CRE News

ByDave Hall

The Church Organiser launched by the Church of England

Administration in Anglican churches got a whole lot easier this month, thanks to a new online system launched by the Church of England in partnership with iKnow Church.

The Church Organiser features a range of tools to help with booking rooms, managing live events and ticketing.

‘It is particularly useful for churches with rooms that are constantly in use and many different buildings can be covered from one centre,’ said Chris Gibson, senior church liaison officer at iKnow Church, a complete administration and donations platform for churches. ‘It takes online bookings and payments and optional extras can be added such as catering, heating and electronics.’

Room availability is shown and a donation facility can be added. A Ticketing section can cover both free and paid events, collecting important information. An optional charge can be made for attendance.

Alongside these important tools, the Life Events Diary helps churches manage weddings, baptisms, funerals or banns of marriage. With automated reminders, online enquiry forms and digital production of the marriage registration document, the diary covers all bases.

There is also A Church Near You Integration section which contains Life Events Diary contact forms. The booking of rooms can be made directly within the A Church Near You profile – giving a seamless experience to visitors.

And it comes free of charge, thanks to funding by the Archbishops’ Council using a grant from the Church Commissioners.

Registering your Church of England church can be done here.

Church Organiser representatives will be at CRE Midlands 23 where visitors can see and try out the software for themselves. It will also be presented as part of the talks programme (4pm, Wed 8 Nov, Talks Area 1).

‘We are thrilled to launch this tool to assist Anglican churches and look forward to showing visitors at Cranmore Park,’ said Chris.

• The Church Organiser will be on the Church Edit and iKnow Church stand A9 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Goodbye collection plate, hello CollecTin

Churches which no longer pass the collection plate around during a service are discovering a special unit that encourages people to support their work.

The CollecTin More allows people to use a contactless credit card, mobile phone or smart watch to make a donation to church funds.

‘Many churches opted not to pass the offering plate when services resumed after the pandemic and have continued with the same policy,’ explained Chris Allwood, co-founder of CollecTin, first-time exhibitors at CRE Midlands 23. ‘The CollecTin More allows people to make a donation easily – without embarrassment. It is also useful in larger churches and cathedrals, which remain open for long periods, providing a means of raising funds from tourists, for example, who may be carrying less cash.’

Churches can identify up to six amounts which can be programmed into the system. Donors can select how much they wish to give, or opt for the ‘choose your own amount’ button.

‘It is a simple system which more than 1,000 churches have already started to use with great success,’ said Chris, who, with co-founder Guy Robinson were the first to build and trial a mobile contactless donation unit in 2015. They formed the CollectTin company in 2018 with the latest system made available three years ago. Now used by many large charities, including OXFAM and Cancer Research UK, it can be seen on the CollecTin stand at CRE Midlands 23.

• CollectTin will be on stand DS35 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Metal theft: churches urged to review security

Churches across the UK are being urged to take steps to prevent metal theft following a spate of incidents.

The warning comes from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical following theft of lead from the roof of churches in Bath, including All Saints Church in Weston, which was targeted multiple times in one month.

High demand for copper and lead, driven by an increase in metal prices, saw several churches affected by theft in the first quarter of 2023. Ecclesiastical, exhibitors at CRE Midlands 23, are urging churches across the country to carry out reviews of their security arrangements as a result of the recent increase.

Roof alarms have been proven to especially deter criminals. Other measures such as installing additional lighting to increase surveillance levels, use of anti-climb paint and CCTV can help deter thefts. Making life difficult for metal thieves by removing easy means of access onto roofs, such as waters butts, benches, bins and ladders.

Some churches and heritage properties that have been victims of metal theft incidents have replaced stolen materials with alternatives, such as stainless steel, which are less appealing to criminals.

The insurer requires customers to have security marking systems such as SmartWater, which has been proven to help with successful prosecution of metal thieves, in place as part of its policy and for policy conditions to be followed.

Jo Whyman, risk management director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: ‘Theft of metal can have a devastating impact on churches. It is critically important the right cover is in place. We’re urging churches across the country take steps to protect themselves and follow our guidance which is available through our website. We will be at CRE Midlands 23 to advise churches on a personal level.’

Ecclesiastical are on stand P29 at CRE Midlands 2023

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Embracing ‘vibrant’ Middle East artisans

We love taking every opportunity to showcase products from the Middle East, as the region is at the heart of everything we do.

So says Dan O’Callaghan, head of trading at Embrace the Middle East, exhibitors at CRE Midlands 23.

The Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans Village market

‘Hand-carved olive wood products and olive-related produce are key items which we can source from the area,’ he explains, ‘but we’ve also found some amazing local artisans producing beautiful handcrafted and hand-painted ceramics and glassware.’

Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans (BFTA) offers artisans the opportunity to showcase their handicrafts for fair wages. The BFTA Craft Village is based in the heart of Beit Sahour, a suburb of east Jerusalem.

Ceramicists working for the Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans Village

‘It’s vibrant, lively and brimming with a sense of community,’ says Dan.

The BFTA launched around 2009 and has grown exponentially. It supports 53 family-owned olive wood carving workshops, ceramics and glass workshops, and around 50 women’s co-operatives working in embroidery, basket weaving and jewellery. Several groups of artisans with disabilities create felt and wool products and handmade cards.

An olive wood carver working for the Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans Village

‘We’re so excited to be able to stock these beautiful items and show them at CRE Midlands 23, many crafted by families who have passed on their skills through the generations.’

• Embrace the Middle East are on stand E3 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Why a coffee house in Strasbourg became Dan’s home-from-home

A community-centred café in Strasbourg last year became a home-from-home for one Birmingham student.

France Mission, an exhibitor in Mission on the Map at CRE Midlands 23, helps UK students find a French church where they can worship and/or serve during a year abroad. Under the scheme, Dan Rees went to Strasbourg.

Dan Rees

‘In September 2022 I moved to the city to help out with the day-to-day activities of a church there,’ said Dan, a student at the University of Birmingham. ‘I saw God’s provision for me clearly and it was a joy to have fellowship with God’s people in another country, witnessing first-hand how he’s working there.’

Each Sunday, the church met in a hospital chapel where Dan played the piano.

‘I also enjoyed their home groups (called Living Rooms) and was part of a life group with three other men where we discussed God’s work in our lives and prayed for each other,’ said Dan.

The church runs Oh My Goodness! a community-centred café where members care for and develop links with local people.

‘This is done through providing coffee and food for homeless people,’ explained Dan. ‘There are various workshops and events throughout the week, including a community gospel choir which I accompanied on the piano. I was blessed to get to know many Christians and non-Christians through volunteering in the café three afternoons every week and am thankful for the opportunities it gave me to share the Gospel. Now that I’m back in Birmingham, my prayer is that God will continue to bless the work in Strasbourg.’

You can find out more of the work of France Mission in Mission on the Map at CRE Midlands 23.

• France Mission are on stand DS17 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Good news: read all about it

While TV and radio news bulletins seem to be never-ending gloom and despair, hearing the cry ‘Get the good news here!’ makes a welcome change.

It was made by three evangelists working with the Outreach UK mission in Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard where they were giving out copies of the Good News evangelistic newspaper. Packed with testimonies of people whose lives have been changed by an encounter with Jesus Christ, the newspaper gets the Gospel out on the streets.

‘We gave away several hundred in less than an hour,’ says evangelist Andy Godfrey. ‘The fact that it proclaims nothing but good news makes it easy to promote.’

Written and designed for non-Christians, the monthly publication contains stories of both celebrities and ordinary people who have come to know Jesus. With something for everyone it can be offered to everyone. And there is space on the back for a local church to put its contact details.

• The Good News Evangelistic Newspaper is on stand C15 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Podcasts prove popular for Bible teaching pioneers

Request from young supporters has encouraged the Open Bible Trust (OBT) to create podcasts from their 400-plus bible studies on YouTube.

It all began last year with a monthly ‘What is Wisdom?’ podcast by Michael Penny and W M Henry. The series of six was based on the book of Proverbs and the presenters did not shy away from difficult subjects like ‘Wisdom and Work’, ‘Wisdom and Money’, ‘Wisdom and Adultery’ and ‘Wisdom and the Tongue’.

This was followed by a second series of 13 episodes entitled ‘Looking into Luke’ with contributions from Sylvia Penny. Two of the podcasts looked at ‘Beelzebub and the Unforgiveable Sin’ and ‘The Transfiguration’ but by far and away the most popular one was ‘The Rich Man and Lazarus’. Michael Penny admits that dealing with this story took a lot of preparation, but he is pleased that the podcast has helped so many people. OBT are now about to embark on a third series ‘Exploring Ecclesiastes’. 

‘Ecclesiastes is so interesting and deals with a number of important subjects relevant to an affluent, materialistic society like ours,’ said Michael. ‘However, what the author has to say about each one is scattered throughout the book. Our aim is to bring all the teaching on each individual subject together, making it easier to understand.’

Subjects covered will include ‘God’s Gifts and God’s Burdens’, ‘Time and Eternity’, ‘Evil Times and Happiness’, ‘Work, Labour and Toil’, ‘Wealth, Money and Riches’ and ‘What is Good?’

Formed almost 40 years ago to help Christians reach non-Christians, OBT also produce Search magazine and various Bible study books by Michael Penny.

• The Open Bible trust are on stand D35 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Rick Wakeman to open CRE Midlands 23

Legendary rock star Rick Wakeman will open CRE Midlands 23 (10am, Wed 8 Nov, Cranmore Park, Solihull).

Baptised at South Harrow Baptist Church, Wakeman became a Sunday School teacher there before attending the Royal College of Music in the 1960s, where he studied piano, modern music, clarinet and orchestration.

As well performing with top bands like the Strawbs and YES, he is best known for his own albums like The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. He has also played on more than 2,000 different tracks by artistes as diverse as Black Sabbath, Cat Stevens (‘Morning Has Broken’), Mary Hopkins, Cilla Black, Elton John, Edison Lighthouse, David Bowie (‘Life on Mars’) Lou Reed, Dana (who has opened CRE three times), Des O’Connor, Al Stewart, Ralph McTell and Harry Nilsson.

Awarded a CBE for services to music and broadcasting in 2021, Wakeman will be interviewed at CRE Midlands by Peter Wooding, son of Dan Wooding, a Christian journalist, author and close friend of Wakeman’s from the late 1960s until his death in March 2020. Wooding wrote a biography of his friend in the 1970s under the title Rick Wakeman: The Caped Crusader.

‘I have many stories about the great man,’ said Wakeman, ‘and some of them I can tell, too! I look forward to playing ‘Gone, But Not Forgotten’ at CRE Midlands – in memory of my dear friend.’

Wakeman will be joined at the opening of the exhibition by The BIG Sing choir, who recently scored a big hit with the judges on TV’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Photo: Rick Wakeman © Lee Wilkinson 2017

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Why one cathedral no longer fears those chair-raising moments

For years, Winchester Cathedral had relied on aging, heavy chairs that lacked comfort and mobility, rendering them semi-permanent fixtures.

Recognising the need for a versatile solution, the managers of the building turned to Trinity Church Furniture, a CRE Midlands 23 exhibitor, and their award-winning Theo range.

‘The new chairs not only look good and feel comfortable but above all, are light enough to be easily moved by our vergers when required, even at short notice,’ said Bruce Parker, chair of Winchester Cathedral Friends. ‘This has already meant the glory of an unfurnished nave has been enjoyed many times over since their installation.’

A unique number is etched onto each of the 1000+ chairs with the cathedral benefitting from enhanced organisation and event coordination. Their stackable design also enables easy storage and manoeuvrability, allowing for swift adjustments as required.

‘We are delighted with our news seating, which has provoked much positive comment about comfort and design. They make our vergers’ work less onerous, equipping us to be far nimbler in our varied daily operations,’ said the Reverend Canon Dr Roland Riem, vice-dean of the cathedral.

Trinity Church Furniture has been a supplier of ecclesiastical furniture in the UK and internationally for more than 40 years.

• Trinity Church Furniture are on stand C1 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands

ByDave Hall

Ugly Duckling: the beautiful way to make time count

When the parents of a five-year-old were handed a copy of a new family resource, it revolutionised their times together.

‘One of the key benefits of Table Talk for Children was that it actually made us stop,’ the parent explained. ‘We had a good 45 minutes to an hour just laughing together. We laughed at silly answers and dug deeper into the more intriguing ones. We made sure we had the time we needed to think about our answers during one round, and then followed this up with a quick-fire round. It was really lovely to have something which made us carve out time.’

As Sharon Lanfear, director of the Ugly Duckling company, producers Table Talk, said: ‘Talking is important for everyone, but it’s particularly crucial to the mental and emotional health and development of children and young people. When we support children to talk it can strengthen our relationships with them and give them space to express how they are thinking and feeling. We are therefore excited to launch three new resources to encourage children and adults to get talking together. You can use these resources if you are a parent, grandparent, a children’s worker or a teacher.’

Table Talk for Children is for children aged 7-11 (with some questions suitable for ages 5-6). The box contains six themes exploring: Home Life, School Time, The World, Well-being, Friends and Technology – helping children express their thoughts and feelings around issues that really matter to them.

Table Talk for Families offers a fun way to get families talking, laughing and spending quality time together. Exploring 21 Themes this mini pack can be used at home, in the car, on holiday, at meals times or at family gatherings.

Table Talk for Early Years was developed in partnership with the Diocese of Gloucester. This is a pack of 21 question and activity cards designed to get parents, carers and children aged two to four talking and playing together.

 ‘At the Ugly Duckling Company, we are passionate about helping people find life in all its fullness through the power of conversation,’ said Sharon.

• The Ugly Duckling Company are on stand P49 at CRE Midlands 23

Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3

Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)

Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands