CRE News

How green was my vestry

Free saplings will be available at CRE South West to publicise a green church heating initiative.

ChurchEcoMiser has no boiler, is compatible with solar panels, silent in operation, virtually maintenance free and (most importantly) warms the fabric and congregation.

Chris Dunphy (pictured), who launched the system a year ago as an all-electric carbon neutral system, will give away 150 trees as an indication of his determination to help green the planet. The saplings will be about 150-200mm in a hessian bag of soil.

‘The trees will be given to people who visit our stand for information,’ he said. ‘Our commitment to working towards a greener future is to plant 500 square metres of woodland for every church heating system installed. We will be doing this through the National Trust and each church will be issued with a certificate and proof of purchase.’

Chris, a long-standing exhibitor at CRE, has 47 years’ experience in church heating. He developed ChurchEcoMiser in 2016 as the ideal system for remote country churches where gas was either unavailable or too expensive to install – ‘but it proved a popular option with all churches.’

Over the years, he has designed and installed more than 1,000 heating systems in church buildings and he was the heating adviser to the Diocese of Sheffield for 10 years. Many of the churches he has worked on are Victorian or medieval where protecting the fabric of the building is as important as heating the congregation.

‘It has always been a challenging but rewarding task,’ he said.

• ChurchEcoMiser are on stand P56 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

‘Busiest start ever’ for AV specialists

The south west is a happy hunting ground for one company that has just had the busiest January ever.

Audio Visual Direct install and repair projectors, screens, TVs, sound systems and streaming equipment.

A first-time exhibitor at CRE, the company, based in Weston-super-Mare, has been operating for many years but for the past five has turned its attention to churches and village halls, installing equipment in more than 400 throughout the region. 

‘This is growing by around two new church users a week,’ said Audio Visual Direct’s Mark Thyer. ‘With 10 installations already we’re having the busiest start ever to the year. We’re looking forward to introducing ourselves to CRE visitors and, where requested, booking a visit to churches requiring a free on-site survey. 

‘We’ll go through your existing equipment, update you on new technologies and see if there are any improvements to be made.’

Audio Visual Direct pride themselves on the quality of their work, have a five-star Google review score and try to keep everybody up to date with details of their work on Facebook.

• Audio Visual Direct are on stand B20 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

‘Extraordinary’ uptake for faith-sharing course

A training course developed in Exeter, encouraging Christians to share their faith with family and friends, is now being used around the world.  

Living & Telling, to be found on the Agapé UK stand at CRE South West, was created to ‘envision, train and equip every Christian to share Jesus naturally and helpfully, as a way of life.’

‘The uptake has been extraordinary,’ said Tim Moyler, who helped develop the 10-session course to assist his son and other youngsters going to university. ‘Not only did it encourage them to keep the faith but it has now developed into something that any Christian can relate to, whether they are 16 or 116.’

Rico Tice, senior minister for evangelism at All Souls, Langham Place, London, was similarly enthusiastic after using it.

‘We are incredibly thankful for the material itself that has been developed over many years,’ he said. ‘I am the first to acknowledge that it is not easy to develop evangelism training and course material to such a high standard. This is so well thought through, theologically grounded and wonderfully practical.’

The Rev James Grier, Mission Enabler for the Diocese of Exeter, said: ‘Living & Telling is fantastic – I recommend it wholeheartedly.’

The free-to-download course is easy to facilitate either for online Zoom meetings or face-to-face sessions.

‘It’s ideal for small groups as the highly-interactive videos do all the work, so leaders can participate too,’ said Tim, who was recently invited to join an online Living & Telling group with a group of women across Jamaica. ‘It was all smiles and wonderful to see the course transfer so seamlessly onto Zoom.’  

He will run a seminar each day at CRE SW (see schedule here) and be available on the Agapé UK stand. ‘It’s brilliant that Living & Telling is finally coming home so Christians across the south west can discover it in its new form,’ he said.

• Living & Telling is on the Agapé UK stand P51 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Revealed: the mischievous art of your local organist

The opening bars of ‘Praise my soul the king of heaven…’ may ring out at CRE South West later this month but there’s no guarantee the organist won’t slip into ‘High on a hill was a lonely goatherd…’

Professional musician Richard Copeland, formerly organist at St Andrew’s Church, Moretonhampstead, on the edge of Dartmoor, will demonstrate the attributes of four different instruments on the Viscount Organs Wales stand.He will also pay homage to hundreds of fellow organists who pull out all the stops on Sundays – many of them sending veiled messages to clergy and congregations!

‘I was playing at a wedding where the bride, in her late 60s, was marrying a lad 40 years her junior,’ recalled Copeland. ‘A member of the choir persuaded me to slide in a potted version of “Twenty-one today, twenty-one today, she’s got the key of the door…” to much sniggering in the pews.’

Organists behaving irreverently is a growing phenomenon. Leading Christian web magazine www.shipoffools.comrelates how one disenchanted organist in Glasgow played ‘Send in the Clowns’as the minister and choir processed in. Another played a heavily-disguised version of ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’during censing at Saint John’s Church, Passaic, New Jersey. 

