Why churches are on the way out
Since Covid, churches are looking for more outdoor space when booking a conference or retreat.
So says Lisa Fellows-Flynn of Whittlebury Park in rural Northamptonshire.
‘We’re lucky, we have 700 acres, so we’ve a lot to offer,’ she explains. ‘We invite you to come and see for yourself on a golf buggy tour!’
In addition, the conference centre is offering a discount of more than 60 per cent to CRE visitors (based on double/twin occupancy). The deal includes:
- 48-hour rate for £185 + VAT per person (usually £475 + VAT)
- Two-day meeting room hire, unlimited tea and coffee, one-course lunch and two-course dinner daily, two nights bed and breakfast and access to leisure club facilities
- Two hours in their heat and ice spa experience
At Whittlebury Park you will find purpose-built and professional event facilities which include 19 training and meeting rooms, 15 fully-serviced syndicate rooms, three private dining rooms, six conference and banqueting suites that can cater for up to 500 delegates as well as unrivalled leisure and team building activities. And 254 bedrooms!
‘Our dedicated corporate team is passionate about making your event a success by providing ideas and solutions that will provide real benefit to your church,’ said Lisa. ‘Your personal coordinator, backed by our extensively skilled team, will work with you to get just the right balance of help, guidance and support, adding value at every opportunity and ensuring the outstanding service you receive matches your requirements.’
• Whittlebury Park are on stand H3 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Brick by brick, Disraeli gears up for CRE 25
Author Stephen Disraeli is inviting CRE 25 visitors to help him build a new church on his stand – one Lego brick at a time.
It will be a thought-provoking exercise inspired by one of the chapters of his new book Called, Gathered and Gifted (Austin Macauley).
‘I will be laying the foundation and leaving the rest of the task to passing visitors,’ said Stephen. ‘No plans or instructions will be available, so they will need to work as the Holy Spirit guides them. The only thing they won’t be allowed to do is to substitute a different foundation!
‘The resulting building, whatever shape it takes, will be photographed for the record at the end of the exhibition. Owing to the stringent safety precautions required by CRE, it will not, of course, be “tested by fire” (1 Corinthians ch3 v13)!’
If you don’t want to be a volunteer bricklayer, you can still look over Stephen’s other books.
- Silence in Heaven is a survey of the book of Revelation
- The Unseen Husband is a survey of the Song of Solomon
- Prophets, Priests and Politics covers the Old Testament history of Israel through the eyes of the prophets, from Moses to Malachi.
‘The common theme is “Your God has not abandoned you!”’ said Stephen.
• Stephen Disraeli is on stand Q2 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
How your car park can sustain your mission
An ethical and sustainable way for churches to generate additional income without compromising their values – that’s what Gemini Parking Solutions will bring to CRE 25.
It’s a regular problem – arriving for a service to find the church car park full and many vehicles not belonging to members of the congregation. Outside worship hours, the car park may be used by the local community while the church faces ongoing costs for upkeep and maintenance.
But what if the car park could become a solution to two common challenges – protecting access for worshippers while creating a much-needed source of additional income?
‘By implementing fair but firm solutions such as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, member whitelist systems and flexible permits, churches can maintain control over their car park while still serving their congregation and the wider community,’ explains Gemini’s Sulie Sritutti. ‘And by opening up your car park outside worship hours for local workers, visitors, or even event parking, you could create a sustainable new revenue stream that helps fund essential church initiatives.
‘We specialise in compassionate and community-driven parking management. Our award-winning solutions are designed specifically for places of worship, ensuring a seamless balance between serving your congregation and generating much-needed income.
‘Your church’s car park is more than just a convenience. It is a resource that, when managed ethically, can support your church’s mission, enhance community engagement and provide sustainable funding for future projects.
‘We would love to meet you in person at CRE 25 where our team will be available to discuss your individual situation and advise on solutions.’
• Gemini Parking Solutions will be on stand E6 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
When hope is just a call away
Originally created in response to Covid lockdowns, the DailyHOPE Telephone Line is celebrating five years providing vital spiritual comfort to older people.
Initially developed by Faith in Later Life, in partnership with the Church of England and other Christian organisations, the service helps older people – particularly those without internet access – connect with worship and spiritual comfort during a time of social isolation.
In a letter to the organisation, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the ongoing value of DailyHOPE to the lonely and isolated, calling it ‘a vital resource… that has continued to provide prayers, church services, reflections, hope and comfort’ over the years.
Faith in Later Life’s CEO, Alexandra Huggins said: ‘We were truly encouraged by the Prime Minister’s kind words. His recognition reflects what we hear all the time, that DailyHOPE remains a vital resource for people unable to get to church or access the internet for online worship. As we mark this anniversary, we remain committed to helping people have faith in later life beyond the church threshold.’
The DailyHOPE line is provided by Faith in Later Life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering hymns, prayers, and reflections from the Bible on 0800 804 8044.
• Faith in Later Life will be on stand U18 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Local church growth: community is the key
Through hosting events and community services, churches are successfully growing their congregations – as well as bringing in vital funds.
