Middlesbrough Baptist Church in Cambridge Road
Cambridge Road BC was the birthplace of AIPM. A deacon at CRBC, John Rhodes, knew that God had called Chuck McComb to volunteer pastoral ministry in his retirement years. John recommended that CRBC invite Chuck to serve as volunteer interim pastor while they searched for a permanent British pastor.
Many of the deacons and church members remembered Chuck, Pat, Hugh and Christiana McComb from the late 1970’s when the McComb’s worshipped at CRBC. Chuck was working for Monsanto locally helping build a chemical plant. Chuck and Pat along with a British Couple, John and Margaret Lewis, and two young church members, Dave Lancefield and Rick Dudley, ran the CRBC youth ministry called, “The Saturday Club” during that period.
Chuck and Pat McComb
Lewis Family USA Trip 1980
Pat, Dave Lancefield (center) and Simon Blake 1976
Chuck and Pat served at CRBC from April to September 2000. Three people were baptized and as the Lord often works, the Northern Baptist Association’s Regional Minister, Rev. David Hunt, learned of the volunteer ministry and recommended it to Thornaby Baptist Church. That allowed the ministry to spread to other UK churches.
David Hunt
As the McComb’s served, CRBC was seeking a British pastor. They called Rev, David Anderson in September 2000 so the McComb’s came home.
Much later on, in 2011,CRBC was without a pastor and invited Rev. Darrell and Mrs. Faith Grice to serve as their volunteer interim pastor for a period of about 4 months. The Grice’s provided a “healing ministry” to help the church move beyond some disappointments. When the Grice’s left a local British pastor took over as interim and continued until a permanent British pastor was called.
Darrell and Faith Grice (Served 5 times with AIPM)
It is worth noting that over the years, CRBC has had a number of youth workers from the USA and their ministry was very well received.
It is the practice of AIPM to produce a flyer for UK churches seeking help with pastoral and youth work. The flyer is circulated in the USA to make potential candidates for voluntary service know of the opportunity. Below is the link to the flyer that was developed for the opening at MBC.
