CRE News

Sir Cliff: ‘Worship is worship’, not a show

The church should support entertainers but be very careful not to turn church services into a show.

So says Sir Cliff Richard in an exclusive interview for CRE National 2021, to be aired in Cindy’s Bar (1pm, Wed 13 Oct). It’s part of a day celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Arts Centre Group (ACG).

For decades, the arts were considered a poor choice for serious-minded Christians – until a small group of musicians, actors and broadcasters, including actor Nigel Goodwin, Sir Cliff and Rev Cindy Kent MBE, formed the group in 1971, supporting artists to be ‘fully professional and fully Christian’. Still going strong, Rev Cindy, CRE’s ‘queen of conversation’, will host this special day-long event looking at the world of entertainment and the local church. 

Speaking of the need for the ACG, Sir Cliff points out his frustration with the media towards his Christian faith all those years ago, some writers suggesting he could not be an entertainer and a Christian. Meeting with other Christians in the world of entertainment helped him deal with the issue.

‘Church music was hymns and carols, solely for use within the church,’ he says, ‘but over the years the church has had to change and fortunately has changed quite well, though it still gets stuck sometimes.’ He admires many churches in America, for example, fully utilising their members’ gifts but he is also well aware that services can become ‘almost a show.’

Several other guests representing the arts will be guests on Cindy’s Sofa. At 3pm Frank Williams (vicar in the original Dad’s Army) and Sue Hodge (‘Allo ‘Allo) will be the guests of Chris Gidney from Christians In Entertainment. And there will be a special focus on encouraging the next generation of aspiring performers, broadcasters, authors and journalists. 

So where next for the church, the arts and the ACG?

‘It is impossible to know. We can only travel the road we are on,’ says Cliff. But he points out that at 81 years of age he is certainly looking for someone to take over his role!

Cliff’s The Great 80 Tour is on the road from Thurs 7 October. Find further information on last-minute ticket availability.

Cliff’s performance of The Great 80 Tour at the Royal Albert Hall will be filmed and broadcast live to over 500 cinemas throughout the UK on Wednesday 27 October and then two encore screenings on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 October. Find a cinema near you.

• The Arts Centre Group @ 50 takes place on Wed 13 Oct at CRE National 2021

Photo: Alan Olley

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Pip and Jim’s: what a difference a chair makes

St. Philip and St. James’ church is located in the leafy, regency suburb of Cheltenham. Built in 1882 by renowned ecclesiastical architect, John Middleton, the church is Grade II* listed and a fine example of Gothic Revival in a Decorated style of architecture. Affectionately known as Pip and Jim’s, the church boasts the first columbarium space in the country. 

‘The church’s congregation is a young and vibrant one which is expanding,’ said Trinity Church Furniture sales agent Mike Seward. ‘For over 16 years the congregation dreamed of creating a more flexible space, in service of the local community. The vision was for a church that would be open and busy seven days a week with church services and events, as well as community groups, meetings and celebrations. ‘

To allow the building to cater for these increasing requirements, the church commenced a reordering project which has been dubbed the largest in the diocese since Gloucester Cathedral. To replace the pews, Trinity’s Theo Chair was specified. The chair’s linking design allows for both straight and curved row layouts. Coupled with the chairs lightness and ability to stack 30 high on trolleys put Theo in perfect alignment with the new demands of the space. When space is needed in the nave for activities, the chairs are quickly and easily stacked on their trolleys and wheeled over to be neatly stored in cupboards. 

‘We have been supplying furniture in the UK and internationally for over 40 years,’ said Mike Seward. ‘The relationships we have made over this time have helped many places of worship create wonderful spaces that enable a greater and more flexible use of the building and thus serve the wider community.’ Working in the furniture industry for nearly 20 years Mike has focused on the ecclesiastical sector for more than seven years. He lives in Surrey and is an active member of St John’s Church, Crawley.

• Trinity Church Furniture are on stand O4 at CRE National 2021

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Print a puppet: the One Way way

Three printers are busily working away in a Grimsby workshop, producing parts for the world’s first 3D-printed Christingle puppets. 

Each puppet takes over 50 hours of printing to create the separate items which are then carefully put together with additional work on the foam and fabric.

‘When we were asked to make a puppet specifically for Christingle we couldn’t believe the interest it created!’ said David Jones, son of One Way Puppet’s managing director, Ian Jones.

‘We had the vision for the puppet some years ago but simply did not have the time to plan and create it until a church contacted us and commissioned something specifically for Christingle. Afterwards they agreed we could make it available to other puppet teams and churches.’

Within a short time they had more than 80 orders – with more coming in. 

One of their 3D printers will be working on the One Way stand at CRE National 2021 next week. The Christingle puppet, alongside a wide range of other resources, will also be on hand and the One Way UK team will be there ready to demonstrate how effective their puppets can be!