That’s the conclusion of a new survey conducted by CRE 25 exhibitor Ecclesiastical Insurance in which 541 churches were asked about their engagement with local communities. The most popular ways they open their doors to locals are:
- Putting on their own events (85%)
- Hosting external events (64%)
- Running community outreach services (62%)
- Being a hub for community use (60%)
Of the community events hosted by churches, almost half (49%) run toddler/baby groups and two in five (40%) run coffee shops. Scout and Guide groups (30%), youth clubs (30%), concerts (30%) and lunch clubs (27%) are also popular ways for churches to open their doors. Almost three out of five (58%) take donations when hosting, while nearly half (49%) take a rental fee for their facilities and a third (32%) make money from the sale of refreshments.
Three out of five (60%) say hosting events is a way to help grow a congregation.
Nine out of ten (92%) churches believe they offer a vital community hub – a fact backed up by their willingness to offer services such as food banks (pictured), bereavement support, Alcoholics Anonymous groups, Citizen’s Advice drop-ins and warm spaces for those affected by fuel poverty.
During a recent debate in Westminster on the impact of churches and religious buildings on communities, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Marsha de Cordova MP, referenced the National Churches Trust’s ‘House of Good’ report which reveals that for every £1 invested in churches, the resulting benefits to society are worth more than £16.
Ecclesiastical’s church operations director Helen Richards said: ‘It’s no surprise to see churches opening their doors to the wider community and offering vital services to so many people. This has been true over centuries but with continuing economic instability these services are needed more than ever. By hosting events and community services, churches are successfully growing their congregations – and bringing in vital funds.
‘With the recent “Quiet Revival” report from the Bible Society showing an increase in church attendance, particularly within Gen Z, there is an opportunity for churches to reach a whole new audience.’ A guide to help churches host events has been produced by Ecclesiastical and can be found here.
• Ecclesiastical are on stand M10 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
How live streaming wasn’t just for Covid
While the Covid pandemic is long gone, live streaming is still having a positive impact on parishes up and down the country.
‘Churches of all denominations demonstrated a remarkable level of creativity and resilience in making worship accessible online,’ said Stephen Neath, sales director at audio-visual installers APi Sound and Visual. ‘Much like a dog isn’t just for Christmas, live streaming wasn’t just for Covid. It is a really powerful tool with, for example, people now “attending” weddings and funerals from the other side of the world. They can be a part of these events despite the impossibility of attending in person.’
APi have helped hundreds of churches create reliable livestreaming set ups during and since the pandemic. Their typical system includes one or two PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) cameras – ideal for capturing everything from the pulpit to the entire congregation.
‘Our entire ethos is about giving a high-quality system which is simple to operate, so we use a customisable controller which can be designed to each church’s requirements,’ said Stephen, who offers churches three Top 3 Tips.
- Audio is key – Poor sound turns viewers away, even with great visuals. So, if you can only afford a basic camera, make sure that you get a clean audio feed, ideally with an output from the main sound desk.
- Keep it simple – Don’t overcomplicate your setup. You don’t need a huge production switcher with hundreds of buttons. Sometimes a laptop is enough.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for professional help – Equipment is not as expensive as you might think and the added value a high-quality system can bring to the church can prove invaluable.
Experts from APi will be at CRE 25 to offer personal advice and expertise.
• APi Sound and Visual will be on stand P4 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
The ‘Quiet Revival’: so how should local churches respond?
If hostility and apathy to Christianity are truly being replaced by openness, especially among the young, what we should be doing about it?
This will be a major point for discussion and subsequent action at CRE 25, in light of the Bible Society’s recent report,The Quiet Revival whichsuggests that Generation Z show ‘above-average levels of warmth to spirituality’.
One of the report’s researchers, Dr Rob Barward-Symmons (above) will speak to the findings and take questions from visitors.
The Quiet Revival compares two nationally representative polls of attitudes and behaviours around the Bible, the church and Christianity among adults in England and Wales, commissioned by the Bible Society and carried out by YouGov.
First undertaken in 2018 with 19,000 adults, the survey was repeated in 2024 with 13,000 – in both cases providing high confidence levels. In 2018, four per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds reported that they attended church monthly, compared with 16 per cent in 2024. For men in this age range, this increased from four per cent to 21 per cent, and, for women, from three per cent to 12 per cent.
As well as a shift in cultural attitudes towards church and Christianity, the report suggests ‘a deep search for meaning, order and belonging’ among younger generations.
‘With the normalisation of Christianity in culture, and the confidence and comfort of Christian friends to share their own faith experience, a large number of young adults now appear to be looking towards the church as a space for finding healing and community as well as a deeper sense of meaning in their life,’ suggests the report.
The Quiet Revival concludes with four recommendations: firstly that ‘policy-makers and opinion-formers’ recognise churchgoing Christians in society and that churches work on increasing Bible discipleship, engage in intergenerational conversations within congregations and more widely and ‘recognise the importance and impact of authentic personal relationships.’
In his foreword, the Bible Society’s chief executive, Paul Williams, writes: ‘Our “Quiet Revival” is low key, but it is widespread. It doesn’t draw attention to a particular leadership style, or way of doing church, or political influence. Instead, the story told in this report is revolutionary in terms of the public assumptions about Christianity in England and Wales, and transformational in terms of how Christians think about themselves.’
‘When a report like this comes along it is important not to overstate or understate its significance,’ said CRE owner Steve Goddard. ‘The exhibition provides an important platform for critical and rigorous discussion on an important piece of research. We encourage leaders at every level of local church operations to join us in October.’
• The Bible Society will be on stand E9 at CRE 25
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk