Exciting things are happening at the new church on the hill beside the hospital in Corbin. After 110 years of using the name "First" before either Methodist Episcopal South, Methodist, or United Methodist, this thriving, Purpose-Driven, Presence Based congregation has changed its name! On Wednesday night, December 6, the people voted by an overwhelming majority to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to become known as "Grace on the Hill - a United Methodist Church"! Changing the name of a 110 year old institution is not easy, but for this group of believers, change is something they've grown accustomed to. In 1994, the church, again under the leading of the Holy Spirit, decided to sell their current building at 220 N. Main in Corbin, and build a new church on top of the hill they now occupy at 1632 Cumberland Falls Hwy. God moved and provided in miraculous ways and now "Grace on the Hill" is constructing their third phase, a new Children's Wing known as "Faith Junction." Over the last dozen years or so the church has changed and grown dramatically. So why the name change?

"It's fairly simple," says Senior Pastor Tim Thompson. "We emphasize Grace around here a lot. It's not just a church word to be talked about, it's who we are. We believe God's Grace and Mercy can change your life. 'First' United Methodist Church sounds traditional, formal, old, and perhaps even cold. Our church is none of these things, and "Grace on the Hill" tells people who we are and sounds warm and inviting. Ultimately, we believe God wanted us to do this!"

Thompson says there have been some questions and even rumors that the church is leaving the United Methodist denomination. He chuckles at this notion since the church staff has been very careful and diligent about communicating the church's commitment to its Wesleyan heritage. "We are not seceding from the Union," Thompson emphasizes. "In fact, we are being more like John Wesley and the early Methodist movement by winning people to Christ, discipling them in Small Groups, and sending them out into the world to be salt and light and hope. If Wesley were alive and present when we voted to the change the name on December 6, I'm quite certain he would have said, 'Let's get'er done!"

The church will in fact emphasize "Grace on the Hill" in large letters, and place "A United Methodist Church" underneath in a smaller font. Why? Associate Pastor Susan Elkow explains it this way: "While we love our heritage, that's not our main emphasis. Un-churched and de-churched people today don't really care about the name of the denomination. In fact, for many it's a turn off. We want to eliminate as many barriers as possible that keep people from coming to church. A life changing relationship with Jesus is far more important than a relationship with a denomination."

Indeed, there is a lot of excitement and momentum at "Grace on the Hill". The people here state with humility and sincerity, "We are not trying to be a church for everybody, but we do want to be a church for anybody!"