Mental health: time our churches faced up to the challenge
Cheryl was about to get married and to everyone else her life looked good – but the 24-year-old medical student was hiding a deep depression.
The wedding came and went and things only got worse. Overwhelmed by dark thoughts, some days she even struggled to get out of bed.
‘My church had been incredibly supportive in helping to organise the wedding with many friends stepping in to help with flowers, food and decorations,’ recalls Dr Cheryl Hawkins (pictured above). ‘But no one realised how I was struggling.’
Eventually she got better and graduated as a doctor, quickly specialising in mental health. As a psychiatrist she saw Christians and non-Christians alike who struggled with the condition.
‘I also saw people in my church with similar issues and noticed they weren’t always well supported,’ she explains. ‘The church was great when someone had broken their leg, had a baby or were diagnosed with cancer, but when it came to mental health issues people didn’t seem to know the best way to help. They feared saying something wrong, or just failed to see that the person was struggling.
‘Like myself all those years ago, many people with mental health issues hide what they are going through, worrying about what people might think of them if they find out, so the issues are not even seen.’
Four years ago, Cheryl started delivering Mental Health First Aid training to businesses and schools. She has now produced a unique range of biblically-based courses to address the increasing number of mental health needs in churches. In 2022 she launched Encourage Mental Health CIC and this will be the focus of her stand at CRE Midlands 23.
She will also talk on ‘Bridging the gap: how to support mental health in your church’ (Thu 9 Nov, 3.30pm).
• Encourage Mental Health are on stand DS32 at CRE Midlands 23
Photograph: Dr Cheryl Hawkins
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)
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How Emmaus set Christopher on the road to deeper learning
A friendly nurse pointed Christopher Fletcher to the Bible and changed the course of his life – but signing on for a correspondence course took his Christian experience to another level.
‘I was reading a commentary by William MacDonald, a tutor at Emmaus Bible School,’ said Christopher. ‘I looked up the establishment online and found out about their correspondence course. I learned more in the first few weeks than at all the other places I have studied. The way the lessons are planned is very informative, turning difficult doctrines into practical understanding.
‘Thanks to the training, I have done a lot of preaching in prisons and churches and the school has really helped me to pass on what I have learned to others.’
Emmaus started in 1942 and was introduced to the UK in 1951. Since then, more than one million courses have been distributed.
Jonathan Hughes took over as UK director six years ago – leaving his work as a clinical biochemist in hospital laboratories to lead the Emmaus vision of making Bible study accessible and understandable to thousands. More than 10,000 courses are distributed each year – about 40 per cent to those in the prison system.
‘All the courses are free of charge,’ said Jonathan. ‘Our students all study from home and at their own pace. Their work is graded by tutors who take a personal and pastoral care in each student. We also supply multiple copies to church leaders who want to use our courses as the basis of their Bible teaching programmes. From personal experience, my fellowship has massively benefitted from this approach.
‘The prison ministry means that chaplains and other visitors regularly see the evidence of changed lives formed in the most difficult of circumstances. CRE Midlands 23 will be an ideal opportunity to meet new students and make connections with church leaders who have not heard of the Emmaus Bible Study books.’
• The Emmaus Bible School is on stand D17 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
Why Embrace are ‘super excited’ to bring beautiful handicrafts to UK
Beautiful handicrafts from Middle Eastern artisans will be on display at CRE Midlands 23 in November.
‘We have always been passionate about finding ways to enable artisans to market their lovely products abroad, whilst still making sure fair trade practices are met,’ said Dan O’Callaghan, head of trading at Embrace the Middle East, a Christian development charity tackling poverty and injustice in the region. ‘We are super excited to showcase handicrafts from one of our long-standing Lebanese partners for the first time.’
Tahaddi is a community-based organisation serving an informal settlement in Beirut. Well known for their work in education and primary healthcare, Tahaddi also has an initiative called the Sewing Atelier in which 25 local women are trained as seamstresses. They go on to produce beautiful, practical merchandise such as bags, aprons, oven mitts and the like.
‘These are sold in local markets and hospitals and through local businesses and NGOs – this can be life-changing for families living on the breadline,’ said Dan. ‘Not only does the project provide a modest income but also a sense of self-worth and community. This year we’ve imported four of Tahaddi’s accessories – a tote bag, an accessory bag, a beach bag and a pencil case and these will be available at CRE Midlands 23. In future we hope to expand our range.’
• 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)
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Church leaders look forward to CRE Midlands 23
Dozens of leaders from churches across the Midlands met at Cranmore Park in Solihull last week (28 June), venue for the upcoming CRE Midlands 23 (8/9 Nov).
In the purpose-built exhibition centre, Dr Peter Green, director of the Christian Family Trust told the audience: ‘It blew my mind when I visited CRE some years ago. It was so exciting – you must bring all your people here. They will see dozens of things which can transform local ministry.’
Rev Margaret Simmons, from the parish of St Matthew and St Oswald, Rugby, said: ‘When I was a new vicar I went with members of my church. There was so much to see and always an excellent talks programme – such a lot to inspire fresh ideas.’
Lynn Boulden, producer at UCB Radio, based in Stoke on Trent, relayed how the station’s Word for Today Bible reading notes, written by Bob Gass and sent to millions worldwide, owed a debt to the exhibition. UCB’s Ian Mackie travelled to Washington and attended the only exhibition ever held in the USA. While the event itself was unsuccessful, with only a handful of visitors attending, Mackie met Gass for the first time. The rest is publishing history.
Steve Goddard, owner and managing director of CRE, said: ‘Bringing people together makes all the difference. The internet is a wonderful invention but, in our opinion, face to face beats mouse to mouse – every time.’
More than 150 stands at CRE Midlands 23 will offer products and services ranging from contactless card machines to customised keyboards for worship (pictured). Mission on the Map will bring together a dozen missions working nationally and internationally. Some 50 talks will feature experts offering advice in various aspects of church life, from fund raising to faith sharing.
Birmingham-born Roger Jones will bring a choir to perform a revised version of his musical Saints Alive. The BIG Sing choir (pictured), who scored a hit with the judges on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year, will help open CRE Midlands 23 (10am, Wed 8 Nov), the first-ever CRE at Cranmore Park and the first in Greater Birmingham for eight years.
• CRE Midlands 23 at Cranmore Park, Solihull opening hours: Wed 8 Nov, 10am-5pm; Thu 9 Nov, 10am-4.30pm.
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
Coronations, concerts and ceilidhs: the seat for every setting
When members of St Mary’s, Ely, wanted to replace their ancient pews they put chairs from various suppliers through rigorous tests.
The new seating had to look appropriate in a Grade I listed historic building, stack efficiently, link easily and take up minimum space when stored. It needed to be comfortable for events of sometimes lengthy duration and of manageable weight to be cleared on a regular basis.
Alpha Furniture’s Jacob chair passed all the tests.
By removing the pews, the church has now created a much more flexible area, allowing not only multiple formats for worship but more community use during the week.
Phil MacInnes, senior business consultant at Alpha, said: ‘In an industry traditionally based on personal recommendation, our foundation has been to take an honest and trustworthy approach. We have grown over the years as a result.’
Praising the chairs six months after their installation, St Mary’s treasurer, Piers Coutts, pointed out that the seating layout was changing two or three times in most weeks. The chairs are in use for three Sunday services – ‘cinema and café-style with coffee area, all in the same place!’ Weekly groups for under-ones and under-fives make full use of them as does a weekly warm and open space and bereavement café.
The chairs have also come into use at ceilidhs, youth events with large inflatables, concerts, conferences, funerals, a book launch – and the screening of the coronation of King Charles III.
‘We were delighted to have been able to help,’ said Phil MacInnes, adding that
Alpha have added many new items to their range of durable quality furniture. ‘In these financially testing times we have excelled at bringing customers high-quality products at the very best value. To cope with raw material price fluctuations we regularly review our prices to ensure we remain competitive, quickly passing on any savings to our customers.’
Alpha offer some unusual but highly-effective benefits for their customers, including free delivery wherever possible, free samples, so they can ‘try before they buy’, free fabric and finish swatches.
‘We also offer free consultations with our experts, to help you choose the best furniture for your environment without the normal hard sell,’ said Phil.
• Alpha Furniture will be on stand P23 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
Post-pandemic volunteer crisis hits local church ministry
Churches provide a vital lifeline for communities hit by the cost-of-living crisis but a lack of volunteers prevents them from doing more, a new survey reveals.
Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, exhibitors at CRE Midlands 2023, asked 583 churches about the services they provide to their community and discovered that more than one in three offer food banks, one in four warm banks (pictured) and one in nine debt support. Five per cent run a clothes bank.
Of the churches offering warm banks, almost one in six set up the service in response to the spiralling cost of fuel. Overall, nearly half the churches said the cost-of-living crisis had led to higher demand for services, with a 21 per cent increase in demand for foodbanks and a five per cent increase in demand for debt support.
However, churches are struggling to meet the demand due to the lack of volunteers, with over a quarter saying this had affected their ability to offer services to the local community.
In a 2021 survey carried out by Ecclesiastical, half of the churches contacted said they had seen a fall in volunteer numbers in the 12 months prior, pointing to a major loss of volunteers since the pandemic.
Helen Richards, church operations director at Ecclesiastical, said: ‘It’s no surprise to see churches stepping up to support their communities when most in need and the efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis reflect the wider contribution to society our churches make. With more demand on services offered, the church needs even more volunteers to help them support some of the most vulnerable people in their communities. If churches are unable to attract people to fill these roles then there is a real risk that they will be forced to stop providing these vital services, or even close altogether.’
Ecclesiastical has produced a range of guidance for churches on some health and safety aspects of looking after volunteers on its website and also a video to help inspire volunteers.
• 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
Goodbye noticeboards, hello Info Point
When members of an historic church wanted to help visitors understand its special features they called on Info Point.
Now visitors to St Barnabas Church, Brampton Bryan, in Herefordshire use their mobile phones to access details of the church as they wander round the building and churchyard.
‘It is a wonderful addition,’ said churchwarden Michael Dugdale. ‘Many visitors mention how helpful the system is in the visitors’ book. It’s an easy way to discover more of the church’s history and means we do not need a series of notice boards dotted round the building.’
He also pointed out that a number of local churches have looked at the system and are considering installing it. The church – a Grade I listed building – is believed to be one of only six English churches built or rebuilt during the Commonwealth Period (1649–1660), after being destroyed together with much of the adjoining castle and the majority of the village during the Civil War. Info Point enables visitors to gain a greater understanding about the building’s rich heritage and includes two tours: one that explores the history and architecture and another designed specifically for children.
Dan Boys, managing director of Derbyshire-based Info Point, believes that if a church is looking to share its rich history and increase donations, then Info Point can help.
‘With Info Point you can effortlessly share exclusive text, images, audio, video and interactive games directly to your visitor’s phone,’ he said. ‘It is easy to update and uses less power than a low energy light bulb. It doesn’t require wi-fi or a mobile network. In fact, Info Point can be installed anywhere – even outside with our solar-powered version.’
It is possible to get an Info Point for your church for free.
‘Our funding support team have a strong track record in securing funding for a wide range of church projects,’ said Dan. ‘As part of our Hidden Stories scheme we’ll apply for the funding on your behalf. The package includes an Info Point and the creation of a church tour as part of a wider community project.’
• Info Point are on stand E13 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
Discover the powerful mentoring programme that rescues, restores and revives
Working for a mission helping street kids in Guatemala Alastair Welford was concerned how mentoring youngsters finished when they became young adults.
Some returned to the street with all the problems that created – so he and his wife, Debbie, began to work with them, creating courses in mentoring to support churches and community groups.
Nicodemus was born – a Christian charity dedicated to rescuing, restoring and reviving broken lives.
‘Mentoring can play a powerful role in fostering spiritual growth, developing leadership skills and promoting good mental health,’ he explains. ‘The training can, for example, enhance existing or new community mentoring programmes, support discipleship relationships and enable trust to be effectively built between volunteer mentors and those they are caring for.’