A slowed-down version of Abba’s ‘Money, Money, Money’is a popular choice during the offertory and one reader, Tony Potter, recalled hearing the Dambusterstheme during Remembrance Sunday! ‘If there was such a book as the Basil Fawlty Guide to Political Correctness, this would be the opening chapter,’ he said.

‘Whilst modern worship practices abound, the organ is still an intrinsic part of English church worship and no other instrument can stir the soul like it,’ said Copeland. ‘From the smallest organ with only a few stops, to a large three or four-manual option, it truly is the king of instruments, as Mozart described it. Nowadays, modern digital instruments have become more reliable and a serious option for many churches with an ailing or unreliable pipe organ.’

Many churches have reclaimed much-needed space for domestic essentials by opting for a digital organ. 

‘Whether it is being used solemnly or playfully, the organ is still the main instrument for many churches,’ said Viscount Organ’s Tony Packer. ‘State-of-the-art digital versions are becoming more affordable and we will introduce a range of options to CRE visitors.’

• Viscount Organs Wales are on stand D20 at CRE South West

Photo: Organist Richard Copeland.

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

The Silley way to switch and save

With churches facing unprecedented increases in energy prices Andrew Silley promises to listen – and do something about it!

Andrew, a 63-year-old award-winning energy broker, will be at CRE South West Exeter, to help your church navigate through a complex marketplace at a difficult time. The price hike is hitting non-domestic supplies now, with some churches seeing price increases up to three times what they were paying for gas and electricity as they go into new contracts!  

‘In December 21, wholesale gas prices hit nearly ten times what they were in January 21!’ he said. ‘I can’t stop prices rising but I can provide different ways of helping to make the best of things.’

Andrew started his company 12 years ago, dealing with businesses, charities, conference centres, residential homes and churches. With a heart for God’s planet and the poor, his values of honesty, integrity and transparency can save your church the hassle of dealing directly with energy suppliers and ensure the best prices for your energy needs. He is the first and only independent consultant to win at the prestigious TELCA Energy Awards in 2019.

‘Whatever the size of your energy needs I will cut through the complexities of the energy market, secure the best prices available (with massive buying power and access to all the market’s energy suppliers) and validate bills and deal with disputes,’ he said. ‘I will also work with you to find solutions to reduce your consumption and recover overpaid VAT and Climate Change Levy (CCL) for charities. I’m not necessarily looking to move you from your current supplier, just to secure you a more competitive rate – and this service is offered free of charge.’

Having served as the church warden of an Anglican Church and trustee of a charity, he understands the needs of churches and charities.

‘I will review your bills to see if you’re owed money,’ he said. ‘If you are, I’ll recover it for you. I’ve recovered thousands of pounds of overcharged VAT and climate change levy for charities – without charge! Don’t wait until the end of your contract – it will be too late.’

• Andrew Silley Independent Utility Specialist is on stand D35 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Creator of Prayerdle puzzle set for CRE presentation

It started out as a whim but now Prayerdle, based on the hugely popular Wordle daily puzzle, is attracting nearly 2000 daily challengers.

Clare Bryden (pictured), the Exeter-based website developer who created it, will demonstrate how it works at CRE South West on Wed 23 Feb. She admits the puzzle was an experiment to see how many related five-letter words she could find related to the devotional life.

‘But it has developed its own character,’ she told CRE News. ‘I realised it could have elements of Lectio Divina, a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer.’

Those taking part in Prayerdle’s daily challenge must solve the five-letter word of the day and Clare hopes it will become a bridge into prayer, with those taking part reflecting on the word during the day. Sometimes the answer will be a Greek, Hebrew, or Latin word and its meaning will need to be looked up. In her own daily life, as a member of the Exeter Cathedral community, she tries to maintain a routine of prayer, study and retreat. In fact, in her early 20s she contemplated becoming a nun, but instead returned to energy-environment consultancy and followed that with nine years in the Met Office in Exeter. 

With a love for both singing (she is in several first-rate chamber choirs) and art (accidentally becoming an artist in the medium of knitted chemistry) she runs Websites Ahoy! and has regular comment articles and book reviews in newspapers and magazines reflecting her various interests.

Main image: Prayerdle creator Clare Bryden (photo by markburley.co.uk)

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Eggs with ‘too much Easter’ for supermarket shelves

Including the Easter story in their eggs has cost Meaningful Chocolate a place on the UK’s supermarket shelves.

‘The investment required in designing and printing the booklet that comes with every egg has meant that, alongside our commitment to using Fairtrade chocolate, we simply could not compete with the likes of Cadbury for shelf space in the big supermarkets,’ said David Marshall, chief executive officer and founder of the Meaningful Chocolate Co. ‘We hope you will go the extra mile and buy your Real Easter Eggs from the KCLC Trust stand at CRE South West, or directly from us.’

This year’s 24-page story and activity book is beautifully illustrated by Martina Peluso with the first Easter described from the final week of the life of Jesus including the events of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. There are fun activities, too, and a competition with a prize worth £200.

‘For Easter 2022, there are seven eggs available – all with new content. The original, dark, special edition and new white eggs are plastic free,’ said David. ‘And none of our chocolate has palm oil as an ingredient.’ 

