Let there be (cost-effective) light
The need for sensitive, cost-effective lighting and heating in churches has never been greater.
So says Ryan Slessinger, senior partner at CES Electrical and Lighting Specialists.
‘We bring deep expertise in ecclesiastical electrical design – creating tailored systems that respect a building’s heritage,’ he told CRE News. ‘Our approach supports the church’s mission and can transform worship and community spaces into places that feel both inspirational and welcoming.’
Working primarily in the south east, the company undertakes projects across all denominations and architectural styles. Recent lighting installations include St Andrew’s and St Cuthman’s, Steyning (founded 1080), St Mark’s, Biggin Hill (1955), and St Peter’s, Newdigate (12th Century).
Many churches with outdated or failing boilers are turning to modern electrical heating systems, which CES can also design and install.
‘Our bespoke radiant heat panels are tailored to your building, offering discreet yet effective warmth for your congregation,’ said Ryan. ‘For example, St Mary’s, Chalgrove, an ancient church, was warmed by radiant panels discreetly painted and installed between joists, providing gentle heat that complements the medieval architecture beautifully.’
After a project at Rochester Cathedral the cathedral’s chief operating officer, Simon Lace, said: ‘The creativity and innovation which CES brought to our project was impressive as was the flexibility and value for money.’
The company has extensive experience collaborating with DACs and other stakeholders to ensure clear communication and smooth project delivery.
- CES Electrical and Lighting Specialists are on stand E12 at CRE 25
Main photo: St Andrew’s and St Cuthman’s, Steyning, founded in 1080.
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
Stones Hotel: where churches spend the night (and day) together
A trio of hotels are ideal for local churches wanting to take parties away for spiritual renewal or specialist meetings.
So says Preet Kalsi, cluster sales manager based at The Stones Hotel in Salisbury.
‘The Stones Hotel and The Holiday Inn in Wiltshire, along with The Delta Hotel, Milton Keynes, are excellent venues for a weekend of workshops or quiet spiritual reflection,’ she told CRE News. ‘Nestled in the glorious Wiltshire countryside, The Stones Hotel is surrounded by open landscapes and minutes from Stonehenge.’
The hotel provides a setting which encourages rest and togetherness for church groups looking to deepen their fellowship. With spacious, comfortable bedrooms, dedicated meeting spaces for up to 400 people and wholesome catering options, it is perfectly suited for residential retreats, prayer weekends, or leadership training. Convenient access to Salisbury Cathedral and local walking trails make it a popular choice for faith-based gatherings seeking inspiration and rest.
The Holiday Inn is located just off the A303 andoffers a welcoming base for church groups looking to gather, reflect and reconnect. Set just minutes from Stonehenge, the hotel combines modern comfort ‘with a calm and inspiring atmosphere.’
The Delta Hotel, situated at the edge of the bustling Milton Keynes, is ‘the ideal choice for churches wanting all the amenities and services needed to relax guests,’ said Preet. ‘With 138 bedrooms you can count on us to provide the comfort you need in rooms offering free WIFI, mineral water and a 49-inch TV. It can cater for up to 300 guests in event space with bespoke menus available. A fitness suite is available 24 hours a day.”
Representative will be at CRE 25 with information about all three centres and their special provision for church groups or individuals.
- The Stones Hotel and The Holiday Inn in Wiltshire, along with The Delta Hotel, Milton Keynes, are on stand D6 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
OBT’s journey from pod to print
Amazon turn eBooks into audio books using AI voices – and it gave the Open Bible Trust’s Michael Penny a bright idea.
‘If they can turn eBooks into audio-books, couldn’t we turn our podcasts into eBooks and KDP paperbacks?’ thought Michael, OBT’s administrator and editor.
OBT have now four completed podcasts series: Wisdom in Proverbs, Looking at Luke, Exploring Ecclesiastes and Discussing Ephesians.
