CLYDE — Six years ago the Clyde Church of the Nazarene closed its doors after its pastor left, and a replacement was never hired.
Apparently, many people still believe the church’s doors are still closed. They’re not, though, and the church has been open for a year now.
According to the church’s current pastor, the Rev. Todd Cunard, its been frustrating that people haven’t noticed the church is once again opened.
“We been told by several people in the community that the church was still closed,” Cunard said. “On police officer said to me at McDonald’s, ‘We didn’t know that church was open. We didn’t even patrol there anymore.’
“It is frustrating to know that so many people aren’t aware that we’re open here. We passed out fliers and tried to get the word out in other ways, but people just haven’t noticed.”
Cunard certainly isn’t your typical pastor, and he believes the Clyde Church of the Nazarene isn’t your typical church either. Cunard, who grew up in Clyde and has had a checkered past, is laid back, and says he runs the church in much the same manner.
“We’re very laid back here,” he said. “Most of the parishioners just call me Todd. I do dress up, and if people want to dress up, that’s a fine thing. They don’t have to though. We want people to be comfortable.
“I want this to be a place where people don’t think there’s an expectation to be a certain way. This is a very laid-back type of church.”
Cunard has made a conscious effort to build a church that caters to both old and young, offering both traditional and contemporary services.
“I respect the church and I always want it to look like a church,” he said. I try to keep it traditional, but we also have a TV and a microphone, so I’m not afraid to bring in the contemporary. We’re trying to cater to both the younger and the older religious crowd of Clyde.”
Cunard became a pastor about a decade ago with the idea of helping people with recovery and reentry, because it was something near and dear to his heart, after struggling with it himself.
“We also have a recovery specialist, Stephanie Wyant, who is a Clyde person who has been through many years of recovery herself. Saturdays at 1 p.m. she holds what’s called deep-end recovery. It teaches the twelve steps.”
Those trying to get back on their feet after going to prison can also reach out and get the help they need.
“We will be facilitating and want to work with Clyde people that are getting out of jail or prison, that need some help. They really don’t even need to be faith-based. Clyde really needs that.”
Cunard stressed that those who need help don’t necessarily even need to be religious. He said even atheists are welcome at the church to just get the help they need.
“The church has made itself its own worst enemy. I don’t mean this church, I mean the church as a whole,” Cunard said. “It has been judging people and pointing fingers and that type of thing. I don’t care where you’re at with God. If you need help, that’s what we’re called to do. We’re willing to work with anybody.
“We’re getting to the point in Clyde where there isn’t that person that will put that hand out and say, ‘I don’t care what you did; you deserve and need this.’ That’s what the recovery and reentry is all about: helping people get stable, and hopefully get right with the Lord through that.”
At the end of November, the church will begin to operate an emergency food bank. Cunard said the effort will be aimed at families that just need a little help getting by during the holiday season.
“If somebody needs food to get through, we’ll have boxes already made up and they can call us,” he said. “As a pastor, I run into that where through the holiday season people go without food because they think they have to buy 50 Christmas presents for somebody. They then realize that they don’t have enough food for their baby. That’s what we want to help with.”
On Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. the church offers a youth ministry, run by Chaplain Ricky Hammonds.
The church holds an open service on Thursday evenings, at 6:30 p.m., as well.
“It’s a southern gospel service, which is important,” Cunard said. “A lot of churches are going with straight contemporary services. I feel that the hymns and gospels are as important as contemporary. We cater to both.”
Early next year, Cunard plans to begin another program that is important for him.
“We’re also going to be starting a special needs ministry,” he said. “I have a sister named Rachel, and I’ve had her in my care for many years. I really feel that people with special needs should have a type of service catered to them — on their level, their music for them to be ushers. They’ll do the whole nine yards, with the exception of the teaching, which I will handle.
“I’m not sure that any other church does something like that. I know some churches may have special classes, but they don’t have a service for themselves where they can come in and be free. This will be their time and their service.”
While the church has grown from a handful of parishioners, Cunard believes there’s still room for more growth
“Even though we only have around 30, if everyone comes, that’s still better than the five that were here originally,” he said. “In the year that we’ve been here, we’ve really built up the church, which is an amazing thing to do in Clyde. I see churches closing their doors here, so it’s an amazing thing.”
For more information about the Clyde Church of Nazarene or about the programs it offers, call 419-217-9956.