But it’s not just Christingle puppet components their printers are used for. From complex mechanisms to butterflies and keyrings, a huge range of things can be created. During the first lockdown the 3D printers were part of a larger group in Grimsby utilised for five months to help produce 11,000 faceshields which were donated free to the NHS, GP surgeries and care homes. Concerned about more plastic waste? The team at One Way UK are too, so their 3D printers use a filament called ‘PLA’ which is biodegradable and actually made from plant-based resources so no plastic waste is created!

Ian Jones has been leading a puppet team in his church in Grimsby since 1998 and the team of 20-plus have a busy programme in churches, care homes, schools and other community events, including trips to Romania, Bulgaria and Burkina Faso.

‘I am passionate to inspire others to share the Gospel,’ he said with the company not only utilising puppets but gospel illusions, drama, storytelling and other creative arts.

• One Way are on stand C9 at CRE National 2021

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Why science and faith ‘should strengthen each other’

A couple from a West Midlands church are coming to CRE National next week to try and make science and the Bible more understandable to Christians.

Matthew and Davinder Gardner – both health care scientists – will launch The Faith Experiment, a series of seven interactive family-friendly workshops exploring different topics at the interface of science and faith. 

Matthew explained: ‘Because of the Covid-19 lockdown we were not able to take the programme forward in the way we’d hoped, but we were recently awarded £16,700 from the ECLAS Project to fund a post-Covid relaunch event. This will enable us to go ahead and encourage churches to call us in to help members explore the relationship between science and faith. They do not have to be opposed to each other. We want to prove it by running up to seven sessions to break down the misconceptions and encourage curiosity.’

While the seven sessions have been tested at the couple’s church, New Hope Baptist Church, Coseley, they can also be covered in one day – to save the couple having to travel too far from their base.

Faith in Science C.I.C., based at New Hope Baptist Church, was awarded £16,700 to explore the relationship between science and faith through the church engagement programme Scientists in Congregations, which is run by Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS). 

Matthew, 32, said: ‘In each workshop we use games and demonstrations alongside a short talk to help summarise the arguments, explore ways in which agreement can be found and finally provide enough information for participants to make up their own mind and/ or defend their belief in a positive and constructive way.

‘We want to help Christians feel confident and knowledgeable engaging in conversations about faith and ready if challenged to defend their faith when presented with an argument against it citing science. And we want non-Christians to open their minds to the truth that science and faith need not be in conflict and should indeed strengthen each other, and to encourage exploration of faith.’

Matthew and Davinder will bring their own experiences and perspectives of using science to help diagnose and treat disease to highlight how health care science, in particular, can be an area where science and faith exist in harmony.

• Faith in Science are on stand A7 at CRE National 2021

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Charting the seismic shift in church technology

When Christ Church, New Malden wanted a complete revamp of their AV system (pictured) they went to CRE National 2021 exhibitor DM Music – who didn’t disappoint.

‘The system is excellent,’ said the Rev Stephen Kuhrt, Christ Church’s vicar. ‘They are a Christian company and know churches from the inside. They are thoroughly professional with nothing being too much trouble. And there is excellent after care.’

DM are excited to return to Sandown Park next week. Director Iain Harvey Smith said: ‘Since the last CRE National two years ago the church has seen a seismic shift in the use of technology due to Covid-19. We have been tracking these changes from the beginning of the pandemic. 

‘To help stay connected many churches scrambled to create tech solutions, to Zoom, record or live-stream services. Many expected these to be temporary solutions – the borrowed camera, the low budget Amazon product, or commandeering an occasional table. As we now comprehend the longevity of the pandemic, and its effect on the church, more robust technical solutions are required. This can be a challenge and every church is different. A solution that works well for one church may not be right for another.’ 

Over the past 18 months DM have installed a great number of live streaming systems in churches. On top of this they have provided free advice to hundreds of others, offering guidance on setup and development. Their advice covers not only the best equipment for your needs, but more importantly how to approach streaming as a church – often focusing on practical, financial and planning aspects.

• DM Music are on stand D8 at CRE National 2021

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Church website: for the best by a mile, dial Kyle

The biggest update to their church website software since 2002 – that’s what one exhibitor promises visitors to next week’s CRE National 2021.

The Church Edit platform is used by more than 1,000 UK churches as well as 20 Church of England dioceses. Photo albums, calendars, podcasts, video streams and much more can be added easily to a Church Edit website.

‘Since May 2020, we have been working on a complete redevelopment to make it even easier for churches to create a beautiful and graphical website for their church to stand out online,’ said Church Edit founder Kyle Cottington. ‘With the new Design Builder feature, anyone will be able to create a responsive church website with full background videos and images, image scrollers and social media integration. With some beautiful design tools included you will no longer need to rely on a designer to create your site.’

Next to the Church Edit stand at CRE you will find The Life Events Diary – a free tool available to all churches in the Church of England allowing them to manage weddings, funerals, banns and baptismal services. With easy-to-use tools to collect the required information and to keep in touch with contacts before and beyond their event, the Life Events Diary has become an essential part of church administration. The Life Events Diary is also the only place where Church of England churches can digitally produce the new Marriage Document.  

