AMERICAN INTERIM PASTOR MINISTRIES, INC.

“LIVING & SERVING IN THE UK” for SHORT-TERM INTERIM MINISTERS

Prepared 5/10/01 by Chuck and Pat McComb (Last Rev. 16 Sept. 2026)

Contents:

Introduction

This document will be used to help provide an orientation for Americans going to the UK to serve as Interim Ministers for the first time. This document will remain evergreen, and we will appreciate suggestions for improvement from all those who serve in this ministry. The first draft only addressed the northeast of England. Subsequently, AIPM was given opportunities to serve in other parts of the UK. We are trying now to make the comments fit multiple locations.

Although England, Scotland and Wales are not large, they are on an island and there are enormous regional variations—in weather, lifestyle and traditions. Even within just a few miles the way people live can be very different and it really does have to be experienced to be understood.

We suggest that our Interim Ministers take these comments with a grain of salt. Please go to the UK with a mindset that the local people know their church, community, area and country best and be prepared to learn from them. They will love you and take very good care of you.

For the first 14 years of this ministry, we only served in UK Baptist churches. In 2014 we began serving at Bootle Evangelical Church (BEC) in Cumbria and that ministry went very well. The doctrinal beliefs of UK Evangelical Free Churches are very close to Baptist beliefs. Subsequently, we established the policy that we will consider helping genuinely evangelical churches in other denominations if God leads in that direction. BEC is part of Rural Ministries which is an association of Evangelical Churches. Rural Ministries’ goal is to help their churches that are mostly in rural settings to continue their ministry and thrive.

Advice and Guidance for Interim Ministers

There are 4 key sources for advice available to American Interim Ministers who serve in the UK. They are the UK church’s leadership team, a former American Interim Minister that has served that UK church, a local Baptist minister and one of the Regional Ministers of the Association.

The UK church’s leadership team will feel responsible for how things go in their church, and they will have been instrumental in getting the church to invite AIPM and the Interim Minister. They obviously want the enterprise to succeed for God’s glory, and they also have a huge personal interest in your success. Ask for their opinions and for information about needs in the church, standard practices, etc.

Obviously, an American Interim Minister who has served in that church before will be a great source of answers to questions as well as information about other persons to turn to. For that reason, we encourage the couple going over to arrive a few days before the departing couple leaves for on-the-scene orientation. If there is a gap between assignments, Skype or Zoom sessions, emails and phone calls or face-to-face visits are strongly encouraged.

The Interim Ministers may also ask a local Baptist minister about issues that are unfamiliar to them. This person may be a pastor of a nearby church or a retired pastor living in the area. Find one that you get on well with and trust and use that person as one of your “go-to” person for questions. AIPM, Inc. will maintain a list of names and phone numbers of people of this type once we get experience in the areas where we have people serving.

If there is a “Baptist Ministers’ Fraternal” or an a fraternal of ministers from other denominations locally, we highly recommend attending those meetings. That allows the Interim Minister to know folks doing the same kind of ministry they are doing, and it demonstrates that we Americans are team players and not interested in a “Lone Ranger” kind of ministry.

The UK church may have invited a local serving pastor or a retired pastor to serve between pastors. This is not the same as “interim pastor” that we often use in USA churches. When this happens, this person serves in an advisory or oversight capacity and is called the Moderator. We recommend that once AIPM’s Interim Minister(s) arrives, the church consider releasing the moderator to avoid confusion about leadership.

The Regional Minister of the association is another good source of information. The Regional Minister has a liaison role with local churches like that of a Director of Missions in a Baptist

association in the USA. One Regional Minister described his role as, “A pastor to pastors and a friend of the church.” AIPM, Inc. will maintain a current list of names and phone numbers of Regional Ministers in the associations where we have people serving.

We recommend that AIPM Interim Ministers phone the Regional Minister within the first week or so of arriving in England and try to arrange a meeting for introductions. A small percentage of UK churches and Regional Ministers have arranged an “Induction Service” for American Interim Ministers as they do for newly appointed permanent British pastors. It is best to wait and see if the church or Regional Minister mentions an induction service. If not, assume none is planned and that is truly appropriate.

Airline Tickets

DO NOT BUY AIRLINES TICKETS UNTIL PASSPORTS WITH VISA STAMPS ARE IN HAND! However, it is a good idea to do research on days of the week for travel, which UK airport might suit the UK church best (we hope they will pick up the Interim Minister and spouse at the airport) etc. The Interim Minister will pay for airline tickets as budgeted. We are recommending that the church pay ½ of the stipend for the period of service upon arrival in the UK because many expenses come at the beginning of the appointment.

Baggage

Baggage rules vary widely so check with the airline before packing. Please be alert for fees for extra bags. We believe that most Interim Ministers have managed with 2 checked bags per person. Folks usually find that they do not need all the clothing they pack. And wearing layers of clothing is good for the frequently changing weather.

Baptist Union of Great Britain

The Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) is like the national or state Baptist conventions in the USA. There are about 2000 Baptist churches in the BUGB with most in England and a few in Wales and Scotland. The Welsh and Scottish Baptist churches that belong to the BUGB may be aligned with two Unions. The BUGB provides some support for these churches.

Like USA conventions, the Baptist Union is made up of regional Associations. There are 13. Each association has a team of 2 or more Regional Ministers that provides some pastoral guidance for association ministers and their families and work strategically for “mission” (a British Baptist expression for ALL that the church does).

Camera/Smart Phone

Take loads of digital photos to send home and to AIPM. Take to the UK photos of family, etc. in America because your new British friends will have a keen interest in knowing more about you and your life in the States.

Car or Local Transportation

Public transportation in the UK is far more readily available and useful than many places in the USA and that could be what the Interim Minister would choose. But a car would seem most useful in many circumstances. The tentative budget prepared by AIPM and to be reviewed by the UK church and the Interim Minister has made provisions for a purchased pre-owned car or a loaner car from a church member. A rental car seems price prohibited.

Experience in about 20 UK churches has shown that a pre-owned car about 10 years old can be bought at a reasonable price and the cars that our folks have used have been reliable and economical. The Interim Minister’s budget allows for car service, some repairs, insurance and a contribution toward depreciation. AIPM, the Interim Minister and the UK church will work together on arrangements for a car. We have found that having the car titled to the American helps in getting the car insured.

The way the car’s insurance policy is written is extremely important. The American Interim Minister and spouse will be the main drivers, and the insurance application and insurance certificate must list them as such. It would not be “proper” to list a church member as main driver while the American couple is serving. Also, the application and certificate must list the car as being kept at the manse and not at the home of a member who may hold title to the car. The insurance policy may need to state that the car use is Class 1 plus Business Use. If incorrect information is given to the insurance company, it could invalidate the insurance coverage! The Interim Minister should have a copy of the insurance certificate available when operating the car.

In recent times, we have found that putting the car title in the name of the Americans reduces hassle. This may be done by the “sale” of the car to the Interim Minister for a nominal amount upon arrival and “selling” it back to the church at departure for the same amount. That allows the policy to be clearly for the Americans. We have also found that the popular insurance company for US military and family, USAA, has very good rates and works well.

Depending on the age and condition of the car and the trips the Interim Minister plans to take, the Automobile Association (AA), Royal Automobile Club (RAC), Green Flag or similar emergency road service insurance may be a good idea. (Some insurance companies include

emergency road service as part of the policy -be sure to check.)

Children, Youth and Vulnerable Adults

British law is very strict regarding the well-being of children and vulnerable adults. The Baptist Union of Great Britain has a major section on their web site www.baptists.org.uk with comprehensive information on what they call “Safeguarding.” This site provides information on policies and procedures for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. This is a “must read” for AIPM Interim Ministers before the assignment begins. Each church may have its own version of a safeguarding policy, based on information from the Baptist Union or elsewhere. It may be customized to its own situation. This document should be studied thoroughly, too. Additionally, the Interim Minister should meet with a member of the association leadership team (one of the Regional Ministers will be an expert on safeguarding) and ask for a detailed orientation.

The church should have someone named as the safeguarding contact person (child or youth advocate) and it might be good for that person to attend the orientation session with the Regional Minister as well. This is important for the protection of children, youth and vulnerable adults of the church and for the American Interim Minister. The church may have designated some member as the person to turn to if there are questions about the rules. This could be a schoolteacher who should be thoroughly familiar with the government’s requirements. Or the church may have sent a member for special training. Be very careful to follow all the rules don’t hesitate to ask questions.

A police background check will be conducted on each Interim Minister and spouse before they report for service in the UK. The Interim Minister and spouse will complete a consent form for the police background check and send to AIPM. AIPM will have the police check made through the Protect My Ministry organization for a fee. The confirmation of “No Record” will be forwarded to the church secretary.

As is the case the world around, AIPM’s Interim Ministers must be sure to have a second

responsible person present at all meetings with British children, youth and vulnerable adults. We understand that Billy Graham followed the practice of, “Never being alone with a person of the opposite gender that is not a family member.” That is good advice for the Interim Minister and spouse in these times. In fact, the words “opposite gender” should be dropped! To be crystal clear – one should not meet with another person or go into the home of another person by oneself. Be sure that another responsible adult is present! That may make visits more difficult, but it will be good if the church members develop the habit of making visits in homes!

Children in Church

Sadly, many UK Baptist churches have no children attending services or in any way connected to the church. Since work with children has a high energy demand some congregations with mainly only elderly members may find the prospects of personally working with children daunting. When children attend church, usually they exit the worship service partway through and go to the church hall for what some call, “Sunday Club” to avoid the use of the word “school” which for some young people may not bring to mind happy times.

Church Relationships

Generally, churches in the UK do not use committees to the extent that Baptist churches in the USA use them. The deacon body does much of the work of keeping the church operating. A deacon’s involvement in pastoral ministries, much like in the USA, depends on the individual deacon and his or her pastor’s leadership.

A key position in an English Baptist church is “Church Secretary.” This is not the pastor’s secretary, as the title might imply in America. It is the official lay position that handles the church’s business. This business includes making denominational reports, handling official correspondence, keeping track of membership, scheduling supply preachers when the pulpit is vacant, etc. The Church Secretary does many of the duties that a business administrator might do in a church in the USA.

Many UK churches do not have a “minister of music” or praise and worship leader. This is especially true of smaller churches. UK pastors generally lead the entire service including praise and worship. Some simply announce the hymns or choruses and let the instruments or a worshipper with a strong voice lead the congregational singing. Others also lead the singing depending on talents and gifts. If the Interim Minister could not serve in this capacity, arrangements should be made with members of the congregation to lead the “praise and worship” portion of each service. If the members are willing, this is an excellent way to get broader participation in the worship service.

Some Baptist churches seem to prefer modern music and seemingly only a few still prefer hymns. A few have blended worship and praise. Choruses are popular. Beware, familiar hymns may not have familiar tunes, or the tunes may be the same but the lyrics slightly different. Interestingly, neither the hymnals nor the chorus books are left in the worship center. They are passed to worshippers as they enter by greeters (a good thing) and at the end of the service, they are returned to storage cabinets.

In the early days of discussions with the UK church, AIPM will learn what kind of worship and praise music and other preferences the church has and pass that along to candidates. Avoiding surprises seems key to success. It is hoped that AIPM’s candidates will be flexible in regard to such things as music and worship to fit in with the church’s preferences. We hope that the mindset of the Interim Minister and spouse would be to not attempt to import methods from America. A preferred approach would be to learn what works well in the local culture and capitalize on those things. The local people generally are not lacking in ideas for ministries to do or how to do them. Their primary need is for human resources to do ministry. They will have developed ideas for ministry from their own experiences and from the experiences of local churches that are seen to be successful. It would be a good idea to wait until asked, “How do you do it in your church in America?” before offering very many American approaches.

The UK church may already have a designated person to lead the church’s deacons’ meetings and church business meetings before American Interim Ministers arrive. This leader could be a member of the congregation or the pastor of a nearby Baptist church or a retired pastor. Such persons often serve as Moderator when the church has no installed pastor. If meetings are led by a church member, it is probably a good idea to encourage this arrangement to continue as the people of the church know best how business is conducted and communicated. If meetings are currently being led by an outside moderator, it may be best that the arrangement be terminated in favor of either a church member or the Interim Minister leading meetings. There are likely exceptions to this recommendation such as the church being in a building program, etc. Deacon and Church Meeting leadership should be addressed before the first Interim Minister arrives and AIPM will try to have this settled in advance. Care must be taken that it does not become a contentious issue. In either case, the Interim Minister will likely be expected to bring a short devotional and prayer at the start of the meetings. It may be a good idea to have a passage of Scripture that deals with any agenda item that is seen to be particularly important.

One key to a successful interim ministry is good communications. The Interim Minister should have a good working relationship with the leadership team and with their agreement pass along information from the pulpit that will keep the congregation informed and part of the process. Keeping the congregation in the loop and letting them know of plans does wonders for gaining support. Moreover, it is very difficult to over communicate! At the same time, it is important that the leadership team not be surprised.

The Interim Minister and spouse may choose to move their church membership to the UK church. However, considering the limited time involved an alternative is to come under the “watch-care” of the church (an American term, I think). The watch-care arrangement grants volunteers all the rights and privileges of membership except the right to vote on church business.

The process for becoming a member of a British Baptist church is substantially different than entry into a Baptist church in America. One approach we have seen in Britain is that a prospective member applies for membership by letting the Church Secretary know in writing of the interest. The Church Secretary takes the matter to the deacons meeting. Deacons appoint a deacon and a non-deacon member to visit the prospect. The results of the visit are reported to the deacons and the deacons then vote on admitting the prospect into membership. The next step is for the Church Meeting to hear a recommendation from the deacons and then vote on membership. If the church votes for membership, the pastor will welcome the new member into the fellowship at the next communion service. The new member may be invited to sit on the front row of seats, and he or she may be served the Lord’s Supper as the deacons are being served.

Maintaining a healthy relationship with other Christian churches in the community is important to UK Baptist churches and recognizes the fact that the community is watching to see how we treat one another. Some communities have Churches Together, an official national organization with certain criteria for membership. The church’s leaders will advise the Interim Minister of the church’s membership in Churches Together or any other similar organization and any background on the subject.

Also, often the season of Lent involves cooperation and sometimes shared services with other churches in the community. This may include holding services on weeknights at each of the participating churches during Lent. Some Baptist churches have combined services on

Maundy Thursday evening and Good Friday morning.

Church Services – Funerals, Weddings, Prayer Meetings and Mother’s Day

Interim Ministers are permitted to conduct funeral services both at the Baptist church and at the local crematorium. Beware—the schedule is very tight at the crematorium (about 30 minutes) and the service must be concluded on time. There are buttons on the lectern that start the recorded music and close the curtains around the casket. Do not get these buttons mixed up! Get the funeral director or the manager of the crematorium to explain the buttons before the service.

The deceased’ family may want special music played during the service. They will need to provide a digital device such as a CD or flash drive, etc. of the music. The Interim Minister will need to take the digital device to the crematorium about 24 hours before the service so

they can check that it plays properly and have it cued up.

Interim Ministers are allowed to conduct weddings in the UK. The legal requirement is that an official “Registrar” must be present and handle the paperwork. Some UK Baptist churches have someone designated as the Wedding Registrar, but the Interim Minister must check before proceeding. For the wedding to be legal, certain questions must be asked and there are rules regarding the wedding ceremony so the Interim Minister will need to see an instruction sheet before conducting a wedding ceremony.

The Lord’s Supper may be served in a different way from Baptist churches in America. Some UK Baptist pastors announce, “We will eat the bread as it is served symbolizing that we come to faith in Christ as individuals. We will hold the cup and all drink together symbolizing that the church is one body in Jesus Christ.” Taking the Lord’s Supper to people who can’t get to the church can be a real blessing. Portable communion kits are available and very helpful for this meaningful ministry.

At the end of most meetings and services many UK Baptists say, “The Grace.” This is a direct quote of 2 Corinthians 13:14: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” The congregation will look at each

person present as they say The Grace. It is a great way to end the meeting!

Prayer meetings may have extended periods of silent prayer. If folk stop praying audibly, this may not mean the prayer meeting is over, but rather that folk have decided to pray silently and may resume praying aloud later.

Mother’s Day in GB or “Mothering Sunday,” is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is three weeks before Easter Sunday and usually falls in the second half of March or early April compared to a May date in the USA. It is sometimes celebrated in the worship service by having the children pass out flowers to the mothers present. Interim Ministers should ask the UK church leaders what their tradition is and follow their lead. On both sides of the ocean, this is not a day to overlook someone.

Clothing

See “weather” below. Americans need water-resistant outerwear to deal with the frequent rainfall ranging from a drizzle to a downpour. They need to be able to add layers for warmth

when the sun goes behind the clouds and to remove layers when it warms up. They need a good umbrella for each person. An alternative to an umbrella is a waterproof jacket with a hood—umbrellas and wind don’t go well together. A long all-weather coat with removable liner can serve as a nice overcoat for cold days and a raincoat for wet days. Wool sweaters are good to keep the cold out. Wool trousers are very comfortable in the winter. You may find that USA lightweight wool and manmade fibers are just not warm enough, but your British friends may be quite comfortable in them. It would be a good idea to take a pair of thermal underwear for the coldest days, especially until you get acclimated. A fleece sweater or zip up jacket is a good thing to have. Rather than purchasing new in the USA, good clothing items for that climate can often be found in clothing resale shops in the UK.

Dress for Sunday worship service varies church to church, so it is best to ask what they expect the minister and adult female family members to wear before packing. Some mature British women may still wear a skirt to church, but many will wear trousers.

Americans should take clothing for whatever outdoor activities they enjoy. Many British people love to go for walks and there are beautiful places to walk all over Britain. The British may have invested in good walking shoes and heavy wool socks, or they may go walking in everyday shoes or tennis shoes (called “trainers”). A walk is another occasion when it is essential to be able to add or remove layers of clothing. A small backpack is useful for carrying water, sandwiches, camera, etc. on walks.

Computers and Internet Service

Being able to send emails back to America is extremely helpful. And, Skype/Zoom/WhatsApp have become popular ways for Americans to stay in touch with family back home. This shortens the apparent distance between the UK and home. Check that your computer’s microphone, built-in camera and speakers all work before you leave the USA as that equipment may be much less expensive in the USA. One can learn the likely cost of items in the UK by Internet searches. Laptop battery chargers usually handle a range of voltages from 100 to 240. But a special 3 prong plug is needed for British electrical sockets. Kits are available at WalMart and similar stores. The Interim Pastor’s budget includes funds to cover monthly broadband charges.

Cultural Differences

A considerable amount of “orientation” is expected before American Interim Ministers report to serve a church in UK. This is often handled by the Interim Minister and spouse spending a day or two in the McComb home after the invitation to serve has been extended by the UK church and accepted by the candidate. Some examples of cultural differences at this stage may be helpful.

Following are some of insights but we are not optimistic that we have covered either a very large percentage of them or the most important ones. American volunteers are well advised to keep in mind that they are living overseas, and many things are different. We wouldn’t recommend spending time analyzing which is best but concentrate on the adjustments that are needed to ensure that the ministry is effective. The Interim Pastor and spouse may be there only about six-months, and their British friends will remain a lifetime.

The “British reserve” is talked about widely. Here’s what it means in practice. Typically, a British person respects another person’s right to privacy at all costs. This may make the British people seem aloof or unfriendly. Experience has shown that British people love Americans and enjoy chatting with Americans. A simple comment about the weather may open an interesting conversation and can even lead to a lasting friendship, and possibly the opportunity to

share the Gospel.

Another cultural difference that can affect church work in Britain is the way decisions are made. Generally, British people take extra time to make decisions. Seldom will they make important decisions on the spot. This means that “relationship evangelism” may work far better than “cold calls” to share the Gospel message. In fact, making calls at homes without prior appointments may not result in an invitation to come into the home. A visit at the door is about as much as one can expect when making cold calls. On a more positive note, the American accent is

sometimes sufficient to gain a person permission to make a visit in the home. A call to make

arrangements for a visit in the home may result in a very pleasant time spent with a British family.

Laurence Singlehurst, a British minister, has written an excellent book, “Sowing, Reaping,

Keeping” on outreach in the UK. He recognizes that all efforts to move lost people even a little bit closer to faith in Christ is truly evangelism. He says that in the British culture the first objective is to show lost people that “God is good and Christians are okay.” This book is a must read for American Interim Pastors in the UK. Two other helpful books are: “Evangelism Made Slightly Less Difficult” by Nick Pollard which I am told has a lot of helpful insights into the way British people tick and “Watching the English” by Kate Fox. I have read the Fox book, and it is

particularly insightful but there is no Christian emphasis.

Women are far more widely used in ministry in Baptist churches in UK than in the USA. It is probably fair to say that if it were not for the service and faithfulness of women in UK Baptist churches, many more would have had to shut their doors a long time ago. The deacon body may have one or more women members. Deacons in UK Baptist churches are elected and not ordained. Some churches have women as pastors. Women have been in pastoral ministry in the UK since the 1930s.

Generally, the use of alcohol does not seem to be frowned upon as much in Baptist circles in UK as in some Baptist churches in America. An offer of a glass of wine with a meal or a glass of sherry during a visit is not uncommon. It may be best that Interim Ministers do not provide

alcohol for guests to avoid offense or the wrong impression because the above-mentioned attitude toward alcohol is not universal.

Driving

The British government has had a booklet about driving in the UK called “The Highway Code” which was the British driver’s manual.  This booklet or the details in it may be available on the Internet. This, too, is a must read before departure. I think the link to the code on the Internet may be: http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk

If one has never driven in the UK, it is worthwhile to pay for one or two special driver’s lessons.  Professional driver’s instructors usually give a whole series of lessons so learners can pass the driving part of the exam.  Since USA licenses are good for up to one year in the UK, Interim Ministers on 25-weeks appointments need not worry about taking an exam.  Therefore, one or two lessons should be enough.  Lessons should be taken in the car that the Interim Minister will be driving.

Satellite navigation systems (“GPS”) – called “sat navs” in the UK – are well worth their cost. Fortunately, smart phones now have GPS so a separate device should not be needed. We recommend that locals do the driving for the first few days to allow time for the body to adjust to the about 6-hour time change, get the feel of traffic, get accustomed to driving on the left side of the road and learn the routes.  When Americans are driving it is good to have someone along to read the map until they learn their way around.  Searching for street signs while driving can be hazardous.  One of our volunteers observed, “Driving is a two-person job—one driver and one navigator.”  So true!

We recommend that Interim Ministers go with a church member to a large parking lot to practice driving. If manual gear box operation with the left hand seems foreign, that practice can be very helpful.

Below are just a few of the things that should be remembered about driving in the UK:

1. Slower traffic stays on the curbside if there is more than one lane in your direction.

2. Never pass on the curb side–always pass another vehicle on its right.

3. The cycle for electric signals is green, yellow, red, yellow and red simultaneously then green.  Yellow lights seem to have a much shorter duration than ours so beware. Cameras have been installed in many locations along roadways and at intersections. They record speeding and light jumping and the fines are substantial. A driver may get a fine in the post without realizing that a traffic law was violated. Word to the wise—pay close attention to speed limits and do not crowd traffic lights!

Regarding traffic lights, an online highway code can be found here: http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/signs01.shtml

4. Following are the rules for going through a roundabout:

a. Traffic already in the roundabout has the right-of-way—we think it is just the opposite in Europe so check before you go to the continent if you will be driving.

b. If you are on a dual carriage way (two or more lanes in same direction), keep to your left as you enter the roundabout if you are going to either turn left or go straight across.  If you are going to go off to your right (270 degrees) from the roundabout, keep to your right as you approach the roundabout and move over to your left as you swing around.

c. If you are not sure where to exit, keep on going around until you sort it out.

5. People flash their headlights to signal others that they are giving permission to proceed in front of them.  Beware: DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AS A WARNING THAT YOU ARE COMING THROUGH! The Highway Code says that flashing lights makes the other motorist “aware of your presence” but does not suggest that it gives permission to proceed ahead of the driver who flashes his lights. However, the practice seems to be to flash one’s lights to signal permission to go ahead. Best to ask locals.

6. Parking spots may be hard to find.  You are not allowed to park along the curb at any time if there is a double yellow stripe on the road surface next to the curb.  If there is a single yellow strip, you may be allowed to park under limited circumstances.  Look on the light-posts, on walls, etc., for the parking restrictions.  Some residential areas of towns restrict parking to residents only and a permit is issued to them.  Do not park there!

7. Small towns sometimes use “discs” to regulate parking.  You set the disc for the time that you arrived, place the disc on your dashboard and you must honor the limit of 2 hours or whatever the time limit is and move your car.  You can get discs from the merchants near the parking area.

8. The sidewalk (pavement) is reserved for pedestrians so don’t park your car on the pavement unless there are signs specifically allowing the practice. British people will park their cars close beside the curb, but still in the traffic lane to avoid parking on the sidewalk. Be certain to leave enough space for a person pushing a pram or child’s push chair to pass on the pavement.

9. When pulling into or crossing a street look right-left-right before entering the traffic lane.

Always keep car doors locked.  Don’t leave purchases or purses where they could be seen or grabbed easily if a car window were broken while you are stopped at a light. We understand that automobile insurance policies will not cover losses that are left in sight—only those items that are out of site in the car’s trunk (boot) are covered.

Gasoline (petrol) is sold in liters.  (‘Liters’ is ‘litres’ in the UK, similar to ‘centre’ and ‘theatre’) Currently, gasoline in the UK is about $8.60 per US gallon.  This will change not only with the price of gasoline but also with the money exchange rate. You may know this already, but a US gallon is smaller than an Imperial gallon.  A US gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds whereas an Imperial gallon of water weighs 10.0 pounds [it is 20 percent larger].  To convert from liters to US gallons, multiply liters (litres) by 3.86.

It is illegal to use a mobile phone or eat or drink anything while operating a motor vehicle even at a stop sign or light and the police are very watchful for violators.

Electricity

The electric service in the house is 240 volt and plugs have 3 prongs.  You should take 1 or 2 converters (transformers from 240 v. to 110 v. for your small personal 110 volts appliances).  Also take several plugs to adapt from our 2-prong/110 volt to their 3 prong outlets.  You can find these kits at WalMart for about $20.00.  UK electric current frequency is 50 cycles compared to our 60 cycles.  Electric motors will run a bit slower, but this should not harm the motors or adversely affect the performance of the appliance.  There are no electrical outlets in bathrooms except perhaps 2-prong outlets for electric shavers–safety concern and it is the law. Laptops generally operate on any voltage from 100 to 250.

Expectations

A typical “Terms of Reference” document is included below. And AIPM has developed a new document called “Ministry Profile – Expectations.” Both documents will be thoroughly examined by the UK church and Interim Minister early in the process – well before the appointment begins.  It is important that issues be examined and documented to avoid unmet expectations.

Financial Business

Living in the UK may be approximately 25% more expensive than in the US depending on the exchange rate and locations in both countries. Church members will know where bargains are.

AIPM recommends that before leaving the USA Interim Ministers have their local bank obtain about $300.00 worth of UK money (Pounds Sterling–” £” is the symbol like our $).  Also, USA credit cards are accepted at most businesses. The $300.00 should get about £220 depending on the exchange rate in effect.  There is a fee for cashing traveler’s checks. The $300.00 will be enough for incidental expenses for the first several days. Americans newly in the UK are generally not allowed to open a UK bank checking account. Americans may be allowed to open a UK bank savings account, and this could be a convenient way to convert $ to £.

If bills need to be paid by check, Americans may be able to arrange with a church member to exchange one of his or her checks in £ for your cash for the bill.  As in America, never put cash in the post.

AIPM recommends that the USA issued credit card be used for most purchases and expenses.  Credit card use will get a good exchange rate and avoid the bank’s commission for cashing USA checks.  The commission may be 2 or 3 percent!  More importantly, there is no need to carry a lot of cash.

Interim Ministers should notify credit card companies before they leave the USA that they will be living overseas for the period they have committed to stay so the credit card company will not suspect card theft when they see charges from England. The USA issued credit card will likely have on the back the ATMs that are acceptable for cash withdrawals.  These may include Pulse or Cirrus.  This may be a reasonable source of cash to meet the needs that credit cards may not cover.  Be sure to check on the fees that the card issuer charges for ATM withdrawals of this type.

Americans will need to arrange for someone in the USA to handle their banking business at home.  Some stress can be taken off that individual by arranging payment of bills by automatic withdrawals or using credit cards for bills payments.

Be very careful about letting others see money.  Put it all into the purse or wallet before leaving the inside of the bank or store.  Some ATMs are available in the UK outside buildings. AIPM recommends they not be used. Out on the street, as may happen in USA, someone might run by you and grab it out of your hand.  Only use ATMs located inside buildings.

The Interim Minister and spouse should follow the Holy Spirit’s leading regarding where tithes and offerings are given.  They may wish to contribute to the church in UK while serving there.  If so, check IRS rules regarding charitable contributions to overseas institutions.  Contributions may not be allowable deductions if given directly to the church in UK. It may be possible to contribute to the home church in the USA and designate the funds to the church in UK.  This has worked for some. It is also possible to donate funds to the UK church through AIPM, Inc. One hundred percent will go to the UK church. By IRS rules this must be an arms-length donation. When Interim Pastors chose this method, the AIPM Board must approve the arrangement. AIPM’s records must be clear and complete if we are audited. Also, the donation must be arms-length for the deduction to be allowed by the IRS. Do not write the name of the designee on the check – simply put a note in the envelope to AIPM’s Treasurer and send to: AIPM, Inc., 189 Anderson County Road 4258, Palestine, TX 75803.

It is probably a good idea for Americans to have little, if anything, to do with the UK church’s money.  The church will have already designated people to count money, make bank deposits and pay bills, etc.  If American volunteers make purchases on behalf of the church, the expenditures should be reimbursed upon presentation of a receipt.  Approvals in advance of expenditures are advisable and should be handled like the way church expenses are handled in America. To avoid overloading the church treasurer it is a good idea to collect a few receipts and submit them at one time rather than handling them one receipt at a time.

The financial status of church members may vary widely.  Many churches have several retired persons and, in that case, as in America, their income may be fixed.  If the church is in an area with high unemployment, many may be receiving government assistance.  British people tend to be very generous regardless of their financial situation and their love for those who serve in their churches may prompt them to do generous acts.  It seems the polite thing to do to accept their generosity graciously.  If the opportunity presents itself to return the favor, do so without reference to their earlier act.

Home (manse = parsonage)

If the church owns a manse, the church will make the necessary arrangements.  The Interim Minister has in the budget funds for payment for certain items. Included are council taxes, utilities including gas/oil, electricity, water, broadband and mobile phone.

If the church does not own a manse, one will need to be rented. The church will need to pay the rent. The Interim Minister will need to pay the items listed above which are in the budget.

If the church owned manse or rental property is not furnished, the church will need to provide furnishings. Some churches have been successful in getting loaner furnishings from members with only a few purchases from preowned furnishings businesses.

The church should ensure that bedding, bath and kitchen towels, etc., and small kitchen appliances are available.

Hot water pressure in the manse may be quite low.  This is because regulations require that a break tank be installed in the attic or in a closet at a high level.  This prevents any possibility of hot water flow from the home going back into the water mains.  Some homes now have “combi-boilers” which require no storage tanks.  They supply hot water on demand to the central heating radiators as well as to all sinks and the bathtub and/or shower. Hot water for washing dishes and clothing usually comes from the hot water boiler for home heating.  There is a setting that makes hot water available during the summer when the central heating may be turned off.

In some homes, hot water for showers may come from an electric heater mounted over the bathtub.  These are “on-demand” water heaters – the water is heated just before going to the shower head and there is no stored hot water.  For these systems, it is best to adjust the temperature before getting into the water flow.

Window cleaners may come around and clean the outside of the windows at a very reasonable cost. Ask the cost before allowing them to clean. They will come at whatever frequency you choose.  If you aren’t home when they wash them, they will collect from you the next time they come. This is an example of the trusting nature of many British businesses.

Carpets and rugs are not part of the “structure” as they are in the USA.  The owner or renter furnishes his own floor coverings.  The church should provide floor coverings.

Burglaries are a serious problem in some parts of Britain so all doors and all windows must be kept locked day and night.  Don’t leave valuables where they can be seen through a window.  Don’t leave women’s purses on the stair, as they have been known to disappear in a heartbeat.

Laundry

Hopefully the manse will be equipped with a clothes washer and dryer.  If not, and if the church cannot afford these, the Interim Minister might consider buying them and selling them upon departure or donating them to a needy person. Alternatively, if the church plans to have additional Interim Ministers through AIPM, the persons that follow might be willing to split the cost. Or the Interim Minister’s home church might consider the purchase of these items a good way to invest in ministry in the UK. These appliances are not terribly expensive.  Be sure to ask someone in the church where to get the best buy.

A clothes dryer is important because rain showers appear suddenly and without much warning and getting clothes dry outside can be a hassle.  Some people dry the washing on the heating radiators in the house but that is also a bit of hassle. The flexible vent pipe for the dryer is usually placed through an opened window near the dryer. ‘Condensing tumble dryers’ are now available on the market and do not require the vent pipe. They may be a bit more expensive.

If no clothes washer/dryer is furnished at the manse and if you decide against buying one, you should be able to find a laundry mat (launderette) nearby.

Mail

Your post (mail) will be delivered to your address at the manse.  To send letters you need to locate a red mailbox in your neighborhood.  There are usually boxes for mailing letters every 4 or 5 city blocks. You may find a small branch post office in the village shops area for buying stamps, sending packages, etc. but government cost cutting is making these less plentiful.

Postal codes serve the same function as our Zip Codes but give far more detail – perhaps like the 4 digits that follow our zip codes?  For example, the postal code for the manse in Thornaby is TS17 8EA.  The first two letters give the general area, TS stands for “Teesside” (beside the River Tees).  The third digit or two-digits refer to a specific part of the larger area.  The “17” for the manse covers the whole of Thornaby.  The next number (fourth in order), that is, “8” for the manse, further narrows down the location.  Finally, the last 2 letters give a very precise location on your street.  The General Post Office has published a large book that lists postal codes. Make no assumptions about house numbers on opposite sides of the street.  The Thornaby manse is at 92 Lanehouse Road.  Directly opposite are not number 93 or 95 as we would expect, but numbers 155 and 157.

Interim Ministers may want to talk to their local USA post office about the best way to handle their mail while they are away if they do not leave the home occupied.  If they have a family member or friend who can visit the home each day to pick up the mail, that person’s visit and the postman’s stopping every day will make the home look as if it is lived in.  Arrangements could be made for that family member or friend to discard the junk mail, pay the bills and forward any important mail.  A priority mail package every couple of weeks is not too expensive and delivery time is about 5 – 7 days. Be very careful about the weight of packages. We priced shipment of Bibles from Houston to England at the US Postal Service and were quoted an enormous price. We tried UPS and their price was even higher. We decided to take 200 Bibles to England in suitcases.

One American Interim Minister learned that the US Postal Service will forward first-class mail to England at no charge for up to six months and that an additional six months may then be requested. It will be good to check with the local post office to make sure that is correct.

Meals

There seems to be variations on what meals are called. The the noon meal may be called “dinner” or “lunch” and the evening meal that may be served around 5 PM is often called “tea.” Teas seem to be simpler meals but Sunday “dinner” at around noon is often a big deal! Sunday dinners may be elaborate, multi-course meals which the hostess (or host) will have spent hours preparing. If you get an invitation and it is not clear, it is appropriate to ask, “What does this invitation involve?” You should be told whether you will be fed or not. We think that generally if you are invited to tea in the late afternoon, you will likely get tea and sandwiches and a bit more including a “sweet.” If you are “invited around” sometime in the late morning, you will likely get coffee and biscuits (cookies). If you are invited around in the early afternoon, you will likely be offered a cup of tea and a biscuit.

When people call at your home (come by for a visit) it is customary to offer tea or coffee and biscuits (cookies or tea cakes). Don’t get any hang-ups about this—the British are gracious people and realize our customs are different and they will make do with what you serve them. In their homes enjoy what they serve you! Some British families have a “supper” just before going to bed. This seems never to be a large quantity and is kept simple. Finally, home visits even for a cup of coffee or tea and a biscuit usually take a couple of hours. So, don’t schedule too many appointments in homes in one day!

Medical Care

As of July 2015, the UK Government introduced a new Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Those applying for visas for longer than 6-months must pay the IHS. Part of the visa application process (online) requires the applicant to go to another site and input the start and end dates as listed on the certificate of sponsorship. The system then automatically requires a credit card charge. The applicant is then given an IHS reference number. This number must be kept! With that number and the passport, the visa holder is entitled to free medical care from the National Health Service (NHS).

AIPM’s typical appointment period is 25 weeks so the certificate and visa list dates less than 6-months apart thus not requiring or allowing IHS. Each Interim Minister will need to check the Gov.uk. website to know the then current rules. We found the following on the Internet:

  1. UK visa holders staying in the UK for less than 6 months generally must pay for NHS healthcare at the point of use unless an specific exemption applies. [1]
  2. NHS Rules for Short-Term Stays
  • General rule: Visitors and individuals with a visa valid for under 6 months are not considered “ordinarily resident” and must pay for NHS hospital treatment. [1, 2]
  • Cost: Non-exempt individuals who require chargeable NHS hospital treatment are billed at 150% of the national NHS rate. [1]
  • Health insurance: Anyone visiting the UK for under 6 months should purchase personal medical insurance to cover potential healthcare costs. [1]

The above seems to clearly recommend medical insurance for the Interim Minister and spouse for a typical appointment in the UK. Beware – Medicare seems to NOT cover patients while overseas.

Since the beginning of AIPM we have recommended that the Interim Minister and spouse check in at the “doctor’s surgery” (medical clinic) shortly after they arrive in the UK. Establishing this contact may be helpful in case of an emergency during the assignment in the UK. During that visit it seems appropriate to talk to the General Practitioner’s staff about your status in the UK and your insurance situation, etc. If more than one surgery is nearby, church members will be able to recommend the one likely to give the best medical care.

Passports, Visas and Overseas Travel

Certificates of sponsorship and visas are required for our Interim Ministers (considered “Ministers of Religion”) for doing ministry in the UK for any amount of time. The spouse and dependents of Interim Ministers require dependent visas but do not require certificates of sponsorship as they are not filling a paid position. There are several steps to the process. For the first few visa applications (until we can make a roadmap), the church and AIPM will have an immigration lawyer on retainer to guide all parties through their respective parts of the process.

  1. AIPM collects detailed information about the Interim Minister that has been invited to serve.
  2. That information is sent to the UK church who will have applied for and received a license that allows them to apply for a certificate of sponsorship for the Interim Minister. The certificate and visa are called “Tier 2 – Minister of Religion.”
  3. The certificate of sponsorship may be issued a few days following the church’s submittal of the application. The return of the passport with visa stamp may take 2 or 3 weeks after the information is sent to the consulate in NYC. These times can vary and there seems no way to expedite the UK government’s response. Therefore, when and only when the visas are in hand should airline tickets be purchased.
  4. When the church receives the certificate, they send it to the Interim Minister who is then able to go online and apply for a visa using the certificate number.
  5. The process for online application for a visa will be available on the Gov.UK Website and will likely include: the Interim Minister’s personal details and the certificate number. A credit card number will be needed for the visa application fee. In the past, visa applicants have been able to purchase prepaid/pre-addressed shipping labels on the visa web site through VFS Global. This seemed a bit less expensive than going directly to UPS. Shipments are made via overnight packages to avoid delays. Packages are sent to the British Consulate in NYC. IN THE PAST, IF VFS GLOBAL WAS NOT USED, FEDEX WAS NOT ALLOWED. THE CONSULATE WOULD NOT RETURN THE VISA IN A FEDEX PACAKGE (WE DO NOT KNOW WHY FEDEX WAS NOT ALLOWED – THIS MAY HAVE CHANGED SO READ CAREFULLY). When the application is submitted online, information is given about locations where biometric checks can be made. These are electronic fingerprints and perhaps a bit more. An appointment is made online and the biometrics establishment is visited as scheduled. Unfortunately, biometrics places seem to only be available in larger cities so travel may be involved. The biometrics place will initial the appointment confirmation document (the one that has a bar code on it). This is proof that your fingerprints are on file. This initialed document is enclosed in the package to NYC. The original (not a copy!) passport and other documents listed on the web site are also included in the package to the consulate.
  6. Activities upon arrival in the UK have been updated as follows. The Interim Minister and spouse must travel using the passport linked to their UK Immigration and Visa (UKVI) account and should carry the UKVI decision email and any travel vignette issued to them. They should be prepared to show their passport and explain the purpose of their visit if asked by a Border Force officer. There are no longer separate UK biometric appointments and no Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) to collect on arrival in the UK.

Immigration permission is normally held digitally as an eVisa in the individual’s UKVI account. As soon as practicable after arrival, the Interim Minister and spouse should check that they can sign in to their UKVI accounts and that the eVisa records the correct name, passport, immigration route and expiry date. They must keep their UKVI account updated if their passport, name, nationality, photograph, contact details or residence changes. The Interim Minister should provide the sponsoring church with their arrival date and, when requested, a right-to-work share code so that the church can complete the required online right-to-work check. The share code is essentially the digital equivalent of the old BRP card – the Interim Minister generates the code on their eVisa account, passes this code to their church, who can then run a check online to confirm the individual’s status and right to work. The Interim Minister must work only in accordance with the conditions of their visa and sponsored role. The spouse must also comply with the conditions shown on their own eVisa.

  1. In case of theft, photocopies of the photo page and facing page of the passport and visa should be made and placed in each piece of luggage. A copy should be left with someone in the USA. AIPM will also require copies of passport photo pages and the visa stamp page and will distribute these to the UK church.

The US Government’s State Department has useful information about overseas travel: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html The following is recommended on the site: Register your travel–It is a good idea to register your travel with the State Department so that you may be contacted if need be, whether because of a family emergency in the U.S. , or because of a crisis in the area in which you are traveling. Travel registration is a free service provided by the State Department and is easily accomplished online at https://travelregistration.state.gov.  (In accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information on your welfare or whereabouts to inquirers without your express written authorization.)

Phones

With mobile phones being so capable, it is unlikely that a landline will be needed or available. Research should be done while in the USA about using the current mobile phone in the UK. Plans may be available by the provider for overseas service. If that is too costly, an affordable plan may be available from UK providers. An alternative would be to use a phone that allows pre-purchase of minutes. With these “pay as you talk” cell phones you purchase the desired number of minutes and receive a card with a code.  You ring your mobile phone company and enter the numbers from the card and they “top up” your account.  Plans should be made to use the Internet for calls back to the USA. All that to say that phone service providers and equipment vary so widely that the best solution can only be found by thorough research – best done before going to the UK.

To phone the USA from the UK dial: 001+area code + number.  UK phone numbers usually have a 5-digit area code with the first digit being “0.”  The area code is followed by a 6-digit number.  If you call long distance within the UK, you must dial the 5-digit area code including the “0” plus the 6-digit number.  If you phone that same number from the USA, drop the “0” and use the last 4 digits of the area code plus the 6-digit number.  To dial the UK from the USA you must first dial the international code, “011.” Then dial the country code for the UK, “44.”  We suggest that when you give Americans your UK phone number you write out the full dialing instructions to avoid confusion.

You should be able to receive calls from the USA on your UK cell phone with no charge to you, however this should be checked out with your cell phone company.  You may be able to call America from your cell phone but be prepared to pay a king’s ransom!

Finally, you may be able to simply buy a UK SIM card for your phone from a local corner shop that will allow you to “pay as you go,” that is, there is no need for a formal monthly or yearly contract.  At one time, Vodafone, for instance, even had a SIM-only plan that gives you free international minutes with every £10 top-up. You can top up at almost any corner shop or post office.  This will allow you to call back to the States from your cell phone, which is very handy. We understand that you will need to call your US cell phone provider before you leave and get the SIM unlock code from them for each phone that you plan to switch over.  Also, if you plan to retain your US cell provider, DO NOT LOSE your US SIM card!  Put it, along with the SIM unlock code, in a safe place, as you’ll need both when you get back to the US.  We hope we’ve given no bad advice and trust adequate research will allow correct decisions.

Places to See

There are beautiful scenery and interesting things to see and do in all directions all over the UK.  We recommend that you talk to church members and neighbors about what may be interesting locally. Inviting them to join you is good for building relationships and doing outreach.

Planning for Ministry

Each experienced minister will have good ideas for planning for ministry and many of them can work in an interim appointment. In each of the five “interim” positions I’ve held I have asked a group of 5 or 6 people to help me with planning and organizing essentially everything that the church does in both worship and activities.  I asked for the deacon’s approval before I asked members to volunteer for the group.  We call the group the “Worship and Activities Leadership Team” or WALT.  This group functions much like a church council in the USA.

Before discussing details of “WALT” I want to mention the fact that the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) has developed an approach that is as good as “WALT” and probably better. It is called a Mission Consultancy. It is an organized approach to evaluating the church and its setting and doing visioning and strategy work. The individual Baptist Associations either use the BUGB material or have developed their own approach. They work with the church leaders then the entire fellowship on their analysis and then make recommendations and suggestions that the church can then consider for implementation. It would be good to talk to the UK church leadership team and the association to see what would work best. Hopefully, all will agree that some form of “study” should be done if one has not already been done, to plan the path forward. I would be very pleased if each church where AIPM Interim Ministers serve would do a mission consultancy before AIPM starts or just as soon as AIPM starts. We want to promote the growth and spiritual health of the church and to diligently try to move the church to the point that a British pastor can be called and the church can be independent of interim service from the USA. We will then go elsewhere and help others!

Another point needs to be made about Mission Consultancy (or WALT) implementation and that is the “pace of change.” I am most guilty of trying to take on more than is manageable and introducing change faster than desirable. My excuse is that I only have a few months to serve and then must return home. For that reason, I want to accomplish as much as possible. That seems noble, but it ignores what may well be the preferences of the local congregation. They will have been there decades before I arrived and will be there decades after I have gone. The local lay leaders may be tired from keeping all the plates spinning and taking on new initiatives may seem daunting. My advice would be to be wary of trying to introduce too much new too soon. It may be that the mission consultancy (or WALT) may help each successive American volunteer stay focused on what the church has determined are the “main things” and avoid change overload.

I like for the Church Secretary and Treasurer to be on the team, as they know the calendar and the finances.  If there are any teenagers in the church, I ask one to be on the team.  I try to have a representative from each adult age group, young, median and seniors.  I ask for both male and female members–an equal number of each would be ideal.  I serve as chairperson and publish an agenda before each meeting.  I write brief notes after each meeting and distribute them either via email or on Sunday mornings as WALT members enter the church.

If a planning team such as WALT is not already functioning, at the initial meeting I ask the group to help me develop three lists.  First, we ask the group to identify those things that the church is currently doing.  This list is often an eye-opener because they are likely already doing a lot more than they give themselves credit for doing.  Second, we develop a list of things that the church has done in the past that worked well.  This list, too, is often impressive.  Third, we list the things that we might do in the future.  This is in the form of “brainstorming” (called “thought showering”).

We list all the items above on flip charts so everyone can see them and I put all the items in the minutes of the meeting.  I then ask the WALT to rank the items on the “might do list” in order of importance.  We select those that get the largest number of votes to go to work on immediately.  We do a bit of planning and calendar work for those items then appoint people on the WALT to head-up the effort.  We encourage them to try to enlist people not on WALT to help carry out the activity.  The more people that are involved in ministry the better the ministry!

At WALT meetings we spend a bit of time planning worship for the upcoming Sundays.  We try to involve many in the congregation, especially using as many of the young people as possible.  We try to plan a variety of things including special music by our own people or an outside group.  I ask WALT for input on the sermon topics that both church members and un-churched people are likely to be interested in.

Some of the things that WALT at Middlesbrough Baptist Church planned in 2000 included:

1.   A car treasure hunt involving several non-members.

2.  Three church workdays for painting and fix-up.

3.  Identification of several people that I could ask to lead worship (lead the singing), since I can’t do that!  I was given 16 names and 14 agreed to help—you cannot beat that for support!

4.  Establishment of a group of people in the 30-45-age range to plan activities for that age to try to enlist un-churched people.

5.  Establishment of a group in the 18 to 30 age range (College and Career) to plan activities to reach out to that age group.

6.  Involvement of the “Swing Band” that uses the church hall for practice on Friday nights.  They served as an orchestra for a Sunday morning service.  Their parents and grandparents attended!

7. Baptismal and Baby Dedication services.

  1. Church outings–walks in the moors, etc.

It is important to observe that the above activities were not imported from America–they are very much British and they worked very well.

If I were king, and I am most assuredly not, I would urge the initial Interim Minister to push for either a “Mission Consultancy,” if not done already, or try to organize a WALT. I would want future American Interim Ministers to continue WALT and pray that the team remain in existence for at least six-months after the new UK pastor arrives.  American Interim Ministers and UK pastors can benefit from the wisdom and experience of the WALT or the mission consultancy group.

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I tell the WALT at the initial meeting that one of their jobs is to tell me where the mines are laid in the minefield.  Finding out the church’s sore spots by accident can be very painful on either side of the Atlantic Ocean!  Moreover, most church traditions, taboos, etc., were born out of some problem or issue and the folk at the time made a commitment, “This must never be allowed to happen again!”  There is wisdom in that.

Politics

British people are sometimes interested in the political views of the American Interim Minister and spouse and we, of course, are interested in their perspectives. This might lead to some interesting discussions, but there are some serious implications. Of greatest importance is the reason we serve in Britain. Obviously, we serve to advance the Kingdom of God and NOT to convert people to our political view regardless of how strongly we hold that view. There is great risk that a church member or a lost person may choose to not listen to a one talking about Christianity who is glaringly of a different political persuasion. So, treading very lightly around political issues seems good advice – or more plainly, “Do not discuss politics!” When asked about the political situation either in the UK or in the USA, it seems advisable to say politely, “I generally prefer to not discuss politics – I hope you understand” and not be drawn into that topic – it is far too risky!

Also important is the issue of restrictions on tax-exempt organizations regarding political activity. I think the British rules are like ours. My simple view of our rules is that churches must NOT take sides in politics. That would be a good guideline for AIPM personnel serving in Britain—DO NOT TAKE SIDES – YOU ARE A GUEST. The following was passed on to me:

“UK charity laws prohibit charities from favouring any particular political party. Here are some quotes from the Charity Commissions website: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Your_charitys_activities/Campaigning/elect.aspx:

‘The independent nature of the charitable sector is of fundamental importance to society and is greatly valued by the public. The guiding principle of charity law in terms of elections is that charities should be, and be seen to be, independent from party politics. ..Charities should be especially wary of associating, or becoming associated in the minds of the public, with a particular candidate or political party. So, if AIPM personnel speak about British politics in any fashion, it must be to present a Christian perspective on issues of interest… (The discussion must be fair and balanced, not partisan).

The AIPM, Inc. official position: “If an AIPM Interim Minister should get an invitation to speak to a political group, that invitation should be discussed with the UK church leadership team and the Baptist Association’s Regional Minister to avoid surprises and get any guidance that may (1) help advance the cause of Christ and (2) avoid any comments that would be considered to breach UK charity laws.”

Following are some Scripture references of interest:

Rom 15.1-7 for the responsibilities of those who govern. They are God’s servants for doing what’s good for the citizens they govern (v4).

Gen. 50:20 for Joseph being a prime example from the Old Testament.

1 Tim. 2:1-4 for law and order and for praying for those in authority over us. A good example would be the church praying for the local Member of Parliament (wouldn’t it be good if he or she visited the local Baptist church?).

The Christian Institute have produced some helpful materials:

http://www.christian.org.uk/resources/publications/)

Prayer

As soon as you are invited to serve a UK church, enlist a “Prayer Team” to lift your ministry and the mission of the UK church to our Father in daily prayer. Communicate with them weekly or as a minimum monthly, your own needs and the needs of the fellowship you are serving and the needs of the community you are praying to reach for Christ.

Some UK churches set aside one morning each week for a gathering to pray. This will bless you greatly and produce spiritual results. Enjoy! Unlike many prayer sessions in USA churches that have continually audible prayers, British prayer circles will sometimes fall silent. This simply means the participants have felt led to pray silently and do not feel obligated to keep it audible.

School Work

The UK church and American Interim Ministers will want to have a good reputation in the community and helping at the local school can be great ministry. After discussions with the deacons, the Interim Minister might phone the school for an appointment with the head teacher. During the visit the interim could volunteer to help with religious education classes and school assemblies. In both cases the topic to be covered may be assigned by the RE teacher or the head teacher. Be sure to follow their guidelines about topic and timing. Be sure to check with the church leaders and school officials about what is proper in their schools. Some things that come immediately to mind:

  1. Ask the host teacher what topics are appropriate. For example, talking about Christianity is okay in religious education class but may not be in math class or on the playground.
  2. Gum chewing is not allowed in school.
  3. Denim or jeans may not be allowed in school.

Shopping

Most things that we have in the USA are available in the UK.  However, if you require special medications, hair shampoo, etc. take a six-month supply.  For us southerners: Please note that you cannot get cornbread mix in the UK – nor do they have cornmeal (they do have corn flour, which is not the same – but I’m not a cook).

Very few residences are very far from small shops.  These are handy but may be high priced.  Most towns have a large supermarket.  Asda’s (Wal-Mart), Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are well-stocked supermarkets and have most food items that we have in the USA.  Ask church members where the best values are—you won’t be there long enough to learn by trial and error. Most bread in the UK does not contain the preservatives like American bread so does not last as long. We discovered that only keeping what you will use for two or three days out of the freezer means less wasted bread! The supermarkets have pots and pans but if you bake American pies, you’ll need to take a glass or metal pie pan or two with you.

As in the USA, it pays to pay attention to prices as you go around.  Get church members to tell you where the specialty shops are.  For example, a shop called “Rollo’s” in Borough Road in Middlesbrough is helpful for appliance parts and general knowledge.  If it’s broken, they can order the part or may even have it on hand.  We expect that there are similar specialty shops in every town—just ask.

Television

A license is required for the operation of a TV.  The annual fee was about £145.00.  There are vans with electronics gear to check for addresses which are receiving a TV signal but have no license.  There is a stiff penalty for violation.  The income from license fees helps support British Broadcasting Company that has no commercials.   The Interim Pastor should pay the TV license fee along with broadband as part of the utilities budget. There may be monthly payment plans available–ask a church member. And work with the designated church member who is the “go to” person for the manse about TV hook-ups.   Whatever is done, it should be done in the name of the church (with church permission, of course) to avoid hassle at time of cancellation. Finally, be aware that some TV material is not suitable for Christian viewing.  Get church members advise on what to avoid.

Terms of Reference

See the appendix for a sample “Terms of Reference.  This document as is or as amended should be reviewed and agreed to by the UK church, AIPM and the Interim Minister. This should help clarify expectations and help reduce the chance for confusion, misunderstanding or hurt feelings.

Things to take with you (this list has been reduced in scope due to weight limitations)

  1. Take a few hand towels and wash cloths for the bathroom.
  2. A small photo album with pictures of your family, home, church and interests so your new UK friends can get to know you better—this is a great coffee table piece.
  3. A set of bed sheets to fit the bed in the manse’s master bedroom.  Good quality sheets seem very expensive in the UK.  If it is possible, consider leaving the set for any other American Interim Ministers that may follow. In the UK, “King Size” seems approximately the US “Queen Size.” Get the exact length and width dimensions of the bed from the church so you won’t take the wrong size.
  4. Your reference books for sermon preparation.  Beware, books are heavy. Take CD’s or get electronic copies.
  5. Your favorite cookbook[s].
  6. A lightweight set of USA measuring cups and measuring spoons (not metric!)— your recipes will care which you use.  Leave them in the manse if you can.
  7. Any special dry mixes for salad dressings that you are particularly fond of.  They are lightweight and the UK brand might not be your favorite.
  8. Any special medications that might be hard to find.
  9. A spare pair of prescription glasses (your last Rx perhaps) and your current glasses Rx.

Visas

AIPM has a document called “Outline of Visa and Appointment Issues” that cover details of interest. This will be made available at the appropriate time. Meanwhile do not worry – we will have an immigration lawyer on retainer to guide us through the steps correctly.

Vocabulary

“We have so much in common with our British friends except the English language!” Below are just a few examples:

Bottom of the street is one end and top of the street is the other end. I can’t decipher which is which–folk just know.

Cars have a vocabulary of their own.  Bonnet is the hood.  Boot is the trunk.  Wing is the fender.  Silencer is the muffler.  Windscreen is the windshield.

Dual Carriage Way is a four or more lane highway with a median.

Ground floor is the floor at street level ,and the next level up is called the first floor–go figure!

High Street is the main street.

Manse is parsonage.

Mind the ____–example: mind the gap means watch out for the gap between the platform and the car on the London Underground. Always mind the step when entering or leaving a British home—the threshold is often raised higher than ours and one can trip!

Minister is the title given to the ordained and called leader of the congregation. Pastor seems to be used less often.

Nearside on the highway is the side nearest the curb.

Pavement is a sidewalk.

Petrol is gasoline.

Post is mail

Postal Code is similar to our Zip Code but the format is different and it narrows down the location very precisely.

Spanner is wrench.

The toilet is the loo.

Trainers are what we call tennis shoes or sneakers.

Vacations are called “holidays.”

Vestry is the pastor’s study or perhaps a multipurpose room since many British pastors do their study, sermon preparation and counseling in the manse.

Words to avoid: bloody, randy, piddle, fanny–they are not nice. Also, beware of regional differences, for example, we are told that bonny means pretty in Yorkshire, but means fat in Lincolnshire. We could be wrong!

Weather

You’ll likely be in the UK in both winter and summer, but you won’t find a lot of difference in the weather (ha!).  The UK is quite far north.  For example, Middlesbrough (nearest big town to Thornaby) is at about the same latitude as the central parts of Canada–which should be a clue that it can get cold.  But Britain is on an island and the surrounding sea/ocean moderates the climate.  In theory, the saying, “It never gets really cold and it never gets really warm in the UK” is almost true.  There have been some clear exceptions such as the heat wave in 2026.   It gets cold in January -March and doesn’t really warm up until May.  The wind blows across the island, and it is often damp, so it often feels very cold.  The summer months of June-September are mild, but you probably won’t feel hot very often.  It rains a lot in UK – remember it’s an island!  Someone once told us that it rains about 178 days per year there.  That’s about every-other day!  Quite often the rain is drizzle, and it comes and goes.  People go on with their plans anyway! Travel writer Rick Steves comments that there is no such thing as bad weather in England, just inappropriate clothing!

Appendix

Typical Terms of Reference

For Short-Term Interim Ministers in UK Churches
To be agreed to and to guide the UK Church, the Interim Minister(s) and American Interim Pastor Ministries, Inc.

The Interim Minister Arrangement has been set up to provide visionary, mission-minded leadership and pastoral oversight to churches currently unable to afford or unable to locate a full-time British pastor. It is envisaged that retired pastors or lay leaders or a series of pastors from America will serve as Interim Ministers in a church for a period of about six months each.

The aim of this document is to express the formal relationship between Interim Ministers and the churches which call them. This does not bring about a ‘contract of service’ but rather reflects good practice arising out of good relationships built on mutual trust.

BACKGROUND

AIPM’s Typical Terms of References originated at Middlesbrough Baptist church in 2000. They have been updated multiple times, and this latest version attempts to reflect conditions dictated by the newest UK Visa and Immigration department. They are intended to reflect best practices but should be carefully reviewed and edited to meet the circumstances at each UK church and American Interim Minister appointment.

An Interim Minister will not be an employee of the church but will be an appointed office holder and will receive a stipend for 35 hours per week service during a typical 25-week appointment period.

Certificates of Sponsorship are required to get visas to serve as Interim Ministers. The issuer of the certificate is the sponsor of the Interim Minister. The UK church will apply for a sponsor’s license and be allowed to issue certificates.

The Interim Minister will be under the authority of and accountable to the sponsor’s church leaders and the “church meeting.”

In recognition of the short-term nature of the position, an Interim Minister will not be required to become a church member but may make application to do so.

The Interim Minister will be expected to attend Church Members’ Meetings and Church

Leadership Meetings (Elders/Deacons Meetings). The former will be by the consent of those present, if the interim pastor is not a church member; the latter will be by invitation of the Elders/Deacons.

ROLE

The specific work the Interim Minister undertakes will depend on the needs of the church, but it is envisaged that it would cover the following:

Leadership – help the church cast its vision and establish a long-term strategy, to facilitate the vision being fulfilled. It may be useful for the church and Interim Minister to engage their association to lead a “mission consultancy” or “mission focus” to help them identify their potential and establish their vision and strategy.

Mission – assisting a church to reach out into its local community through networking, special events, and ‘Gateway’ activities (i.e., activities which provide a way into church life for the un-churched – such as Toddlers groups, Seniors, lunch-clubs, Drop-in centers, etc.).

Evangelism– working on a one-to-one basis with church contacts to seek to bring them to faith in Christ.

Preaching and Teaching – enabling believers to grow in their faith and learn how to share it with others.

Discipleship – teaching groups and individuals to build people up in the faith. Prepare people for baptism, marriage and parent/church (“infant”) dedication.

Pastoral Care – ensuring that believers and contacts are cared for materially, emotionally, and socially as well as spiritually.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities of the Interim Minister will be worked out with the local church, but

it-it is envisaged that they would include:

Forming a strategy group – this would involve working alongside the deacons to plan the church’s outreach and ministry and to execute the actions of the plan. Such plans are called a variety of names such as “mission consultancy” or “mission focus.” We will adopt “mission focus” for these comments. If a mission focus has not been done before the first American Interim Minister arrives, it is hoped that a team will be formed, and a mission focus will be developed.

The team should be representative of the mix within the congregation (male and female, ranging in age, where possible, from youth to seniors). The team will help the Interim Minister understand the local culture and provide input on how they can work together to accomplish the church’s mission. Very often the local Association will have a program for doing “mission focus” and they should be contacted for guidance.

Preaching and leading worship at Sunday Services – the frequency would be by mutual agreement with the church but would normally be at least three weeks out of four. It is recognized that not every Interim Minister will feel competent (or comfortable) in leading the worship and praise portion of services. In that case, the Interim Minister and church leaders should look for an alternative that will meet the needs. This may be done by identifying suitably gifted members of the congregation to assist. The Interim Minister will normally conduct communion services and funerals. The Interim Minister may be asked to lead funerals at the crematorium and committal of ashes services. The Interim Minister may conduct wedding ceremonies provided that either the church’s authorized person or the local registrar is present and handles the official records.

Leading mid-week Bible Study/Prayer Meeting – the frequency would be by mutual agreement with the church but would normally be at least three weeks out of four. Experience has shown that many British Baptists enjoy Bible studies in a home setting and Interim Ministers have been very successful in leading men’s, women’s, and co-ed Bible studies on weeknights and/or weekdays.

Engaging in personal evangelism – this would be directed toward persons in the community and amongst church contacts.

Pastoral visiting – shared with the deacons and church members.

REIMBURSEMENT

The church is expected to cover all reasonable out-of-pocket ministry expenses for the duration of the Interim Minister’s appointment period except those listed as “Paid by the Interim Minister” in the documents associated with the church’s provision of the agreed stipend. Expense claims for purchases made in support of the church’s mission should be submitted to the Church’s Treasurer for reimbursement. It is always appropriate to get approval before any major expenditure.

Stipend Documents – it is envisaged that these will cover all financial arrangements including but not limited to the items listed below. It is important that all financial arrangements be carefully reviewed and plans be made to ensure all expenses are covered and by whom before the invitation to an American Interim Minister is made and accepted and commitments by any of the parties are made.

Transportation to/from the UK – The Interim Minister will pay for airfare for self and spouse for travel to and from the UK airport agreed with the church.

Transportation within the UK – The Interim Minister will pay for local transportation which may be by rail or bus or a purchased pre-owned car. If a pre-owned car is best, the church will provide guidance in the selection, upkeep and operation of the car. Having the car title in the name of the Interim Minister makes getting required insurance cover far more straight forward. The stipend documents deal with the possibility of a purchased car, and an allowance is made for car depreciation, upkeep and insurance premiums.

We have found that UK car insurance companies often require the following before issuing a policy so having this available in advance can save time:

1. Date of birth.

2. Number of years a driver’s license has been held.

3. A list of all claims over the past 5-years from the USA insurance company on their letterhead.

4. A list of all traffic violations over the past 5- years from the home state’s Department of Public Safety.

Some churches and Interim Ministers have arranged for the church to purchase a suitable car and sell it to the Interim Minister for a nominal sum. At the end of the appointment, the Interim Minister sells the car back to the church for that sum. If another Interim Minister follows the earlier one, the second Interim Minister can follow that pattern.

If a church member has a car that the Interim Minister could use during the appointment period the details should be explored with the UK church, the car owner, the Interim Minister and AIPM. If the car remains in the owner’s name, all details of the arrangement must be correct including to be certain that the Interim Minister is listed as the principal driver and the car is garaged at the manse or rental property where the Interim Minister lives.

Because many issues with cars such as inspections, repairs, service, insurance, etc. are different in the UK, AIPM recommends the UK church nominate someone knowledgeable as the “go-to” person for questions about the car.

Accommodations – Prior to the arrival of the Interim Minister and spouse, the church will arrange accommodations. If the church owns a manse and it is furnished, start up is easier. If the church owned manse is not furnished, other UK churches have succeeded in getting furnishings from church members to meet the needs of the American couple. Another possibility is purchasing pre-owned furnishings.

If the church does not own a manse, a rented house or flat will need to be provided. The Interim Minister will have some funds in the budget to cover some but not all the cost of accommodations. The budget allows for council taxes and utilities including gas/oil, electricity, water, TV, mobile phone and broadband. Specific details will have to be worked out between the UK church, AIPM and the Interim Minister to ensure all accommodation costs are covered to the satisfaction of all parties.

Any contract or other commitment required by the landlord should be signed by the UK church and not the Interim Minister.

When considering rental property, AIPM requests that 2 bedrooms be available. The second bedroom can serve as a “study” in normal circumstances and as a bedroom for family visitors from America when they can arrange visits to the UK. This makes the stay away from home and family a little more rewarding.

Because many issues with accommodations such as heating, minor repairs, appliance operations, etc. are different in the UK, AIPM recommends the UK church nominate someone knowledgeable as the “go-to” person for questions about the manse or rental property.

Visa and Legal Fees – The Interim Minister’s budget lists payment of the application fee for visa for the minister and spouse at the Interim Minister’s expense. Also, the budget calls for the Interim Minister to contribute toward certain government fees (not the license fee or certificate fee), biometrics fees as well as sharing in immigration lawyer fees.

Stipend payment – Because many expense items such as airline tickets, visa fees, car arrangements, etc., come before or early in the appointment period, AIPM recommends that the UK church pay ½ of the stipend for 25 weeks service when the Interim Minister and spouse arrive and the remaining ½ at the mid-point of the appointment at about 12.5 weeks.

The Appointment Process – With guidance period that from the immigration lawyer, AIPM prepared a “Typical Appointment Process” document. This is to help guide the church, Interim Minister and AIPM through the steps of the church’s getting a sponsor’s license and issuing certificates and the Interim Minister and spouse applying for visas. For the first few applications AIPM will share in the payment of government and legal fees. After the suggested arrangement has been successful, we hope to have a “roadmap” that future churches can follow with reasonable expectations of getting UK Visa and Immigration approvals.

Immigration Health Surcharge – in 2015, the UK government began requiring visa applicants planning on remaining in the UK longer than 6-months to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). We have set a typical short-term appointment at 25 weeks so that the IHS payment should not be required. Interim Ministers who are willing and able to stay longer than 25 weeks will have to pay the IHS.

Terms of Appointment – AIPM has prepared a document that describes such issues as the Interim Minister’s position in the UK church, typical length of appointment, hours worked per week, accountability and other issues. It is titled “Terms of Appointment.” The Baptist Union of Great Britain document by that title was helpful in preparing the AIPM document. A copy of this document will be made available during the period that all parties are prayerfully exploring possibilities.

Ministry Profile and Expectations – is another AIPM document that is based largely on Baptist Union guidelines and provides additional detail about the role, responsibility, qualifications and relationships. A copy of this document will be made available during the period that all parties are prayerfully exploring possibilities.

The Church’s Responsibility – In agreeing to this arrangement, the UK church recognizes its own responsibility to be seriously committed to mission under God and to work alongside the Interim Minister in accomplishing that mission. It is expected that every church member will play his/her part in fulfilling the church’s mission, according to the gifts God has given.

The committed involvement of church members will enable the fellowship to capitalize on the contribution the Interim Minister can make. To help ensure the long-term viability of the church’s evangelical outreach, the church members and leaders should be willing to work faithfully with their Interim Minister and their association in doing studies and developing and implementing vision and strategy. Someone has wisely said, “If we keep on doing what we have always done, we will keep on getting what we have always gotten.” It is the hope and prayer of the Board of Directors of AIPM, Inc. that each church served will have a mindset to plan and strategize for a spiritually healthy church for the decades ahead.