God than ever before in my life.

Acts 2:17 is for real:

"Your young men shall see visions.
Your old men shall dream dreams."

I can't see like I used to, but I can still dream dreams for the Lord.

In Christ, Who makes us a CLUSTER OF LIVING GRAPES and not a box of dead raisins,
Terry Faris, Corbin D.S.