We give thanks to God for the wonderful relationship we have with Cumberland College, a Baptist school in Williamsburg, Ky. In June of 1971, we were appointed by Bishop Roy Short to serve the Williamsburg United Methodist Church, and it was our first full-time appointment right out of seminary.

The people of the Church, Community, and College graciously received us and our growing family. The President of Cumberland College, Dr. James Boswell, became a good friend and a good tennis buddy. In the fall of that year, Dr. John Renfro, Athletic Director and also a life-long member of the Williamsburg UMC, asked me to coach the Cumberland College Baseball Team, as the coach (Wally Mathes) had suffered a heart attack. So during the fall season, it was a joy to fill in and to lead and guide these young and excellent athletes, and we had a good season. Dr. Renfro later laughed and said: "Not only did they have a good season, but because of the 'Coach/Preacher', the cussing and foul language of the boys was greatly diminished."

In the fall of 1975, Dr. Willard Reeves, Head of the Religion Department, asked me to teach a class in New Testament Greek, and it was a joy to work with these young ministerial students for a year. Just look at those "crazy clothes" in the group photo.

During our first summer (2003) of being back in this area as Corbin District Superintendent, we were preaching at the Pleasant View UMC, and re-met one of our 1971 baseball players. We knew Terry Stigall then as a lean and lanky lefthanded pitcher and first baseman, an 18 year old college freshman (United Methodist Kid) from Perryville, Ky., and now it is a personal joy to know him again as the retired head Baseball Coach at Cumberland College (1983-2001), and to hear this grown man call me "Coach," and laugh at remembering how I wouldn't end practice until I took some batting practice myself. Terry is still on the faculty and teaching at Cumberland College, and it's wonderful to see him and his wife, Laura, and their two children, Adam and Alicia, as a vital family in the life and ministry of the Pleasant View UMC.

Click on pictures above for a better view.