In the past 10 years Nicodemus, exhibitors at CRE Midlands 2023, mentored 1,373 vulnerable young people, rescued 2,288 from street living and made an impact on the lives of 15,428 young people. Last year 330 mentors were trained and another 170 in the first three months of 2023. The two courses – Foundational Specialist Mentoring and Child Sexual Exploitation – used to great effect in Guatemala and 10 other Latin American countries, are available in the UK, to enable church volunteers to serve as mentors and disciple-makers.
Sasha, who was living alone and pregnant at 19, praises the programme. ‘My economic situation and my pregnancy mean I feel frustrated and discouraged,’ she said. ‘But I have a mentor supporting me and she helps me find solutions, supporting me with medical consultations and in other areas. God is the centre of my life and that of my baby. My experiences have made me want to help other people.’
Nicodemus are offering CRE visitors and supporters an opportunity to take the Foundational Specialist Mentoring course for free – one person per church (available as an online course 24/7). Simply register at www.nicodemustraining.org and enter the offer code CRE236. Others wishing to do the course may purchase access at affordable prices – between £35 and £16 per person depending on the number purchased.
‘We often encounter churches and outreach groups where people have a passion to do something and support individuals in their community, to improve their mental health,’ said Alastair and Debbie’s son, Jonnie Welford, Latin America director. ‘Our training series equips people to serve as mentors and disciple-makers in their spheres of influence, both by practising and creating a culture of mentoring within the church and beyond its walls in our communities.’
Alastair and Debbie look forward to talking through their services with visitors at CRE Midlands 2023.
• The Nicodemus Charity is on stand A27 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
Repaying the debt we owe to the Jewish people
For more than 80 years the Society for Distributing Hebrew Scriptures (SDHS) has published and given away copies of the Bible in bilingual format to Jewish people.
The society points out that God gave the scriptures to man as the one true source of light. He chose Jewish writers as the instrument to pen his word and carefully preserve it through the centuries.
‘The Hebrew heritage of the Word of God is real,’ said a SDHS spokesman, ‘and a great debt is owed to the Jewish people for this most precious gift. Out of gratitude to them and in partial repayment of our debt, the society exists to provide Jewish people worldwide with God’s Word so they may read and understand for themselves Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him [Messiah Jesus] the iniquity of us all.”
‘We love the Bible, we love the God of the Bible, and we also love his chosen nation, Israel. Our society was established in 1940 to follow in the apostle Paul’s footsteps when he said in Romans 10:1-2: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”’
The society publishes bilingual scriptures of the Tanakh (Old Testament) as well as the New Testament in both Hebrew and multiple languages such as English, Yiddish, French, Spanish, German, Russian and many more, sending out at least 50 every working day across the world.
Copies to give to Jewish friends or family members, will be available at the Society for Distributing Hebrew Scriptures stand at CRE Midlands 2023.
• The Society for Distributing Hebrew Scriptures (SDHS) are on stand F9 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
Fifty years on, Thornleigh goes for gold
From the lamp post at the entrance to a bench and sundial in the grounds, Thornleigh Hotel at Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, offers a golden welcome to guests as it celebrates 50 years.
Jane Walmsley, manager for the past 15 years, delights in seeing new visitors and old, ensuring they get the most from their stay.
‘We are in a lovely setting, with sea views in the heart of Morecambe Bay,’ she said. ‘And I love to see happy guests, many of whom are so satisfied they book another holiday with us before leaving.’
BBC Songs of Praise presenter Pam Rhodes and CRE contributor Rev Cindy Kent have already delighted guests in this celebration year. They will be followed in August by popular singer Marilyn Baker. A special concert to highlight the anniversary will feature top singer and entertainer Jonathan Veira in the local Victoria Hall (Sat 26 Aug).
Jonathan will also be at the hotel from August 21, leading musical sessions twice a day.
At 54, and with many years in the business, Jane points out that the hotel – which can take up to 40 guests – has managed to overcome Covid lockdowns. Despite the pressures of staffing, rising food costs and rail strikes, she admits: ‘My greatest pleasure is seeing people being well looked after and happy – and booking them again at a future date.’
• Thornleigh Hotel are on stand P27 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