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Methodist Pastor Retiring After 31 Years Of Service
Reverend Roy H. Corbin, pastor since 1979 of the United Methodist Churches in St. Charles and Robbins Chapel, is retiring after 31 years, with this Sunday, June 20, 2010, Fathers Day, being his last appointment.
Corbin recently wrote in a retirement document: I entered the St. Charles United Methodist Church for the first time on a cool morning in the spring of 1947, in the arms of my mother, Loraine Corbin. His father was Roy S. Corbin, a coal miner. In January, I had been born in a house 100 yards away in sight of the church. Im sure no one present that morning had any idea that many years later I would become their pastor (in July, 1979). Some present that first morning were still attending St. Charles Church, and I would later officiate at their funeral service. Etta Goins loved to introduce me to her friends as her pastor and would tell them, I knew him before he was born.
He has had other work, 3-4 months at Inland Steel, Chicago, Illinois; Chrysler Airtemp, Dayton, Ohio (six years); and Peoples Life Insurance, nearly six years in Lee County (1974-79); and he served one year as Sergeant E-5 with the U.S. Army in Vietnam (August 1966-67) as fire director officer for artillery, but in July 1979, he accepted Gods call to the ministry..
He has been in church since he was a little boy, at the old Bonny Blue Church and was Sunday School Superintendent at St. Charles before becoming pastor.
I am thankful for the call of God in my life to preach the gospel and to the Methodist Church for calling me to be the pastor of the St. Charles and Robbins Chapel Circuit, he wrote, adding, The two churches have been and remain a tremendous blessing in my life.
He said that the one God chose to be his life-long soul-mate and helper in his ministry was Ruth Turner, born in the house next door to the church, and they were married in 1967. There are no words to adequately express the love and appreciation I have for Ruth. We have been blessed with two beautiful daughters. Rachel is married to Dr. Charles Lafon, a teacher at Texas A&M, and they have given us two granddaughters and one grandson; and Rebecca is married to Dr. Eric Stickle, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, and they have given us three more grandsons and one granddaughter. Rachel and her family live in Texas and Rebecca and her family live in Lynchburg.
It is very humbling to have been used of God to bring hundreds to His Kingdom in the almost 31 years Ruth and I led the two churches. There have been many ups and downs, but the victories for Christ have far outweighed the defeats. I love Jesus with all my heart and will continue to serve Him and the Kingdom. Someone said to me, I didnt think Preachers retire. My reply was Preachers dont, but Pastors do! I dont think I shall ever quit preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know that my love for the United Methodist Church and the people called Methodist will never cease.
Corbin said last week that he intends to remain in the ministry, filling in for other ministers.
He said the churches he has pastored have allowed him to travel around the world with World Evangelism and the World Methodist Evangelism Institute with Dr. H. Eddie Fox, Dr. George (Sonny) Morris and Dr. Winston Worrell preaching and teaching the gospel in at least 45 countries with more than 65 trips.
He said he has been on six continents, on 65 trips in and out of the country and has been in more than 45 countries, some more than once, where he conducted the school of evangelism and did videography work on the trips. Some of the countries he has traveled to are India, Malaysia, Russia, England, Australia, Caribbean, South Africa and Israel.
He said eight staff members travel on the missions, accompanied by 12-24 seminary students. The people in the countries are very receptive to their presence, he added.
Corbin, who said he is in excellent health, graduated high school at St. Charles in 1965, finishing Mountain Empire Community College with honors in 1982 and leaving with a degree in General Business. He then graduated from Duke University in 1985, taking seminary training during the summer.
He served eight years as a member of the board of directors of the St. Charles Water and Sewer Authority in the late 1990s and early 2000s, having always been active in community service.
He enjoys working in flowers and with computers and fishing.
Corbin said the face of the two churches he pastored have changed, with older ones passing on and younger ones leaving the area, making the congregation difficult to maintain, but healthy, never the less, with a very faithful core group remaining. He said the victories far outweighs the defeats, adding that several men have entered the ministry under his leadership.
I am grateful for the influence, patience and support of all my Clergy peers in the Holston Conference over the years and to the laity for providing us a measure of security and dignity in retirement, he said, adding that the churches have a pension plan for those 62 years old with 30 years of service, or at age 65, or 72 (mandatory).
Corbin said, in answer to those who have asked, that he and his wife are very pleased that his replacement will be Gary and Nancy Perdue, adding that Gary has pastored the past 4-5 years in Coeburn.
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