‘We were very pleased with the feedback on the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes podcasts,’ said Michael. ‘It is not an easy book to follow and often misunderstood. However, it is very much a book for today with its theme that everything passes and changes, so we decided that was the first one we would turn into a book. It has proved particularly popular.’
It was necessary to make minor modifications to the script, with the podcast format a discussion between three people.
‘Thankfully, basic colour printing has come down in cost,’ explained Michael. ‘So we used three different colours for the three different voices. It has worked well, maybe because, in a podcast, points must be made not only clearly and succinctly, but also briefly, before another voice comes in. In the book there are no long paragraphs which go into great detail and this enables people to grasp the essential teachings of Ecclesiastes in small bites which slowly build up – giving the bigger picture.’
The book is called The Ecclesiastes Dialogues and OBT have also published The Wisdom Dialogues, a discussion on Proverbs. Both books are available from Amazon either as paperbacks or eBooks. However, in time, the podcasts on Luke’s Gospel and the letter to the Ephesians will also become available as books.
- The Open Bible Trust are on stand F5 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
Turning children on to the danger of drugs
Staying safe is a key message for primary school children moving up to secondary school in the autumn.
Sarah Brighton, chief executive officer of CRE 25 exhibitor Hope UK, said: ‘Changing schools gives children a lot to learn, but may also introduce problems of a more serious nature.’
Four drug educators, working with the drug prevention charity Hope UK, have been teaching vital skills and knowledge to hundreds of children as part of an annual Safety Zones programme being run in Nottinghamshire this summer. The East Midlands Hope UK team have shared information about the risks of vaping, alcohol and other substances children are likely to come across. They have also showed them how to resist peer pressure.
‘Led by Ian Michell, our East Midlands project worker, the team of volunteers are highly skilled when it comes to delivering drug education,’ said Sarah. ‘They have a wealth of experience to offer.’
Former bed and breakfast landlady, Michelle Artherton, trained as a drug educator with Hope UK 15 years ago, when she realised it was a perfect complement to her voluntary activities helping to deliver school assemblies and running a Girls’ Brigade company in her local church. Many years of experience supporting children and families in schools and children’s centres led Maureen Miller to get involved with the team five years ago. Maureen trained as a drug educator because she wanted ‘to help young people understand the fears and risks they might encounter and how to keep themselves feeling safe and confident.’
The newest member of the team, Jacqueline Jamieson says she was ‘instantly hooked’ when she went along to observe a Hope UK drug awareness workshop at a primary school being led by Michelle.
‘Feedback from schools has been excellent,’ says team leader Ian. ‘The children have been very engaged and have had fun as well as learning a lot.’
Hope UK will be at CRE 25 to discuss local problems faced by church leaders or Christians working in difficult areas. Sarah Brighton will speak on Vaping and Young People (1.30pm, Wed 15 Oct) and Managing Drug Incidents in Youth Work (2pm, Thu 16 Oct).
- Hope UK are on stand C10 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
Where top class audio and aesthetic design meet and match
High performance audio quality in an aesthetic design – that’s the idea behind new speaker products to be displayed on the Creative Audio-Visual Solutions (CAVS) stand at CRE 25.
‘For decades, Electrovoice have designed and engineered leading-edge sound reinforcement solutions,’ said CAVS’ Rob Alvis. ‘Their new, cost-effective LRC (Line Radiator Columns) speakers are ideal for traditional church installations where aesthetics are vital, as well as full range audio. We are delighted to have them with us.
‘All their models provide carefully controlled vertical dispersion and smooth frequency response. Available in black and white (and paintable for further colour coding) they blend easily into their surroundings while providing exceptional all-round performance for main, delay or distributed sound reinforcement.’
Electrovoice’s sister company, Dynacord, will also show their new IX series of compact multichannel networked DPS amplifiers at CRE 25.
‘These are available in four and eight-channel versions with up to 6,000 watts in a 1u chassis size,’ said Rob. ‘On-board DSP provides equalisation, delay and crossover (along with matric mixer functions), negating the need for a separate audio processor. Dante audio networking features are standard on all models.’
CAVS are a dedicated church audio-visual integrator with the expertise and aesthetic sympathy to bring churches into the 21st Century with solutions covering sound/PA, visual (projection/displays), induction loop, networking/WiFi and service streaming.
- Creative Audio-Visual Solutions (CAVS) are on stand E17 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
Two football fans offer some stadium-sized deals
Christian bookshops are still able to offer great bargains.
That will be the message to CRE 25 visitors from the self-styled ‘Blues Brothers’ Barry Mockford and Dave Lock. Representing Canaan Christian Ministries from Staines and Oasis Christian Bookshop in Wallington, messrs Mockford and Lock will join forces again to demonstrate that independent Christian bookshops are still alive and kicking – often when churches are closed.
‘We want the public to know that, despite declining numbers, there are many hard-working people keeping alive a Christian presence on the high street,’ Barry told CRE News. ‘They often offer much more than a bookshop alone.’
Called the Blues Brothers because of their love for club world cup winners Chelsea FC, they will offer CRE 25 visitors ‘some stadium-sized bargains’.
‘We have a large selection of different books that will be at the special exhibition price of only £1,’ added Barry. ‘In addition, we will have many gifts from Just Cards and Teal Press, for example – plus exclusive baby blessing and throw blankets that will not only be at special exhibition prices but not available anywhere else – even online!’
CRE 25 visitors will also receive a 10 per cent discount voucher for use in both of their shops – and a free book!
- Canaan and Oasis Bookshops are on stand N6 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
Bear’s book to be focus of Big Church Read
This year’s Big Church Read will be launched at CRE 25 – and the focus will be Bear Grylls’ new book The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Steve Barnett, one of the founders of the Big Church Read, said: ‘This book invites you into the drama of Jesus’ life like never before. With gripping storytelling and raw honesty, Bear retells the gospel through the eyes of five of the people those who knew Jesus best – his mother Mary, Thomas, Simon Peter, John and Mary Magdalene.
‘Their first-hand encounters bring the story to life with intensity, warmth and deep reverence. At the heart of it all are Jesus’ own words, taken directly from the Bible, letting the greatest story ever told speak for itself.’
The book recently became a No. 1 Times Bestseller – the first explicitly about Jesus to have topped the list.
‘We believe it has huge evangelistic potential, and our vision is to get churches reading it together this autumn,’ said Steve, who runs the St Andrews Christian Bookshop, exhibitors at CRE 25. ‘Working with a number of partners we hope that up to 2,000 churches will join us for the Big Church Read in October. We hope that once people have read it, they’ll be inspired to share the story of Jesus with friends and family who don’t yet know him.’
They will also be invited to buy 10 copies each to give away as presents at Christmas.
‘Giving someone a book by Bear Grylls – an adventurer, writer and survival expert – is such an easy and natural way to start that conversation,’ Steve told CRE News. ‘We are aiming to see one million copies given away at Christmas!’
See Bear’s personal invitation to CRE visitors to be part of the initiative below.
- St Andrews Christian Bookshop and the Big Church Read are 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
Bible Course goes from strength to strength
The Bible hasn’t changed, but the world has – and the new edition of The Bible Course, updated to reflect the changes, will be presented at CRE 25.
More than 140,000 people have already gained a better understanding of the scriptures through the course and the new edition features three new presenters, eight Bible experts and individuals with inspiring personal stories.
The eight sessions are hosted by Dr Andrew Ollerton, a theologian, pastor and author who makes complex ideas accessible and relevant. Dr Ollerton will introduce The Bible Course at CRE 25 (12.30pm, Wed 15 Oct).
A series of videos and a guidebook accompany the course and a digital hub offers additional films and articles to help participants dig deeper into some of the themes addressed in the main course. More information here.
‘We have people in our group who have been studying the Bible for decades and others who are new to it,’ said Rachel, course host at the Well Church in North Swindon. ‘It’s accessible to everyone within the group.’
You can find out more at the Bible Society stand at CRE 25.
- Bible Society are 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
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