Pew, what a scorcher! Heated cushions for your chilly church
One CRE 24 exhibitor will make sure churches give a warm welcome to visitors – and contribute to the Church of England commitment to achieve carbon net-zero status by 2030.
Sit & Heat has partnered with the church to supply sustainable heated cushions for chairs and pews to more than 40,000 churches throughout the country.
Anthony Gerard, who has worked for more than 30 years with designers, architects, catering organisations and building promotors all over the world, is the UK agent for the cushions which are made in the Netherlands.
‘They are ideal for cathedrals and churches with chairs or historic pews requiring preservation,’ he explained. ‘They deliver direct warmth to individual parishioners, providing a “green” heating alternative without the need for conventional heating throughout the whole building.
‘The cordless, rechargeable cushions feature both battery-powered and fixed-wire options and are designed to fit any seating arrangement. They are equipped with individual controls and smart sensors, automatically activating and deactivating to conserve energy – with a significant reduction in heating bills.
‘With endorsements from King Willen Alexander of the Netherlands, and the Church of England, Sit & Heat has received commendable recognition, demonstrating a significant alignment with energy and environmental stewardship at the highest levels!’
While endorsed by the Church of England, Sit & Heat cushions can be supplied to churches of all denominations.
• Sit & Heat are on stand B6 at CRE 24
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Mariana’s mission: Grace to those without deep pockets
A 37-year-old beautician is keen for less-privileged women to receive treatment without cost – so she’s bringing her Grace on Wheels van to CRE 24.
A beautician since 2009, Mariana said: ‘I speak with women from different cultures, ages, religions and social classes. For many, their time in the salon is not only a time of relaxation but also a time to open up about their problems.’
Most of Mariana’s clients tend be relatively well off. Juggling work, family and children they still have the opportunity to pay for beauty services.
‘But I am concerned about women who don’t have deep pockets,’ said Mariana. ‘How can we make them feel special and loved? As a Christian I want to take Grace on Wheels to these women and their children who, due to the circumstances of life, have been deprived of the ability to pay for treatments.
‘My heart is to reach out to victims of domestic abuse, violence, homelessness, human trafficking and also women in detention and prisons.’
Mariana, who also hosts pamper parties for children, to ‘create special memories’, wants to offer her services free to vulnerable women through a partnership with churches and charities that want to bring ‘inside-out’ transformation to women.
‘I will be with the van on the exhibition floor at CRE 24,’ she said, ‘and I would love to talk to anyone who feels their church or organisation could help provide such a service in their area.’
• Grace on Wheels are on stand D19 at CRE 24
Main photo: Mariana with her Grace on Wheels van
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Drugs: avoiding the snares of the secondary school
Drugs and 11-year-olds – how do you help them resist experimenting when they get to secondary school?
Ask CRE 24 exhibitor Hope UK, who, in 2024 alone, have delivered drug awareness to nearly 18,000 Year 6 students.
Pupils Henry and Eva were full of praise for a Hope UK session they attended.
‘I liked how they got us to think about what’s good and bad for us,’ said Henry. Eva agreed: ‘They made it fun and turned learning about peer pressure into a game.’
Introducing peer resistance skills to 11-year-olds is a key part of Hope UK’s approach in delivering the Junior Citizens’ Scheme (JCS) to hundreds of primary school children across London and the south-east.
For the past two years, Hope UK has also run its own version of the national scheme at the organisation’s head office in Kettering. It was the second year teacher Jane Tinto’s school had attended Kettering Junior Citizens.
‘It is very helpful to build on the curriculum,’ she said. ‘The workshops were informative and interactive. It’s all about getting children to be safe in the real world.’
Many church youth workers feel ill-equipped to manage drug issues with young people. A talk at CRE 24 by Hope UK’s Sarah Brighton (Wed 9 Oct, 12.30pm) will help them get started. More information here.
• Hope UK are on stand P9 at CRE24
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Navigating pinnacles, peregrines, policies and people – the Ecclesiastical way
Half a ton of stonework falling more than 30 meters – just as well Worcester Cathedral was properly insured. Severe winds from Storm Arwen had torn away part of a pinnacle from the cathedral tower.
‘Our immediate priority was to ensure the safety of the building and put temporary measures in place to protect the building from further damage,’ said Annaleise Jones of CRE 24 exhibitors Ecclesiastical Insurance.
Preserving the cathedral’s history was of utmost importance during the restoration process. Extensive discussions with structural engineers led to the construction of a permanent steel frame within the roof void to support the vaulted stone ceiling. Metal hangers and a flat metal plate reinforced the masonry, ensuring structural integrity.
Around 1,500 organ pipes, contaminated with dust and debris, were carefully extracted and cleaned off-site. A digital organ was sourced for continuity of services. Once repairs were completed, the organ pipes were reinstalled.
During restoration, peregrine falcons nested on the cathedral spire. The restoration of the pinnacle was put on hold until the chicks had fully fledged. A live webcam allowed people to witness the growth of Peggy, Peter, Penguin, Penelope, Percie – and Mr Lazy.
Carving of the new pinnacle began while waiting for the chicks to fledge. The damaged pinnacle was replaced with a new one crafted by the cathedral’s stonemasons. Preservation of the cathedral’s architectural heritage was ensured using red sandstone sourced from Hollington quarry in Staffordshire.
Interim Dean, Canon Stephen Edwards of Worcester Cathedral commented: ‘We are extremely grateful to Ecclesiastical for their support from the moment the news broke and all the way through the restoration journey. They navigated peregrines, programming, policies and people with perfection!’
Ecclesiastical will give four talks at CRE 24:
Unlocking the power of support by Helen Richards (2pm, Wed 9 Oct)
Open churches: balancing safety and security by Heather Ford (3.30pm, Wed 9 Oct)
Greening your mission by Helen Gray and Chris Pitt (11am, Thu 10 Oct)
Church insurance support made easy by Heather Ford (1.30pm, Thu 10 Oct)
• Ecclesiastical are on stand A1 at CRE 24
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Turning an idea into a reality begins with the right conversation
Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible. The words of St Francis of Assisi ring true, especially when it comes to church building projects.
‘We would all like to achieve the impossible, especially when we believe that we have a vision to achieve great things,’ said Phil Winch of CRE 24 exhibitors CPL Chartered Architects. ‘The secret of those who manage to fulfil their vision is to find a way to turn their ideas into reality.’
When a team has an exciting vision for their church family, and a wide range of amazing activities to support the local community, it is often necessary to commission an innovative building project to make an aspirational vision a reality.
‘The processes required for a successful building project can be complex and daunting,’ said Phil. ‘You will need a careful briefing process, feasibility option evaluation, design development, consultations, gaining necessary statutory and technical approvals, preparation of technical designs and construction information – all within a defined budget.’
As a Christian firm of chartered architects with more than 30 years’ experience designing church and community projects around the UK, CPL can help to make a vision a reality.
‘Mark Twain once famously commented: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started”’ said Phil. ‘We are currently working with a church in Leamington Spa to help them realise their vision for a church and community project. If you have a vision that requires an innovative building project to make it a reality, come and talk to us at CRE 24.’
• CPL Architects are on stand F15 at CRE 24
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Picture this: your faith journey as a natural conversation
Faith Pictures is a new resource from Church Army to help Christians of all traditions talk about their own story of faith. Over six sessions, designed for small groups, participants explore their personal journey and discover a language through which they can express their faith to others.
Each session builds on the previous one and helps us see where God has been present in our lives, how we can talk about that confidently, and how God is active in the world and wants us to join in. The sessions are:
- Opening the Conversation
- The Power of the Ordinary
- Traveller’s Tales
- Talking Pictures
- Companions on the Journey
- Hidden Opportunities
Each session is made up of four parts:
- Discover – a 3 to 4-minute video introducing the topic
- Dive In – an activity to help the group to start thinking about the topic.
- Going Deeper – exploring the ideas behind the topic
- Draw near – a pattern of prayer to help the group reflect on what has been talked about and how to apply it
‘Faith Pictures is really accessible, enjoyable and an easy way for us as individual Christians to begin to think about how we share our faith story,’ said Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.
‘The course is great at
giving you the tools to share your faith, whether you have just become a
Christian or have been one for years,’ said course participant Sandra Harvey. ‘It
shows you how you can easily connect with people and use things that are
personal to you. If they mean something to you then, as you talk about them,
other people can relate to them as well.
Being part of a small group works really well, as you get different
perspectives on things. I definitely learned from the others in my group.’
• Church Army are on stand E11 at CRE 24
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Superior software for churches? Gordon plugs the app
A suite of apps specifically designed for churches, combining well-established tools and fresh innovations – that’s the promise behind a new name unveiled at CRE 24.
The teams that brought churches Cambron Software, Power Music Software and Amplify Code have united under ChurchApps.co.uk.
‘While the name has changed, users can still expect the same exceptional customer service from the same dedicated professionals – now under a new corporate identity,’ said founder Gordon Cameron.
- Plan2gether.com takes the pain out of scheduling, creating recurring and non-recurring events, allocating people to teams, sending automated reminders by SMS text or email, editing rotas from anywhere on a laptop, tablet or phone – with the rota privacy level you want.
- The KidsClub.me app avoids the hassle and chaos of managing children’s club attendance and registration. It provides a user-friendly, online check-in and registration platform, tailor-made to meet the specific needs of a club. Say goodbye to paper sign-ups and manual tracking. By using the app, everything is streamlined and digital.
- Power Music is the best music display and management app for Windows, Mac and iPad/iPhone, putting an end to the hassle of working with paper music. All sheet music is stored in one place, enabling the user to share songs and playlists with other devices using Power Music Box.
Churches can buy hardware to support Power Music – from a MusicOne digital music stand to a bluetooth page turner. Also available are Power Music songbooks with Power Music Software now the only source for Spring Harvest songbooks from 2006 to 2020.
‘We invite churches of all sizes to explore our apps and see how our custom-made technology can enhance their mission,’ said Gordon.
