ChurchDesk: mission-based tech at your fingertips
ChurchDesk is a church management system that helps parishes communicate more effectively and build relationships with more people.
‘We’ve made it very easy for you to collect consent, send beautiful digital newsletters and create lists for targeted e-mails,’ explains ChurchDesk founder and CEO Christian Steffensen.
ChurchDesk is a simple to use, all-in-one platform to make administration and communication easier, whilst supporting GDPR compliance. It includes out of the box templates to manage and store consent.
‘We have helped hundreds of churches improve their administration and support their outreach,’ says Christian. ‘We are a mission-based technology to help you meet people where they are.’
The company has produced The Practical Guide to GDPR in Your Church and Parish, which covers:
• Practical steps on GDPR
• When do you need consent and what types of consent are relevant for your church
• How to collect important data on people in your church to communicate better
• ChurchDesk are on stand S79 at CRE 2018
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
No cash? No problem! Introducing the app that makes giving easy
The minister says the offering will be taken during the next hymn and you’ve arrived without any cash.
No problem!
Givt, a new product from Holland making its UK debut at CRE 2018, allows you to give easily – without money in your pocket.
‘We fully believe that giving is more than a financial transaction – it is also a relational transaction,’ explains Givt’s Sjoerd van Oort. ‘All current solutions for donations only provide the financial side of the transaction. We are convinced that if we optimally support the person donating, that person will give more freely. Giving becomes fun.’
Givt allows you to donate safely and anonymously with your smartphone (iOS or Android). As with cash, you decide how much you would like to donate. And you can use Givt in any situation.
‘I open the app and choose my amount. I move my phone past the church collection bag… that’s it!’ explains Sjoerd. ‘When I donate, I want to have one solution for all situations – to the guitar-playing busker on the street, to the charity coming to my door. When I donate, I want it to be fully anonymous and show up on my tax returns.’
Givt provides an overview of where donations have gone. For all charities and situations, only one registration is needed. No complicated logins, long lists of possible charities or annoying top-ups.
‘The speed, ease, and joy of giving cash are retained,’ concludes Sjoerd, ‘so that people can just keep on giving.’
• Givt are on stand S139 at CRE 2018
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
The ‘absorbing’ story of pioneering Chaim
The Aliyah Return Centre, founded in the Galilee, Israel, focuses on building bridges between Jewish and Christian communities.
It does this through Sing Together events, the Ambassador Academy (Shagririm), joint Torah studies and volunteering and internships.
Chaim Malespin, who runs the centre, is a Jewish and Israeli Galilean believer and ‘made Aliyah’ (immigrated to Israel) with his family when he was 15 years old.
‘On that dark night some 20 years ago, when I came to Israel with my family of eight, holding tightly to some ancient prophecies, I didn’t realize I would become part of a physical global “kingdom team-building exercise” to awaken the full destiny of the church, and the revival with no end,’ he admits.
‘I quickly came to realize first hand that the hard part for millions of Jewish people who have relocated to the “land of promise”, is what is known as absorption, for which you need to be a pioneer. I found out that God, in his prophetic word, has specifically called nations to facilitate this!’
Today Chaim runs the centre with his wife Deanna and their team. On almost 14 Galilean acres, the 20-strong team house over 100 people in need, both Arab and Jew. They realize the vital importance of helping the needy immigrants and many others – providing food, clothing, shelter, (‘a hand up not a hand out’) assisting them in opening a business.
‘With a smile and a hug, we believe this to be a priceless way to show God’s love and build eternal relationships,’ says Chaim.
• The Aliyah Return Centre is on stand S66 at CRE 2018
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Book Aid is back!
You’ve asked for them – and they’ve heeded the call!
The Book Aid van will collect visitors’ used and donated Christian books and bibles. Their mission: to provide Christian literature to areas of the world in need. This is then sent by 20-foot shipping containers to their partner bookshops globally.
In 30 years more than 30 million books and bibles have been dispatched ‘for which we thank God,’ says Books Aid’s Christine Pulsford. ‘This year our van will be at CRE Sandown on the “yellow brick road” outside the main entrance to receive book donations from CRE visitors – so clear your shelves and support international mission at the same time! We’d love to meet you.’
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Acts of God and man: is your church sufficiently insured?
In today’s litigious world, churches face risks far beyond property damage.
‘They should regularly consider the situation and be comfortable that they have sufficient insurance and risk management arrangements in place,’ says Russell Hickman, church specialist at Access Insurance.
Access serve over 2,500 churches in the UK, providing advice on getting the right cover in place, as well as helping in the event that a claim needs to be made. From the last 1,000 claims Access have helped church clients to make, several stand out as warnings to other churches.
‘In one case a woman fell down a flight of stairs after the lights were turned out, in an apparent attempt to encourage people to leave the premises. The compensation she received for her injuries was over £70,000,’ recalls Russell. ‘Thankfully the church had adequate insurance.’
In another, cameras were damaged as volunteers packed them away. The £5,500 claimed was paid out quickly and the projection, recording and broadcasting was able to continue. Often claims happen due to outside sources totally beyond the control of the church. In one instance, Access assisted a client after a hit-and-run driver caused severe damage to their building. Repairs costing over £13,000 (22 per cent of the church’s income) were paid for.
‘It’s best to consult and take advice from an expert when arranging church insurance,’ says Russell. ‘The feedback we get is that we understand the context in which churches operate and pay attention to detail. Probably the fact that I’m a church secretary helps me immensely!’
The faith of Access’ leaders informs the way that business is conducted as they aim to have a positive impact for the Kingdom. By 2025 Access aim to be giving £500,000 to charity each year. They are also in the process of setting up a fund churches can apply to for small grants for community, outreach and evangelism projects.
• Access Insurance are on stand S154 at CRE 2018
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Five good reasons to browse our bookshop
Every visitor to the CLC Bookshop at CRE 2018 can take away a free book from a special selection of five (see below) – simply for registering to receive CLC’s regular newsletter.
‘Be sure to make visiting the bookshop a priority during your day at Sandown Park,’ says CLC’s Daryl Wearring. ‘Virtually everything will be at reduced prices, and we will have a range of the best new titles, church resources, children’s books, Advent reading, gifts, bibles – and much more.’
A number of authors will be signing their books in the café opposite the bookshop. Full details are in the exhibition handbook which is free and can be picked up in the foyer on arrival.
‘And every purchase helps support global mission projects around the world,’ continues Daryl. ‘These include the creation of the first-ever Burmese study bible, printing 10,000 affordable Portuguese bibles for Mozambique, providing print-on-demand machines for Kenya, Sierra Leone, Myanmar and the Philippines and publishing an easy-to-read Thai language Bible.’
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Church Times Live: Seeking the truth on youth
Youth workers, researchers and teenagers have been sharing their views on the declining number of young people in Anglican churches in Church Times – and the debate continues on Youth Day (Thu 18 Oct) at next week’s CRE.
The demographic statistics in the C of E are stark. In London, a city with more than 300,000 11-18s, just 2000 are in C of E churches. Across the country, the average Anglican church has just three children attending, and the smallest 25 per cent have none at all.
‘There is talk of a church in crisis,’ said Madeleine Davies, features editor at Church Times, the UK’s leading Christian weekly. ‘We began 2018 with a month-long series exploring the trends under-pinning these numbers.’
The debate continues when Madeleine chairs a discussion with youth workers at CRE. She will ask what can be done and if there are any reasons to be hopeful.
‘We’ll consider the clues in history, sociology and other fields to explain current trends,’ she said. ‘Our experts will share their insights into how we can reach an increasingly unchurched population – and why panic isn’t the right response!’
The debate will be opened up to the floor, giving CRE visitors an opportunity to share their stories and ask the panel for advice.
CRE 2018 will once again host a Youth Zone featuring a number of specialist agencies (see below). The seminar programme covers youth and children’s issues on all three days, culminating in a range of subjects on Youth Day. For a full list of seminars click here.
• Where are all the young people? 2.15pm, Thu 18 Oct. Church Times panel of youth workers share their insights into how to reach an increasingly unchurched generation. With Ali Campbell, Savannah John-Leighton and Polly Baker. Chaired by Madeleine Davies, features editor at Church Times.
CRE Youth Zone exhibitors
Youthscape
Pulse Ministries
Every Day God Encounters
Breaking the Power of Secularism
Hope UK
Demco Europe Ltd (Articles of faith)
Hope Now
Bible Educational Services
Kisumu Children Trust
Word for Word Bible Comic
acet UK
Youth For Christ
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
How millennial-ready is your church?
A diagnostics website will be launched at CRE next week (16 Oct) that helps local churches create support networks for emerging young leaders.
For while some churches have been hugely significant in their millennials’ development, others have little idea of the high calibre of personnel in their pews each Sunday – according to a new study.*
‘Some churches have given practical leadership opportunities, often stretching millennials** beyond what they felt ready for,’ said Simon Barrington, founder and director of Forge Leadership Consultancy. ‘Creating safe spaces where it is OK to risk and fail – opportunities like these are extremely impactful for learning and development, whether the people ended up leading in churches or in charities, the public or private sector. There is a huge opportunity for churches to be even more intentional in increasing those opportunities and being more specific in recognising the value they are bringing.’
However, the survey also discovered a profound disconnect in some churches where the established leaders had no idea how far members of their congregation had risen in the workplace, and found it difficult to know how to support them.
‘We are launching a diagnostics website on Oct 16th,’ explained Simon. ‘This will help churches to identify how millennial friendly their culture is and tools to enable them to create appropriate support networks that are safe and allow the tackling of real issues.’
The full report, Millennial Leaders: Now is Our Time and this is Our Voice, will be presented for the first time to more than 1200 visitors on Tue 16 Oct, the opening day of CRE 2018, when the Millennial Leaders website will also be launched.
* Millennial Leaders: Now is Our Time and this is Our Voice explores the opinions of Christian millennials in leadership positions across all sectors of society in the UK. Forge Leadership Consultancy, in association with Bible Society and Redcliffe College, conducted the research between September 2017 and April 2018, utilising 50 in-depth qualitative interviews and more than 440 responses to a quantitative survey.
** Millennial is a term given to a specific generation of people who reached young adulthood in the first two decades of the millennium. There is variation over the specific dates used, however for the purposes of this research millennials are identified as people born between 1984 and 2000. This fits in with the majority of millennial classifications.
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
Penalties and pot luck – on the way to paradise
Make your way through rewards, penalties, pot luck – and be the first pilgrim to enter paradise.
The Gospel Journey Board Game, available from RP Books at CRE 2018 (stand 76) is engaging, fun and informative and challenges the players’ knowledge of the New and Old Testament.
‘It’s our first-ever board game and was the brainchild of our publishing director, Fr Denis McBride C.Ss.R. and George Allen,’ said RP Books’ Vikki Walters. ‘The Bible is brought to life as you journey through the scriptures but be careful not to get caught in Hold Up!’
Suitable for family, friends, adults, teens and board game enthusiasts, the winner is the first person to reach paradise.
‘Here there is unconditional love, no more pain or suffering – a place where humans and wildlife can live with God in harmony for eternity,’ says Vikki.
The Gospel Journey Board Game is aimed at ages 14 upwards and can be enjoyed by two to four players or teams.
• RP Books are on Stand S76 at CRE 2018
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3
To free a pilgrim: charity liberates elderly people from hardships
A charity formed in the same year the slave trade was abolished, continues to help elderly people face life with practical and spiritual support.
The Pilgrims’ Friend Society, formed in 1807, maintains life can still be pretty harsh for those advancing in years.
In former days, the charity raised funds to them with practical gifts such as groceries, warm blankets and coal which, along with Christian encouragement. With housing conditions dire, it built its first housing scheme in 1835. Today it has housing and residential care homes in many different parts of the country.
‘Circumstances may have changed but many needs remain the same,’ says Carl Knightly, the charity’s director of engagement. ‘We still provide practical support for older people, enabling them to live the fulfilled lives that God intends. Those who know our housing and care homes comment on their Christian ethos and loving attitude. One relative said, “It is not superficial, it is the authentic thing”.’
The charity will share its extensive knowledge of the elderly, and ways of engaging them, with visitors at CRE 2018.
One church leader told the charity: ‘Issues of old age are matters which will increasingly grow in significance and having an opportunity to explore and think through core issues is a very valuable exercise.’
The Pilgrims’ Friend Society is a founding member of the Faith in Later Life organisation which, together with four other charities including the Salvation Army, provides resources for churches and a directory of activities for older people.
‘We follow the examples of our Christian predecessors in cherishing the elderly, treating them as treasured human beings made in the image of God and capable of continuing their spiritual growth even as their body or mind may fail them,’ said Carl.
• Louise Morse of the Pilgrims’ Friend Society will speak on ‘Empowering and enabling seniors’ at CRE 2018 (11am, Tue 16 Oct). More here
Click here for a list of more than 200 exhibitors at CRE 2018
Click the button below to pre-register for CRE 2018 for as little as £3