There are four ways of supporting Meaningful Chocolate Co – by becoming a champion and collecting orders from church, family and friends; buying a case to share with friends, family or a school; sending single eggs direct through the post or sponsoring an egg, case or pallet to be sent to a food bank.

• You can buy your Real Easter Eggs at the KCLCT bookshop (stand B1) at CRE South West and view the full range here

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Holy Socks head south to pedal new line

An Anglican priest and long-distance cyclist took a pair of Ezekiel’s Wheels socks out for a test ride recently.

‘They are so comfortable and express my love for cycling,’ said Fr Mick Elfred (pictured) who recently retired after ministry at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Tadworth, in Surrey. ‘Over the years I have led groups of young people on cycling challenges for various charities. We’ve completed Land’s End to John o’ Groats three times.’

He runs a popular blog on cycling called Ezekiel’s Wheels– so receiving the socks, made by CRE South West exhibitor Holy Socks, was well timed.

‘They might well provoke a conversation with other curious cyclists and give the wearer an opportunity to share the Gospel,’ he said. ‘I have no hesitation in recommending them to other cyclists.’

Margaret Wylie, from Newton Stewart in Scotland, launched Holy Socks more than 20 years ago. 

‘We won’t be cycling down to south-west England but we will bring our Holy Socks,’ she said. ‘More than 42 per cent of British people now own a bicycle and with the heightened interest in both cycling and cycle pilgrimages, we thought it was time we had a proper cycle sock! Both pairs feature the verses from Ezekiel 10.13: “The whirling wheels” and Matthew 24 9-13: “endure to the end.” These are appropriate, whatever the ability of the cyclist.

‘We’re looking forward to rolling them out at Exeter and hope they’ll soon be whirling along the lanes of Devon and beyond. Holy Socks were born partly out of a desire to have a quiet, non-threatening way of opening a conversation about the Christian faith. I hope the cycling socks do as good a job as our other lines have done over the years.’

• Holy Socks are on stand F3 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Imagination, conversation, teamwork pave way for creative solution

Ever wondered where all those screens and sanitisation stations appeared from when Covid-19 first struck?

For many churches, CRE exhibitor Creative Solutions were on hand, creating a host of new products manufactured on site in Axminster – with rapid turnaround times.

Helping organisations put on bigger, better and brighter displays has been their mission for more than 20 years. The company was founded by a team with a combined 40+ years’ experience in exhibitions, display and the print sector.

‘In 2020 we joined the fold of all businesses, completely disrupted by the events and lockdowns of Covid-19,’ said Ben Whittington, director of Creative Solutions. The company responded by creating large standalone see-through screensfor church leaders to stand behind to deliver their message, freestanding hand sanitisation stations for entryways, printed anti-viral fabric products for displays, posters, QR codes, pavement signs and banner stands. 

‘Combining creativity and the need for protection systems, we chose to help combat Covid by merging individuality and organisations’ branding with custom safety solutions,’ explained Ben. ‘The need for cleanliness was the top priority, but this did not mean the solution needed to be clinical. It had to offer protection and blend into clients’ spaces seamlessly. We spoke with our clients to find out what they wanted. We also scoured the industry to source the best materials available. It sparked imagination, conversation, teamwork – and helped forge longstanding relationships, as organisations now look forward in 2022.’ 

The firm is now creating self-sanitising fabric for displays, ‘Coala Cover Safe’ – a film for anti-bacterial protection that can be applied to almost any high-contact surface like doors and tables, and custom printed social distancing screens for communal areas, bathrooms, offices and busy areas.

‘We are glad to have been able to assist both new and returning clients and combat Covid by creating products to help places stay accessible and safe,’ said Ben.

• Creative Solutions are on stand P32 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

Arguing for special creation? Sibley’s the best

Science has revealed incredible complexity in biological systems that is far better explained by intelligent design and special creation.

That will be Andrew Sibley’s message to visitors on the Creation Ministries International stand at CRE South West. He will tell those confused about the science/religion debate that there are untestable foundational beliefs inherent in naturalism, and that ‘it is rational and good to ground our faith, and work in science, in God’s Word.’

Andrew, who lives in Seaton, East Devon, close to the coast and countryside,worked as a meteorologist with the UK Met Office for 38 years before taking early retirement in 2021. This allowed him more time to engage in creation ministry with CMI and share the gospel as a church elder. 

He has published a number of papers in the field of meteorology, gained Chartered Meteorologist accreditation, and recently served on the board of the Weather journal, including as an associate editor. He has a B.Sc. (Hons.) in the natural sciences from the Open University and also gained an M. Phil in theology from Exeter University (UK). He is the author of a number of books, including Restoring the Ethics of Creationand Cracking the Darwin Code: exploring the non-scientific foundations of deep-time and evolution.

‘I want to defend and promote the Christian message against the predominance of naturalism and belief in molecule-to-man evolution in society,’ said Andrew. Already a frequent contributor to CMI’s publications, he joined CMI-UK/Europe as an associate speaker and writer in February 2021, then became a staff member in August 2021.

• Creation Ministries International are on stand D31 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions