FCC History: 1980s-Present

During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, FCC greatly expanded its programs for both youth and adults. These included a drama club that staged many "dessert theater" performances, art classes, a church basketball team, and Wednesday night meals before Bible Study. Traditions were started, like the annual Valentine's Day dinner that featured the election of Valentine Royalty, and the annual Christmas Craft Bazaar and Luncheon, which is still held every year on the first Saturday in December.

Pastor Dudley and his wife Juanita sponsored a group trip to the Holy Land in 1980. They visited Athens as well as Israel. The youth of the church went to work raising money for a second trip that took place in 1984, when they visited Rome, Israel, and Egypt. The CYF (Christian Youth Fellowship) also visited Rome and Athens in 2002.

In 1980, the church presented The Living Lord's Supper, a dramatic recreation of the Last Supper for the Maundy Thursday service, produced and directed by Juanita Dudley. The presentation was a resounding success, and was staged for several years afterward. In the first year the costumes were rented, but when the community demanded an encore, the ladies of the church went to work making costumes and buying wigs for subsequent presentations. The practice was revived in 2019, again under the supervision of Juanita Dudley. Jerry Blankenship was the only cast member from the 1980 production to reprise his role. Pastor Tibbs' beard is a lasting legacy of that performance. Subsequent productions were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope to present it again sometime.

In 1986, the church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1987, the FCC bell choir was launched. Lee Ann Strunk is the only remaining member of that inaugural group, and now leads the bell choir.

In 1992, a grand celebration was held to mark the congregation's 100th anniversary.

In 1997, FCC became the first church in southeastern Kentucky to participate in Operation Christmas Child, overseen by Joyce Fox. For the next 20 years, FCC served as the hub for Christmas boxes packed by other churches.

In 2005, Sam and Ed Tye presented the board with an idea to feed hungry schoolchildren over the weekend. Doris Moore was appointed to head the program. A school principal told Doris that children lined up on Monday mornings waiting to get into school so they could eat. The congregation met and in that first week packed 30 bags of food that students could take home with them on Friday. Doris sought advice from other churches, and they wanted to get involved, too. That was the beginning of the Corbin Community Backpack Program, which expanded to involve many local churches, businesses, and civic organizations. The program, still overseen by chairman Doris Moore and now headquartered in the house next door, packs around a thousand bags for schoolchildren in Whitley and Knox Counties every weekend.

Four people who grew up in the First Christian Church of Corbin went into the ministry. In the early 1960s, Randall Odell Martin answered the call to become a Christian missionary serving in Africa. FCC supported his efforts financially, including buying him a Jeep to be shipped overseas by the Disciples of Christ diocese. The fact that he never received his Jeep led to the first church split and tension between the church and the diocese.

Three others from FCC became ministers: Coy Jo Bays, who served as a Christian Church minister in Knoxville, Tennessee; Jeff Bell, who served as a Christian Church minister in Paris, Kentucky; and Randy Wilson, who ran a folk ministry in Redbird, Kentucky. Wilson also built a pioneer settlement in his backyard and taught about traditional living. All these people and their ministries are products of the First Christian Church of Corbin.

We also remember our church members who served in the military in every war. You can see their names on commemorative plaques at the church.

Pastors during this period included C.H. Dudley, Carl Helm, Don Nunnelly, Darrell Vandervort, David Blondell, Cameron Pennybacker, David Blondell in his second stint, John Gill, Jerry Combs, Greg Nunley, Robert Stauffer, and Ronnie Mitchell, who is still our associate pastor. Our current pastor, Rev. Dr. Robert Tibbs and his wife Debbie have been serving the flock since 2019. We are very happy to have them.

This congregation has survived and thrived through hard times over the years due to the dedication and sacrifice of its people for our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we look forward to a new era of worship, revival, outreach, and wherever God leads us.

Previously: FCC History chapter three.