HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
Early History
In the first few years of the 20th century, the Methodist's Sunday services were held in several of the local houses until 1911, when the Congregationalists built the Church in Rookwood Road. The foundation stone laid by A.J. Dorman Esq. J.P bears the date of August 2nd 1911. The Methodists decided to join them in worship and therefore have had a presence in the Rookwood Road Church since its foundation 92 years ago. In 1936, a decision was made that the Methodist Church should purchase the Rookwood Road premises and the first services as a Methodist Church were conducted on Sunday December 6th 1936 and so began a new era for Methodism in Nunthorpe.
Rookwood Road Chapel
The New Church
A new church for Nunthorpe became an active project during 1959. By this time, the community was developing quickly. Building on Beverley Road was nearing completion and work was also progressing on Windsor Crescent and down the Avenue. New members were joining the Methodist Church regularly and the prospect of a new church appealed to established and new members alike.
As always, the main concern was the financial one. The overall cost was eventually found to be around £33,000 and the local Society was asked to raise as much as possible, the balance would be met by the Middlesbrough Circuit from the Advance Fund established in the main from the sale of Wesley and Centenary Churches.
As now, a range of activities and events were arranged to raise the local contribution. Jumble sales, car treasure hunts and other events were organised. The principal contributions, however, came from the Building Fund Boxes and Envelope Scheme and the Talents Scheme. The former scheme produced a regular income by direct giving to the New Church Fund. The Talent Scheme started as a challenge from Mrs A.E.Cooper, one of the Trustees. Present day members will have noticed Mrs Cooper's name on the foundation stone located on the left side of the main entrance. She loaned the Church £100 which was to be issued as £1 talents to 100 members and friends. Each member was asked to increase the value of their talent by personal effort over a given period. The responses were many and as might be expected varied. Making jam, baking cakes and biscuits, sewing, knitting, and many other ideas were pursued. After some discussion about a design which would be acceptable to the Circuit and to Manchester, the contract was awarded to Lazenby of Ferryhill. The Church furniture was provided by Richard Thompson of Kilburn and his mouse trademark is evident throughout the Church. The organ came from Station Road Church in Redcar which closed at that time and this required some alteration by the architect in order to provide an organ loft into which the organ was rebuilt by John T. Jackson & Sons of Leeds.
The official Stone laying Ceremony on February 25th was performed by Mrs A.E.Cooper on a very dark and dismal day with pouring rain but spirits were high now that our New Church was on the way.
And so the vision of the members of Nunthorpe Methodist Church, first conceived in 1951 by proposing the purchase of a site for a new Church, was eventually fulfilled on September 16th 1961 when the New Church was formally opened and dedicated. The opening ceremony was performed by Mr Harold S. Myers, the Financial Secretary of the Middlesbrough Circuit, the dedication by the Chairman of the Darlington District Rev. T.J. Sutcliffe and the sermon preached by Rev. W. O. Phillipson, General Secretary of the Connexional Chapel Department.
It should be added that with all the effort and including the cost of the site which had been purchased so many years before, the local Society made a contribution of some £6,500 to the new building. It should also be remembered by all of us with a deep sense of gratitude that the balance of over £2,5000 came from the Middlesbrough Circuit.
The Extensions
Within 2 years of opening the New Church it was clear that accommodation particularly with regard to the work amongst the young people, was far from adequate. Therefore, a submission was made to the Circuit for additional premises at Nunthorpe. It is of interest particularly to us this year that a decision was made, not for a single large hall as originally envisaged , but for a suite of smaller rooms which, it was felt, would lend themselves more readily to the work in hand. This decision raised some difficulty with the officials of the Connexional Department for Chapel Affairs who insisted that in their opinion, a large hall should be considered an indispensable part of Methodist Trust premises. In the end, a compromise was reached in that rooms 2 & 3 of the new premises were extended to give a combined area equal to that of the Rookwood Road main hall.
There were problems with the building of these new premises, principally concerned with the fact that the builder to whom the contract had been given went into liquidation mid way through the project. In the end the completion was carried out by Peacock of Guisborough and the extensions were opened and dedicated on Saturday March 9th 1968 by Rev. Horace Cleaver who, as a former Superintendent Minister of the Circuit, had given much help and encouragement to Nunthorpe during the preparation and building of the New Church. He had unfortunately left the Circuit 2 weeks before the Church was opened in 1961 and it was considered fitting that Nunthorpe members should show their appreciation by inviting him to carry out the ceremony. Greetings were offered by the Minister, Rev. Peter Jones and prayers by the Superintendent Minister, Rev. Frank Crowder. The Chairman of the Darlington District, Rev. T.J. Sutcliffe, preached the dedication sermon.
All activities were transferred to the new premises and Rookwood Road sold to the Brethren.
The New Church 1961
Ministers of the Church from this time are shown below:
| -1937 | Rev.J.W.Clifford |
| 1937-1938 | Rev.P.J.Fisher |
| 1938-1944 | Rev.R.Laidler |
| 1944-1945 | Rev.H.Bemrose Spencer |
| 1945-1947 | Rev.W.T.Rose |
| 1947-1952 | Rev.T.T.Oliver |
| 1952-1957 | Rev. J.H.Cleminson |
| 1957-1959 | Rev.Clifford Hodgson |
| 1959-1964 | Rev.David W.Gooderham |
| 1964-1969 | Rev.Peter T.Jones |
| 1969-1976 | Rev.Peter E.Wilmshurst |
| 1976-1983 | Rev.Herbert W.Clark |
| 1983-1994 | Rev.William C.Middlemiss |
| 1994-1999 | Rev. Mike Harland |
| 1999-2000 | Rev. Deron S.Newman |
| 2000- | Rev. Helen Jobling |