Worship Structure
Except during special observances, we offer two morning worship opportunities each Sunday. At 8:30, join us for a more traditional style format including shared prayer time, children's message, scripture and sermon, responsive readings with hymn music accompanied by piano. Holy Communion is served on the first Sundays of each month by the music notation. Service length is 60-75 minutes.
Join us at 10:50 for our blended worship time. This service is a blended style format including shared prayer time, children's song and message, scripture and sermon with a blend of traditional, contemporary and gospel music accompanied by piano, guitar and drums. A sharing of communion is observed each Sunday with a choice of praying at the kneeling rail or returning to your seat. This service is also enhanced by a large video screen projecting worshipful backgrounds, the scripture reading and song lyrics. Service length is 70-80 minutes.
Church History
The first members of the Methodist Church of Clyde may have come from a congregation meeting southwest of the present-day town. As early as 1884, Methodist families met at "Hubbard Timbers" and were organized into a local church with Brother Thompson as their first pastor. The church at Clyde probably began to be organized in 1900 or 1901.
In July of 1903, the Clyde congregation was incorporated into the Abilene district of the Northwest Texas Conference. Charlie Young was pastor. B.C. Clemer donated land for a new church building and the members built a white clapboard structure in 1904. Membership grew rapidly and by 1910, Clyde was the largest congregation in the Abilene area with 425 members. The sanctuary, which held 100 persons, proved too small, so in 1936, a building committee under the leadership of Mrs. P.C. Steen, designed a new sanctuary. Church members built the new structure with rock from the Berry ranch.
A Sunday School wing was added in the 1940's and a children's building in 1956, under the chairmanship of Harry Steen. Lee Crouch was the pastor. In 1961, the old parsonage was torn down and a new brick structure was built by Ed Craig for $14,500. Weldon Edwards was the building chairman for the project and Merrill Abbott's family was the first to enjoy the new parsonage.
The sanctuary was renovated in 1970 and enlarged to seat 250 persons. Bishop Alsie Carlton broke ground for the new Fellowship Hall in 1977, and Thelma Berry served as chairperson of the building committee. Bishop Louise W. Schowengerdt, District Superintendent Darris Egger, and Pastor Danny Whitehead presided over the dedication service on March 15, 1981.
In 1987, two memorials were added to enhance the beauty and usefulness of our facilities. A stately bell tower, housing the original bell from the 1904 church and a Schumerich carillon, was dedicated in memory of David Edwards. A lighted sign with marquee was given by Olaf South in memory of his wife, Amy. In the same year, a building marker was dedicated for our sanctuary from the Texas Historical Commission. The church is also listed in the National Register of Historic Buildings.
Meet Our Staff
Monty Barnett, Pastor
Monty became our pastor in June of 2013. He and his wife, Ashley, along with their three children, Hannah, Caleb, and Hope, moved here from O’Donnell, where Monty served the O’Donnell and Draw United Methodist Churches for four years. Prior to this, Monty served the churches in Throckmorton and Elbert. Monty attended Asbury Seminary from 2002 through 2006. Monty and Ashley both are graduates of Texas Tech and their children know the words to the Red Raiders fight song!
The Barnetts have enjoyed their time in Clyde, with their two dogs, Zoey and Zachy, and their 5 hermit crabs. They have been a part of church camp at Camp Butman since 2007. Hannah and Hope love gymnastics and various forms of artistry, and Caleb will chase the ball of whatever sport is in season.
