60 years of history

Appendix 1

The History of the Pentecostal churches at Crick and Caldicot,

These are the days  as I Lionel Cox remember them. 

I was born and lived in Portskewett as a boy with my parents and older brother back in the late 1920’s Brother Jesse north came to our home when I was about 4 years of age in 1933. 

The North’s were a large family who came to know the Lord through a certain gipsy Smith preaching in the area in the early 1920’s. It was through them that a church was erected at Crick on the top 48 road. 

            It was a bit before my time, It was a first world war army building, it was quite large and beautifully done out with lovely timber etc. and would hold about 100 people. 

As I understand it they had some great times of blessing in those days and sent out at least 3 missionaries, Ernie North, Ralph Williams and Olive Williams.

            Ernie North I came to know in later years about 1948 when he came home on furlough, I was able to take him in my car around ministering to all the churches. God called Ernie and he went out to with just one pound in his pocket, lent to him by his elder brother. He worked his passage on the boat from Liverpool , he sent the pound back to his brother later. God led him to go to Seattle where he met a Welsh girl who later became his wife. God really blessed them they had a family and he became a Pastor and established several Churches.

            Ralph and Olive Williams I did not know. The first I remember going to the Pentecostal Church at Crick was when I was about 4 years old and my father riding me on the crossbar of his bicycle it was about 2 miles from Portskewett.

            In those days there was only one car in Portskewett belonging to the gentry we had to walk everywhere then. As I got older I would walk with others sometimes 3 times on a Sunday, morning meeting, Sunday School and evening meeting, a Mr. Bundock was Pastor at that time. 

            God blessed us up until about 1943, but the second world war was on so we were restricted in many ways, The whole area was countryside then and people had to walk quite a few miles to get to the church at Crick, most people lived down in the Caldicot area. 

            I remember brother Jesse and myself one midweek prayer meeting praying and we strongly felt that it was Gods will for us to build a new church in Caldicot where the people  were. We brought it back to our people and they agreed. So we started looking for a plot  of ground to build a church in Caldicot. As we were seeking the Lord in prayer the Lord told us  He would OPEN A DOOR IN CALDICOT that no man would shut (Rev. 3:8)

            We had Pastor Rider from London down to help us negotiate with the council and planning officer in Newport, but it was very difficult finding a plot of ground that they would agree to, as I expect they were planning the building of houses and schools and roads that we see today. A lady doctor, Dr. Stanley would have given us a plot of ground and helped us financially, at West End Caldicot but the council again would not let us build there. 

            As we continued to seek God eventually the council and a local farmer said we could have a plot at the top end of Gas Works Lane, Mill lane as we know it today. We asked if we could have the lower end  near the centre and main road, but they would not let us. We had quite some work on our hands doing up the lane and cutting down trees and hedges. After we had completed all that work the council nor the gas board would share with us the expense of tarmacking the surface.

    The war was still on and we were restricted in many ways, but we knew that God was with us in leading us and we claimed His promises. We had very little money and worked at the building in our spare time. None of us were builders except Percy North who was a carpenter, but it was wonderful how God met our need. It took about 3 years to build the church as we needed every month permits in order to obtain building materials. We used some of the lovely timber from the Crick church for the ceiling. After we had done the foundations we built a strong wooden structure and it looked great, but we had a very strong storm one night and when we went there the next morning the whole structure had blown over sideways. So we had to dismantle all of it and start again. We were advised to build brick pillars and build between them, so that is what we did. We eventually completed the church building and opened in September 1947. 

            Right from the early years we had open air meetings in Portskewett, Caldicot, Rogiet, Magor, Caerwent and some wonderful cottage meetings while  we were building the church, I was baptised in the holy Spirit when I was 16 years of age, We joined the Assemblies of God denomination. Brother Jesse North was our pastor for a number of years, then he felt the need to go to Bible School . We had visiting speakers for a while then Mr Saddler came here from the Assemblies of God Church Newbridge he was our Pastor then for a time also taking up a post in Sudbrook School as Headmaster. Then He had to move to Newport . He was followed by Pastor Ball who came to us from Tintern and God really blessed us. We had monthly meetings when all the Pentecostal Churches came together at Caldicot, Tintern, Colford, Bream, Earlswood and Bulwark and we experienced great blessing and anointing in those days. 

            We had the Welsh evangelist Griff George who had ministered in most churches  in , under his ministry many were saved and healed and when ministering in our Caldicot church said he had not felt the freedom and anointing so great as he did in our church, all the churches loved coming to Caldicot. 

            About 1962 we were told by the council we would have to move to the plot of ground where we are now in Longcroft Road., So we had to start building again, we completed the church building and opened it in September 1964, we give God the glory because we completed both churches free of debt.

            Pastor Ball was with us until about 1970 when he moved to Stevenage London. It was  then that we joined The Elim Denomination and a young Pastor came to us for a few years Pastor Phillip McInnis, Then we had several young pastors including Pastor Ken Legg and his wife who later on went to minister in . God really blessed us we had a large Sunday school, Percy North was the Superintendent then later on Mr and Mrs Ron Cave, we had a number of young people Ivor Jones was the Youth leader, they had many youth activities including Summer Camps. Ivor’s work continued after he and his wife had  moved on, much of it led by the energetic enthusiastic Harries family, Les and Dorothy working together touching many young lives opening both their homes and their hearts to His glory. Eirwen Tucker and also many of her family finding Jesus as Saviour about this time. 

 It was about 1984 that Pastor Ron Morgan and his wife came to us we were blessed under his ministry. God said He would pour out His Spirit in the last days, so we felt the need to extend the building to what it is today. We had a loan, employed a builder and opened the new church extension in 1992. We were some years paying off the loan it was difficult. Later Pastor Morgan and his wife moved to Morriston.  we praise God that we were able to complete the payments, with many members and friends working hard, savings donated, jams and marmalade sold and along with many other labours of love contributing to an initiative called forth by the then Pastor, Pastor Reynolds. Debt free again. Praise God. Target reached on his 65^th birthday what a shout of celebration. 

We had Pastor Tony Downes and his wife Doreen from Cheltenham for a time, we were greatly blessed under his ministry. Then Pastor Paul Brown with his wife Rehannon came to us, we had a smaller Sunday School which Rehannon took, Pastor went to the schools speaking. In the church he organised several sports activities for the children. Their travel to us from their home in Caerphilly eventually proving too much, Haley Boyle from Harvest time ministries came for a while Then in October 2004 Pastor Jim Davies came to us we have been greatly blessed under his ministry as he is a Bible teacher and God is using Him to teach students going into the ministry etc. he has held classes in our church, one of the early visions Pastor Ball had and is now coming to pass. He also along with the other ministers of the town go to all the schools in the area to speak to the children for which we praise God. He has also helped in bringing the churches of the area together, a joint tent campaign held in the Caldicot Country Park , a step of faith which God honoured and blessed for his glory. 

It is marvellous what God has done for us over so many years. We have witnessed in the churches in the houses, tent meetings open airs etc. We have as a church stood on His promises. Their will be other names that I should have mentioned, they might have slipped my memory but not His, each one appreciated as having played a part in this wonderful story 

God said that He would open a door in Caldicot that no man would be able to shut. 

So shall My Word go forth out of My Mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it (Is. 55:11) 

And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28) 

            To God be the glory great things He hath done and greater things  will He do as we put our whole confidence and trust in Him whose Word will never fail but will come to pass. 

Christian Love

Lionel Cox (Elder)

Church Secretary/Treasurer 1943-2001