CRE News

One-time jailer set free to be creative

When doctors told an injured, one-time jailer she would never work again, God had other ideas.

Lesley Hollingworth was in her mid-30s when she was given the live-changing medical message – and she believes God’s reply was ‘How about some art?’ It was to be six months before she could stand up but during that time she thought through how to go about her new mission in life.

Many of the products that came from her changed circumstances will be available on her stand at CRE National. From the cards she originally painted – which still sell well – to her latest products in resin and wood, the extent of her recovery and vision will be there for all to see.

‘I have a workshop and studio at my home in Chesterfield and started the business inventing and making products,’ she said. ‘They contain my story, my heart and God’s amazing powerful word in full colour for all to see.’

From the first sale of cards at Cliff College, the variety of products has soared – despite Lesley’s full-time job looking after children in care.

‘These days I concentrate on things that will be useful to people because many simply haven’t money to spend on extras,’ she said.

One item CRE National visitors might like, as a Christmas present for their clergy friends, is a cushion or t-shirt bearing the words: ‘I’m not sleeping, I’m downloading a sermon.’

• Lesley Hollingworth Design are on stand Q4 at CRE National 2022

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Hats off to Angela for her messages of hope

During lockdown Angela Weatherly decided to switch from selling books and bibles to babywear – with a message.

‘I wanted to create a brand which carried a message of hope, not just the usual cheeky monkey angle,’ she explained. IBelieve Baby Apparel was born and already her range of babygrows and t-shirts have found a welcome home in many families.

‘They are the kind of outfits I wish had been available when my own children were little,’ she said. ‘Too many are inappropriate.’

Her messages include ‘Straight outta heaven’ and ‘Jesus walks with me’.

‘I want my clothes to say something positive about the child,’ said Angela who began selling ladies’ fashion items from a market stall, then had a high street shop selling gifts and cards for 20 years.

She aims to increase the range of products over the next few years – and one of her hats has already been requested by adults!

• IBelieve Baby Apparel are on stand S9 at CRE National 2022

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Let one spark light your fundraising fuse

Video tutorials, live webinars and expert coaching to help churches raise funds for their work from faith and secular funders.

That’s what first-time CRE National exhibitors The Charity Spark will offer visitors to Sandown Park next month where they will launch their new Trust Fundraising for Churches digital training course. Director Rebecca Denny (pictured) has served on PCCs and trustee boards of churches for many years so has first-hand experience of how fundraising can transform a local church.

‘I’m excited to attend CRE and meet with church and faith organisation leaders from around the UK,’ she said. ‘I believe passionately in giving churches the skills and confidence to fundraise effectively so we can reach more people in our communities – helping them where they need support and at the same bringing the gospel to new audiences.’

Rebecca will introduce the course during her presentation ‘Fundraising for your future: an introduction to trust and foundation sources’ (2pm, Wed 12 Oct).

The course will be delivered through The Changemaker Academy, an online platform which can be accessed on demand. Each course will come with two ‘power up’ hours of 1:1 consultancy to tailor the course to the church’s needs.

‘We are delighted that one CRE attendee will win a licence to the Trust Fundraising for Churches course,’ said Rebecca. ‘Just pop by our stand to say hello and enter.’

• The Charity Spark are on stand S11 at CRE National 2022

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Discover the new world of stress-free streaming

Audio-visual systems are always complicated to operate.

It’s a myth Andy Pidsley will debunk at CRE National 2022.

‘Any system we fit is designed to the customer, including the level of sophistication they require and the experience of those operating it,’ said Andy, managing director of APi Sound and Vision. ‘We have developed a customisable controller – pre-set cameras and stop/start functions. Projectors and other devices can all be controlled from this single device so someone who has never used the system before can run a service on Sunday – with anyone watching online getting a high-quality stream.’

Covid-19 lockdowns have meant that viewing figures can far outweigh the number attending the church broadcasting the service. And streaming is ideal for christenings, weddings and funerals when not everyone is able to attend.

‘Operating the sound system can be done from an iPad anywhere in the church, far less daunting than at a conventional mixing console with about 400 buttons!’ said Andy.

With almost 35 years in the industry, APi, advisors to the Diocese of Exeter, have worked in many different locations, from cathedrals to small village churches – but always with a view to providing ‘as unobtrusive an installation as possible.’

Choosing who to install such streaming facilities means asking whether the company is familiar with church and heritage environments. ‘They need to respect the building during installation,’ said Andy who invites all CRE visitors to bring their AV questions to his presentation at CRE (3pm, Tue 11 Oct) where they will receive ‘no-nonsense, pragmatic answers to their questions and an APi goody bag!’

• Andy and his team will be on Stand J6 at CRE National 2022

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The benefits of a divided church

When the children wanted something a little out of the ordinary, church leaders at St Peter and St Paul, Northleach ordered a 6ft high lamb created from huge clip-together Everblock units.

An instant success, it is one of the more unusual orders fulfilled by The Portable Partitions Company, a first-time exhibitor at CRE National 2022 and a leading manufacturer and supplier of portable partitions, room dividers, barriers and outdoor partitions.

‘We have an unrivalled range of high quality, great value products for virtually every space-division problem and budget,’ said PPC’s Sally Tyson. ‘We manufacture most of our products in our workshop in Tewkesbury, so we are pretty sure we will have a height, width, colour and sound-dampening material to suit all needs, including screens for separating areas within places of worship.’

Alistair Mitchell, who is children’s worker at Otford Methodist Church, Oxford, ordered PPC screens for use in the Sunday school but has found many uses for them.

‘The fact that I had purchased from the company before and know the product, meant that I knew what I was getting,’ he said. ‘Different colours on the two sides really adds a bonus to the product and gives more versatility. They are used in the Sunday school every week and everyone comments on them. They also act as back panels to interview evenings and for art displays.’

• The Portable Partitions Company will be on stand P3 at CRE National 2022

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After bereavement: how churches can offer light and hope

Churches can have a huge role to play in helping grieving people recover.

So says Rev Cassius Francis (pictured below), project co-leader and church trainer with CRE National exhibitors Loss and Hope, a Christian coalition offering resources to help churches support bereaved families.

With many years’ experience ministering to those who have suffered bereavement, Cassius will speak at CRE National (2pm, Wed 12 Oct) on the need for Christians to provide support – and how Loss and Hope can help.

‘Our vision is that no bereaved person in the UK should be unable to find support when they need it,’ he said. ‘The pandemic and subsequent lockdown periods have exacerbated the problems of those facing loss because they have often been unable to be with the dying. Many counselling services and avenues of support are still unable to meet the need.’

The Rev Canon Yvonne Richmond Tulloch, chief executive of Loss and Hope, was a co-founder of the charity. After being suddenly widowed in 2008 she found life went into freefall.

‘I’m convinced that light and hope could come through churches,’ she said. ‘Being present in every community, they are ideally placed to help.’

For many years Loss and Hope have been using the Bereavement Journey, a six-session course with an optional session at the end explaining the Christian faith perspective.

• Loss and Hope are on stand E8 at CRE National 2022

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Green Christian: herald of hope in a damaged world

Becoming agents of change through daily prayer, simple lifestyle, public witness – and by encouraging one another.

That’s the agenda of first-time CRE exhibitors Green Christian who will invite visitors to discover a Bible-based, green perspective.

Environmentalist and theologian Judith Russenberger, married with three grown-up children, will speak on ‘Green Christian – our calling to care for creation’ (2.30pm, Thu 13 Oct). Using Genesis 2 as a basis, she will look at how we are called by God to care for what he has made.

Formed in 1981, Green Christian helps Christians understand the need to care more for creation and provide Christian insights to the green movement. Their CRE stand, shared with Operation Noah, will also provide a place where visitors can talk about the vital connection between faith and creation care and how to respond.

Deborah Tomkins, co-chair of Green Christian, said: ‘We are delighted that Judith will speak on our behalf. She is an established expert on the subject and will be well worth listening to. Green Christian seeks to encourage Christians to live gently on the earth, encouraging one another in discipleship which accepts our impact on God’s creation as a whole.

‘We believe in a gospel for all creation. We are a community of ordinary Christians from all backgrounds and traditions who seek to let loose hope in this damaged, exploited and unjust world, pioneer practical discipleship in shared prayer, struggle and action, and equip prophetic witness through our campaigns and resources.’

• Green Christian are on stand S6 at CRE National 2022

Main picture: Eco Church is a mixed media collage depicting St Mary the Virgin Eling, overlooking the Solent. It is Graham’s expression of the joy of renewal, an honouring of the past and apprehension and uncertainty in the present. Hope is present in the eternal stars over the church and in the free-flying swifts.

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Want a card with a Christian message? Have a Hart

Mike and Sue Hart were disappointed they couldn’t find a suitable Christmas card to send to non-Christian family and friends – 40 years later their own creations will be at CRE National 2022.

‘We made our own card and printed more than we needed, to reduce costs,’ said Mike, who advertised in a Christian magazine and placed cards in two Christian bookshops.

Gospel Cards was born!

Based in Bridgend, Wales, they now have a wide range for other occasions, along with Christian calendars and other gifts. A percentage of sale proceeds is given to 25 Christian charities, with more than £360,000 passed on in this way.

This year sees the launch of a new, high-quality outreach calendar – Amazing Love. 

‘Because calendars often have to be folded to fit through letterboxes, which spoils their appearance, we have produced an A5-sized calendar with a high gloss card cover,’ said Mike. ‘As well as being easier for churches to distribute, it is also attractive with high-quality photography and space for engagements. The back cover has a Christmas card greeting and appearance that will encourage folk to display it with other cards.

‘Appropriate monthly Bible verses, and a brief Gospel presentation, make it a wonderful vehicle for the good news of God’s amazing love for us in Christ.’

His challenge to churches and Christians is to ‘reach out to the people in your neighbourhood by giving them the calendar this December, together with an invitation to a carol service.’

• A free sample of Gospel Cards’ calendar and details of their other products can be found on the United Beach Missions stand A6 at CRE National 2022

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Take the long view – and build for the future

Building the kingdom of God and meeting the needs of those around you requires patience – and it often helps to take the long view.

So believes Phil Winch of CPL Architects, exhibitors at CRE National 2022. Phil points to the famous Romero Prayer, originally drafted by Bishop Ken Untener, which captures the thought beautifully.

‘It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view…’ says the prayer. ‘We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work… We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do something and to do it well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest…’

‘By taking the long view,’ says Phil, ‘we see how our present day-to-day work fits into the larger picture and helps us to achieve our long-term vision. When churches think about planning a new building project, they are takingthe long view, where time and resources invested today will realise their vision for both present and future generations.’

In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke about the long view: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.’

Many churches CPL work with today take the long view and are building for the future.

‘If we can help you to achieve your long view, do talk to us at Sandown Park,’ said Phil. ‘We would be happy to offer an initial free, no obligation consultation.’

• CPL Architects are on stand N1 at CRE National 2022

Photo: St John, Egham, in CPL Architects’ portfolio.

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Administration: the gift we ignore at our peril

Overlooking the spiritual gift of administration may be why local churches fail to make any significant impact.

So says Andy Bagwell, executive director of UK Church Administrators’ Network (UCAN), exhibitors at CRE National 2022. Andy has worked as a senior church manager for more than 15 years in two large Anglican churches and regularly provides organisational health and operational effective consultancy for churches, as well as overseeing a comprehensive programme of training events, conferences, accredited learning courses and online resources.

Since its formation in 2009 UCAN has led the effort to support church administrators across the UK.

‘Our desire is to equip those responsible for administration in churches to be efficient and effective in their roles, connecting them to one another for mutual support and resource-sharing and to forge healthy and effective working relationships within church staff teams,’ said Andy.

He also heads up UCAN’s Churchworkers.net HR support service, which helps churches rise to the challenge of being an effective, responsible and caring employer.

Jo Roach, a church office manager in Cambridge, went on a UCAN management course.

‘The course provided me with space to think, confidence in my knowledge and abilities to lead, and tools for handling the challenges of management along the way,’ she said. ‘It was also a wonderful place to meet with others who understood the particular stresses of a management role within their local church.’

• UCAN will be on stand S5 at CRE National 2022

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