Chris Cunard

I was born in Topeka during what the youngest of you would consider “the olden times.”  As soon as possible my parents took me to the church, Kansas Avenue Methodist, to be baptized. They did the same for my three siblings.  When I reached the appropriate age I was sent to confirmation class.  One day in the spring I was called to the altar with about twelve other kids to join the church.

Our church pastor was Rev. Chester Sisney, who happens to be the grandfather of our own Brian Sisney.  Rev. Sisney looked us over and then said, “Christine, since you have been baptized, I want you to go over there and sit on the front seat. I will call you later and you can come join with the rest of the group.” “Over there” happened to be the amen corner.  I sat and he talked on and on and I waited and waited. Soon everyone took their seats and I still waited.

All of a sudden he looked my way, saw me, and said, “My goodness, I forgot Christine.” He waived in my direction and said, “Consider yourself a member. You may go back to your seat, Honey.”  I didn’t know what a “consider yourself a member” was. I felt it was different but nobody else said anything.

I was nurtured very well in my church and Sunday school.

My to be husband, Howard Cunard, joined when I was in high school. We dated in college and then were married in the church when he graduated. That fall we moved to Evanston, Ill. He went to study at Garret Seminary to be a minister.

In 1954 we came back to Kansas. He took his first appointment at Powhattan. It was the smallest town and church I had ever seen. They were patient with me.  The next June I attended my first day at Annual Conference. It was the ministers’ wives’ tea. We all dressed our very best - that meant gloves and hats.  When the tea was over, the Bishop’s wife invited the new ministers’ wives to a special meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to instruct us of the expectations for a minister’s wife.   In the church I remember one thing. “Girls,” she said, “if you must wear shorts, wear them only in the house, and keep a skirt and mirror at the door. Before you answer the door, slip on a skirt and smooth your hair.”

Harold’s call to the ministry was his own.

My commitment was to be a good wife and mother (we eventually had three children) and to be involved in the church when I felt God was leading me there. I was a regular attendee - God seemed to get me there a lot.

In 1986 Harold died. I came back to Old Mission United Methodist Church. I never mentioned to Harold that I felt I was only a “consider yourself a member.” I thought it might be some kind of part of something. Never the less, I had long given that up.

When I came back to Old Mission United Methodist Church, Dale Dunlap talked numerous times to our Sunday school class. He loved to talk about Wesley’s Prevenient Grace. He described it as God loving us from the time we were born. God was awaiting to be present in our lives if we opened ourselves to God’s love.

I was ready to hear this. I was grieving deeply the too-early loss of my husband, being left without a home, and changing churches within a month.   All of my life I was troubled with more problems and trouble than a child or adult should have to have.   Here at last was a wonderful answer. I sought Dale out many times when we were at the church to answer my questions.

The more I focused on God’s abundant love, the more joyful my life became and the more eager I want to share it.  Involving myself in Stephen Ministry and then in the missions work area still fills me with abounding energy and great joy.

When Mom was 80+ I went to visit her one-day. Earlier we had had a discussion that was a huge political issue and was tearing at the church.  She said to me that day, at well into her eighty’s, “I read and thought about that. I decided I was wrong and I’ve changed my mind about that.”

We live in a fast changing world and as I take Disciple classes and other Bible classes or whatever else is offered to us for learning more about our faith and how to grow, I remember my mom and sometimes I change my mind about beliefs I always felt were unchangeable.

Attending Sunday worship is important. It helps set my week and I need to be in a company of believers. I need to express my thanks for God’s love and ask for forgiveness for my sins. Music feeds my soul. I leave worship ready to begin a new week. In my own way, I hope that I can help to bring God’s kingdom on earth.