Get some sound advice from CRE first timers
From a single lectern microphone to a full sound system with lighting and screens, MTS Live can meet the needs of your church, however big or small.
‘With dynamic lighting and video wall, we were able to create a fantastic party atmosphere for the 20,000-plus visitors to the Big Church Festival,’ said Keith Forster, who launched MTS Live in 2006. ‘And what we did for that event can be done on a smaller scale to make church services easier to understand.’
Based in Oldham, the company, which will exhibit and provide technical resources to CRE 24 for the first time, is heavily involved in providing sound, lighting, video and staging for major conferences, awards shows, exhibitions, festivals and community events. It also has a busy installation department. Alongside the company’s more commercial work it offers support, both practical and financial, to churches and other Christian organisations. A good example would be their continuing work for The Message Trust.
‘We cover the vast majority of their UK events, everything from a small PA system for a day’s work in school or prison, through to larger conferences and outreach gigs as well as completing extensive installation work at their HQ in Manchester,’ explained Keith.
‘Our in-depth professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience allows us to calmly and flexibly meet the demands of our varied clients.’
When The Ark, Isleham moved the growing church to a green oak building outside the village, MTS Live created a full 3D visualisation of the space so the design could be viewed and changes made before any installation work. The MTS Live experts assisted The Ark’s team with the installation, programming and commissioning of the lighting system.
‘We look forward to talking to church leaders at CRE 24 about any problems they may have with their systems,’ said Keith. ‘It will be our first visit to the exhibition and we know that visitors will find us receptive to any problem or proposal. There is nothing that our skilled team will not be able to solve!’
• MTS Live are on stand P32 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
From pass the plate to tap the app
The brand-new Tap To Give contactless app from iKnow Church is now available, allowing people to donate by simply tapping their bank card or their own phone against the phone with the iKnow giving app installed.
The money is then securely transferred from donor to church bank account.
iKnow Church is one of the first organisations in the UK to develop a contactless app of this kind, beating many secular donation platforms. With a smartphone all that is required, specialist contactless-giving hardware does not need to be purchased. Many contactless solutions charge a subscription but the iKnow app can save the church an additional monthly payment as it is included as part of the iKnow Church package of resources.
Since the soft launch of the app, iKnow has found the average donation to churches using contactless giving is £8.89 with donations given so far starting at just £1 and going up to £100.
‘Before the global pandemic many churches still had a sizable number of donations given through cheques and cash placed in the offering basket,’ explained iKnow’s Kyle Cottington. ‘Situations surrounding Covid-19 quickly pushed giving to online where donations could be made digitally 24/7, through online banking or website forms. For many people, habits have changed following the pandemic and the amount of people who carry cash continues to decrease.’
Andrea Best of New Life Bible Church, said: ‘As a small church, we were pleased to be able to download the iKnow Church app via our mobile phones, which was easy to set up alongside our iKnow software. Having used it at church, everything went smoothly and individuals were very receptive to using it. Thanks for making this facility available!’
‘We’ve received fantastic feedback from churches using the app,’ said Chris Gibson of iKnow Church ‘Many are surprised at just how easy it is to set up and start receiving contactless donations.’
iKnow Church offer administration software developed just for churches to help with administration, pastoral care and finances. Used by churches in different denominations it was also selected as the Church of England Partner for Administration Software.
• iKnow Church will be at stand F1 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
CRE Podcast launched: riding Ripple Effect’s wave of change
An interview with Ann Hatton, of leading charity Ripple Effect, is the first in a series of new podcasts highlighting the work of key CRE exhibitors.
Formed in 1998 under the original title Send a Cow, the organisation helps farmers and families in six east African countries discover the benefits of growing their own food and passing on the skills learned to others.
‘Our three key targets are to help sustainable farming, social development and business management,’ she explains.
Ann (above), who has been connected with the charity for more than 20 years, got involved with the charity because she wanted to play her part in trying to end global poverty. In the podcast she relates how CRE is a key platform at which she can introduce church leaders and individuals to the work of Ripple Effect.
Supporting garden planning, for instance, enables a family in rural Africa to create a small kitchen garden which will provide three meals a day for a family. It also enables the family to introduce others to the scheme. Families learn to build productive farms and adapt to the effect of the climate crisis. People with different needs and abilities get a greater voice and influence in their communities and farmers learn enterprise skills to become resilient entrepreneurs.
‘We are delighted to make Ripple Effect our first showcase podcast,’ said CRE event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘While we are constantly promoting news from our exhibitors in CRE News, over the next few months the CRE Podcast will provide an opportunity for a deep dive into several organisations across the many vertical sectors on the exhibition floor.’
• Ripple Effect are on stand F23 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
40 up! Open Bible Trust look forward to next chapter
The Open Bible Trust will hold a service of thanksgiving next week to celebrate 40 years in operation (2pm, Sat 13 July, St Stephen’s Church, Upper Basildon, Reading, RG8 8LS).
It was early in 1984 that eight friends, who had met on Christian holidays, shared their concern at the decline in bible study in churches – and lack of accessible resources.
‘There were plenty of good daily reading notes and many excellent deeper commentaries, but there seemed few resources for that intermediate level,’ explained Michael Penny (above), one of the eight. The friends decided to do something about it and the Open Bible Trust was born. In April 1984 the first issue of Search magazine came out, to be followed two months later by the second edition, accompanied by a bible study booklet – a pattern which has continued for 40 years.
Penny was the trust’s first administrator and editor before moving to the USA in 1991 to pastor a church, where he set up a sister organisation to work with the OBT. He returned to the UK in 1999 and in 2007 took up the reigns of administrator and editor once again.
‘It has been a great 40 years,’ he said, ‘and we have so much to thank the Lord for. St Stephen’s is a lovely church set in the countryside of West Berkshire, an area of outstanding natural beauty, and there is plenty of parking. Everyone is welcome.’
Michael pointed out that, as well as publishing the bi-monthly magazine and booklets, there have also been extra booklets and books – so much so that the trust now has more than 400 publications, all available in print and as eBooks.
‘Thanks to companies like Amazon and Apple, these are available is many countries of the world,’ he added.
From bible studies on videos and then DVDs, OBT now produce material on YouTube, with more than 320 videos currently available. Studies once on cassettes and then CDs are now on the OBT podcast channel.
‘One of our best series is six podcasts on Exploring Ecclesiastes,’ said Penny. ‘An Old Testament book so relevant to the affluent 21st century!’
What of the next 40 years?
‘Only the Lord knows,’ said Penny. ‘I won’t be around for all of it!’
• The Open Bible Trust are on stand A21 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
Let your phone be your guide
Visitors to two churches in Oxfordshire can now benefit from a digital guide to the buildings and ministries.
The first Info Point system installed in the diocese is at St Mary the Virgin in Great Milton. A tour of the building can be streamed on a mobile phone and includes details of the recently restored and significant 17th century Dormer Monument and an unusual church organ in the vicar’s stall.
Great Milton’s neighbouring church, St Peter’s in Great Haseley, Oxfordshire, loved the idea and held a launch event in April to reveal their interactive, 10-stop church tour.
Simon Cronk, Rector of Great Milton, Little Milton and Great Haseley, said: ‘Our Info Point is just the first step in our church eventually getting more in tune with the expectations of the 21st century. We already have an excellent guide book but we can now compare favourably with some of the country’s well-visited places for innovative interpretation. This will be appreciated by the local residents as well as our visitors.’
St Michael’s and All Angels Church in Kingsland will be the third Herefordshire church to install an Info Point (with a further three more to follow later this year). The Info Point includes a church tour with behind the scene videos of bellringers and the organist, plus a fun children’s trail with quizzes, puzzles and a word search.
Dan Boys, MD of Derbyshire-based Info Point, said that the system is the ideal way for a church to help people understand important features of a church as well as providing fun activities for children – all of which do not require the church to have personnel on duty. There is also a solar-powered version available.
• Info Point are on stand P18 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
Your event: off to a great start with Genesis
Energetic visitors to this year’s Spring Harvest availed themselves of neon green sweatbands bearing the legend Big Start Boot Camp – 5000 of which were produced by CRE 24 exhibitor Genesis UK.
Now one of the UK’s leading producers of personalised items, the company originally sold surfboards in Tywyn on the mid-Wales coast before printing while-you-wait t-shirts in 1975. It is now one of the UK’s most experienced wholesalers of printed and embroidered garments, providing a massive range of tee shirt styles, hoodies, polo shirts (available also in Fairtrade and organic cotton), plus clothing for work, sport and catering.
‘We are always looking for innovative products to give customers the best available,’ said managing director Wayne Griffith. ‘They are available for individuals who want a one-off product or a number of items that include details publicising a local church event, for example.’
Genesis UK will be at CRE 24 when visitors can discover their organic tee shirts, recycled polo shirts, school and college leavers hoodies, work uniforms, race and event t-shirts, children’s garments and much, much more – printed or embroidered to their design.
‘You will be able to browse our extensive range of promotional products which can feature church or company logos – including pens, lanyards, mugs, banners, key fobs, keyrings, magnets, stickers, drinks bottles, to name just a few,’ said Griffith.
• Genesis UK Ltd are on stand C37 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
Free place on mentoring course for friends of CRE
A charity helping thousands of Christians learn how to help others is offering churches a free place on a mentoring course.
Alistair and Debbie Welford set up Nicodemus after visiting Guatemala and encountering former street children slipping back into living on the streets. Identifying mentors and pairing them with the youngsters prevented many from reverting to their former habits.
The scheme has since enabled mentors in UK churches help new disciples and develop a relationship with the people with whom they work – in feeding programmes, with the homeless, or those needing to escape the poverty trap.
‘We now want to offer churches the opportunity to send one person for a free foundational specialist mentoring course so that they can then encourage their churches to send others on the course,’ said Alistair. The course costs from £59 to £53 per person depending on the number of licenses required.
Churches can register for the free course online here, using the offer code CRE24. The charity currently supports 200 churches in the UK and 500 in Latin America. It has recently moved into the USA and Canada.
The training website identifies many other supporting courses such as child sexual exploitation, gangs and grooming awareness – issues mentors may encounter.
‘A Community Consultation Guide for churches has also proved to be a great evangelistic tool – giving the church a large “tick” from the community and producing data which can be used to show the need if making funding applications,’ Alistair added.
A space for church retreats is also available at the charity’s Manor Barn, south of Stratford-on-Avon.
• Nicodemus will be on Stand P34 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
‘Best preacher’ leads way in reaching Muslim world
Dr Michael Youssef (above) is doing more to reach the Islamic world today than any man on the planet.
A big claim – but one made by internationally-respected teacher and pastor RT Kendall.
Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, Youssef’s The Kingdom Satchannel is reaching 22 countries in the Arabic-speaking world with coverage accessible in 260 million+ homes worldwide. One in every two listeners is Muslim.
‘We have 2000 enquiries per month!’ said Andrew Hawkins, UK/Europe director of CRE 24 exhibitor Leading the Way, whose field teams on the ground follow up seekers and disciple new believers.
‘Michael is the best preacher on TV today, I recommend him without reservation,’ continued Kendall. ‘I urge you to support this ministry.’
Some 200,000 of the organisation’s Navigator solar-powered pocket devices (above) have been distributed around the world, accessing countries where Bibles and missionaries cannot go. Containing the New Testament and 150 Bible teachings by Dr Youssef, they are available in 28 different languages. Some churches in the UK are using them to reach asylum seekers and refugees.
In 2023 Dr Youssef preached at evangelistic celebrations in Dublin and Belfast, by invitation of local churches. Many attendees made Christian commitments before, during and after the events. In April, Dr Youssef preached in Veracruz, Mexico and this month in Springfield Massachusetts, with discussions underway in Scotland for future events.
• Leading the Way will be on stand P40 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
The tabloid that’s tried and tested at bringing good news
More than 74,000 copies of the UK’s most popular evangelistic newspaper, Good News, were distributed over Easter – meaning that at least 150,000 people had the chance to read about Jesus with each copy likely to be seen by at least two people, probably three.
Used by evangelical churches of all denominations across the country, plus individual Christians and missions, the full-colour, tabloid-style paper has caught the imagination of those who want to share the Gospel with their neighbours.
Good News, available at CRE 24, features the testimonies of both well-known and ‘ordinary’ Christians – showing how God transforms lives, as well as stories highlighting the positive work of churches and Christian charities.
Run by a small team of dedicated Christians as a registered charity, Good News started in 2001 and has been edited by Andrew Halloway since 2007.
Andrew says: ‘Good News distribution is a tried and tested method of enthusing congregations about evangelism and engaging them in reaching people in their area. From the regular flow of commitments to Christ we see from the decision coupons returned to us, plus the anecdotes from churches who see how effectively Good News provides opportunities for evangelistic conversations, we know it works.
‘We give the glory to God for that, as we support churches in their task to reach the unchurched.’
Carl Carmody, head of Challenge evangelistic newspapers worldwide, believes churches need to re-envision their people to reach their friends and neighbours.
‘If you are not using a give-away newspaper like Good News to reach your community, how are you doing it?’ said Carl. ‘How else are you going to energise the whole church to join in personal evangelism?
‘Good News is a simple way to begin talking to people behind closed doors, and to graciously sow a seed into a home and a heart.’
• Good News will be at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.
Detailed, engaging and colourful: discover Go Teach at CRE 24
Leaders in charge of work among young people will be offered free samples of important new resources at CRE 24.
Lee Leighton, business manager of publishers Go Teach, said: ‘We’re returning to CRE and are excited to showcase our products to all the lovely people we’ll meet. If you are passionate about teaching children and young people biblical truths, we’ll be there to help.’
Using detailed, engaging and colourful resources, Go Teach, producers of bible teaching material for more than 75 years, aim to lay a foundation of biblical knowledge, apply truths to the lives of children and young people and, most importantly, present the challenge of the gospel.
The main resource is a teaching programme published three times a year, suitable for four age groups (three to 14 years) and following a four-year cycle. Covering a wide range of bible characters and events, the company’s high-quality printed materials and downloads contain detailed and engaging lesson plans, ideas for activities, memory verses and activity sheets as well as colourful visual aids.
In addition to their main teaching programme, Go Teach also produce:
- A two-year standalone syllabus of teaching materials for use with two to three-year-olds, ideal for use in a toddler group
- Holiday Bible Club resources including a new sports-themed resource called “TRAIN2WiN”
- Posters to support teaching, colouring books and other resources
‘If you’re an existing user, come by our stand and say “Hi” and see if there’s anything else we can help you with,’ said Lee. ‘If you don’t know who we are, CRE 24 will be your chance to find out!’
• Go Teach are on stand P35 at CRE 24
CRE 2024
Tickets for CRE 2024 are available now!
Organisations considering exhibiting at CRE 2024 should contact James Batterbee on 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk). Click here for a brochure, floor plan and price list.