Cassidy United Methodist Church

Tell Me the Old, Old Story
Our church has a rich history beginning with its founding in 1899 as a Methodist Protestant Church on the Springfield Conference. Reverend J.W. Langston, pastor of of the Richwood's Class started the church and had a membership of 108. The sanctuary was constructed in 1898 and was dedicated on the third Sunday of May 1899. Records indicate an active Ladies Aid group in 1936. They spent $2.22 for quilting frames, .20 for needles, and $8.00 for cords of wood. The following year they reported finishing five quilts and tacking two comforters.

God of Our Fathers
The church has increased and decreased in membership over the years. In the 1970's, the congregation grew and plans were made for a new building. Dissension arose amoung the members, as well as between the pastor and the leadership of the Annual Conference. The pastor, from another denomination, wanted the church to become his brand of Protestantism. A split in the church occured and ultimately the court ruled that the property would stay United Methodist, since the property clause was in the title.

Many of the pastors were college students or retired pastors. This was a rural church consisting mostly of farmers, people who grew up in the area, or those living here and working in Springfield. One record indicates that the membership exceeded 125, however the same record indicated 132 members and in yet another place, 144 members.

Rock of Ages
During the early 1990's, worship attendance averaged 35 to 39, but had decreased later in the decade to the low teens. In 1999, the church celebrated is Centennial and the following year received a $10,000 District Grant to make improvements on the building. This included a new porch, interior painting, and lowering the ceiling in the Fellowship Hall.

At the turn of the century, as the Nixa/Ozark area experienced tremendous growth, so did Cassidy UMC. After study and many prayers, the congregation voted to expand at the current location. In January 2003, plans were submitted to the District Building Committee for a new Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and Kitchen. The committee asked the church to launch a Capital Funds Campaign to raise $180,000 before proceeding with the building.

Trust and Obey
In July 2003, we had an "Over Forty Campaign." Each day, for forty consecutive days, over forty people were asked to pray for the building campaign, specifically praying that over forty families would pledge toward the needed $440,000 over a forty month period (September 2003 to December 2006). When the campaign ended, all goals were met with $220,000 donated or pledged toward the new building. Final plans were completed, approved by the congregation and District Committee, and on December 15, 2003, the contract was let and clearing of the site began.

There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
Construction of the new Sanctuary began in January 2004, increasing the seating capacity to 250+ people. On June 20, 2004, the Sanctuary was consecrated and the first worship service was held on June 27th. Membership increased from 72 to 155 while attendance grew from an average of 35 to over 120.

Sweeter, As the Days go by
Cassidy United Methodist Church was almost closed in the late 1990, but is once again a thriving congregation. We look forward to a marvelous future as more neighbors keep joining the area and great things continue to happen.