• ChurchApps.co.uk are on stand E18A at CRE 24
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Porn: now there’s hope beyond the harm
Mike Genung was at CRE Midlands last year when he heard his name being called.
‘As no-one knows me in the UK, I ignored it at first,’ he recalled. ‘But a woman asked me if I was the person giving a talk on porn addiction.’ Mike nodded. ‘I’ll bring my husband then,’ she said.
At the end of his talk the couple approached Mike. In tears, they thanked him.
‘Porn addiction had caused pain and wrecked their marriage for years,’ he recounted. ‘Now they had hope.’
Mike started Blazing Grace more than 20 years ago in the USA, to help people who struggle with porn addiction, sex addiction and adultery. The charity offers counselling by Zoom and in person for men and women. Mike, who speaks in churches and other venues, has written nine books and gets many requests for help from men and women in the UK.
‘I’ve been exhibiting at CRE for five years,’ said Mike. ‘I’ve also spoken in churches and led counselling sessions in the UK for individuals and couples. At every show, I hear repeatedly that there are no other Christian ministries in the UK that offer help in the sexual arena like Blazing Grace.’
On the morning of the first day of Mike’s first CRE, no one came to his stand.
‘It was as if we had spiritual leprosy!’ he said. ‘I prayed against the spiritual battle with the CRE prayer team, a wonderful couple. The dam broke and people started approaching us.’
According to Mike, the UK is the second largest consumer of porn in the world, second only to the US. Surveys show that upwards of 70 per cent of UK Christian men view porn.
‘I see the UK as a mission field that is ripe for ministering to the sexually broken,’ said Mike.
Mike told CRE News that an opportunity has surfaced to create a video series on recovery from sexual sin for men, wives and young people that would be promoted to the 70,000-plus UK churches. It will cost around £8,000.
‘We have also been praying for an office to offer counselling,’ he said. ‘This could be as simple as a room at a church.’
You can find out more about Mike’s talk at CRE 24 (12.30pm, Thu 10 Oct) here.
• Blazing Grace are on stand B27 at CRE 24
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A grief resolved: find new hope on the bereavement journey
The culture is changing around grief and bereavement and people are seeking support.
So says CRE 24 speaker Rev Nicky Grey, who lost her husband and mother within six weeks of each other. She found the materials in The Bereavement Journey, supported by CRE exhibitor AtaLoss, helpful in processing her own grief – and began helping the charity. She has delivered the programme in prison, where it helps women process traumatic and unresolved loss and has become the organisation’s head of church engagement.
‘Our website currently has the greatest number of people referred to it from mental health services, because grieving people don’t know where else to turn or because unresolved grief has been identified as the root cause,’ she explained. ‘CRE 24 will provide another opportunity to show how we provide support for Christians in Milton Keynes, the wider region and around the UK.’
The Bereavement Journey, a programme offered by churches and other organisations for their communities, is rapidly spreading since its relaunch last year and is already run in more than 350 locations across the UK.
There are about 600,000 deaths in the UK each year, leaving more than six million people significantly bereaved.
‘We’re beginning to realise the affect that unprocessed loss can have,’ she said. ‘Unresolved grief is behind many of society’s problems.’
For more information about Nicky’s talk at CRE 24 (2pm Thu 10 Oct) click here.
• AtaLoss are on stand P43 at CRE 24
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ZAC the musical: from the composer who’s never sold us short
A composer whose music has become part and parcel of church life will next week launch ZAC, his 25th musical (7.30pm, Sat 28 Sep, Bromsgrove Baptist Church).
He will follow it up with a talk at CRE 24 (2pm, Thu 10 Oct) on how musicals can be used in mission and evangelism.
Originally a teacher, Roger Jones is director of Birmingham-based Christian Music Ministries (CMM) and began writing when he composed Jerusalem Joy, a performance around Jesus’ ride on a donkey into Jerusalem. He has become internationally known with his works performed all over the world.
‘The new production will follow the Bible story of Zacchaeus as he transforms from a diminutive, cheating tax collector to a follower of Jesus,’ (pictured above) he explains.
With him at CRE 24 will be Devon Brown, for many years one of CMM’s soloists, He has sung for them in Canada, India and Israel. Roger will also be involved in a teaching workshop,Praise of future past (Wed 9 Oct, 12.30pm) and with Devon will lead the workshop Psalms, hymns and songs (Wed 9 Oct 2.30pm).
On Thursday, again with Devon, he will join Lou and Nathan Fellingham and Lucy Grimble for a session on sung worship and song writing (11am).
This year marks 40 years since Roger left his financially secure teaching job to concentrate on a less secure creative ministry. In 2018 he was awarded the Mary Jones Prize by Bible Society for his musical Greater than Gold (1983) and its contribution to keeping the story of Welsh girl Mary Jones and her Bible alive, worldwide.
In 2019 Roger was recipient of the Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship, presented to him by Archbishop Justin Welby.
• For more information on the worship strand at CRE 24 go to page 17 of the exhibition handbook.
CRE 2024
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