The Life Events Diary will launch a brand-new update to their online platform at CRE so that wedding enquiries entered onto A Church Near You will appear directly within a church’s Life Events Diary.

• Church Edit are on stand V8 and Life Events Diary are on stand V7 at CRE National 2021

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Church buildings: Facebook cure for the FAQs blues

A Facebook group has been set up to help church leaders and officials get extra help and advice from experts when undergoing work on their buildings.

‘We want to offer help and advice to anyone undertaking a church building project from others who have “been there and done that”,’ said Nigel Walter (pictured centre), leader of the project.

Nigel, a specialist conservation architect both in architectural practice and research, is the founding director of Archangel Architects in Cambridge. They will exhibit at CRE National 2021 under Church Build. He explained that in discussions with churches considering building projects, the same questions, the ‘FAQs’, arise time and again. 

‘In response to this need we developed Church Build – a website which is home to a series of resources that encourage churches to engage critically and creatively with their buildings,’ he said. ‘Our aim is to build the church in the widest sense – sometimes that involves buildings, sometimes it doesn’t. For any individual church it is critical to know the difference.

‘That is now being extended to a Facebook group where you can discuss common challenges and get support from experts in their field alongside inspiration, case studies and practical project planning resources. So many churches have Facebook pages and enjoy linking with other organisations that we thought a link would be a huge asset to them.

‘There is no compulsion to be with any company. It is a free service enabling church leaders to get the most out of the immense responsibility involved in a major building project. This site has grown out of the belief that your church building has a significant impact on the life of your church, and that your building should fit well with your ministry. Our aim is to equip you to make better use of your buildings for the glory of God.’

Nigel and Jim Hammett, a Christian project management consultant will speak on ‘Church Buildings – how to make them happen!’ at CRE National (12pm, Tue 12 Oct). You can book a personal appointment with Nigel at CRE here.

• Church Build are on stand A75 at CRE National 2021

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Hybrid church: how do we move forward?

How can churches face the future with Covid still hovering on the horizon?

Des Stewart, co-founder of Good to Give, will look to the future in a special seminar at CRE National (3pm, Wed 13 Oct).

‘In 2020 the way we do church changed forever,’ he said. ‘Although many churches continue to re-open their doors for face-to-face services, for some online church is here to stay. What does that mean for the way leaders and members allow the church to move forward? We know it takes faith to do God’s work but it also requires practical wisdom – and that’s what we will be looking at in this seminar.’

Des thinks there are five pillars for building the hybrid church and they can be used to grow a church on and offline. The seminar will give local church leaders and members an opportunity to consider how to create a different future for their church. 

‘It’s always been our mission at Good to Give to help churches grow, improve and operate more efficiently, helping them extend their influence in their communities and increase their ability to do good,’ said Des. ‘Many churches have resources that are under-utilised – such as premises, enthusiastic members and trustees with specific skill sets.’

With 25 years’ experience working in the private and public sectors, and having co-founded Good to Give in 2000, Des has spent two decades working exclusively with third sector faith-based organisations.

• Good to Give are on stand U6 at CRE National 2021

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Look out for Life with Lucas

CRE keynote speaker Jeff Lucas is launching an exciting new Bible reading product – Life with Lucas – at CRE National.

Jeff, who will speak on four occasions at CRE, has written daily Bible reading notes for 17 years. Life Everyday, published by CWR (now Waverley Abbey), impacted thousands of readers. Their production called for him to write more than a million and a half words – no mean feat! 

When new leadership at Waverley decided to cancel the contract, Jeff thought his Bible note writing was at an end – but he was quite wrong. Hundreds of readers made personal contact, asking for a continuation of his notes in some form. 

So an exciting new product, Life with Lucas, has been born – a publishing endeavour launched by Jeff’s ministry and Sortedmagazine’s Steve Legg. 

Published on a quarterly basis and available by annual subscription, or directly through Christian bookshops, Life with Lucas will take Bible reading notes to a new level, with links to podcasts, online video introductions and – if all goes well – linked resources for small groups. An online ‘going deeper’ section is also envisioned. 

Commenting on the new initiative, Jeff said: ‘We’ve spent a long time in a variety of lockdowns and I’ve come to realise much of the Bible was written by people in lockdown, for people in lockdown! Consider the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, Joseph falsely accused and incarcerated, Daniel and his friends exiled in Babylon, Paul writing his amazing prison epistles and John, trapped on the prison island of Patmos – the Bible speaks so directly to the challenges that have become so pressing for the world recently.’

The notes will be Christ centred. At least one month in each edition will focus on the Gospels and offer a balanced ‘diet’ of themes and doctrinal exploration. Printed in full colour, the publishers aim to ensure Jeff’s trademark humour and authenticity will continue throughout. And at CRE National, there will be a generous subscription offer, too. 

Look out for Life with Lucas!

• Life With Lucas is on stand D6 at CRE National 2021

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Property problem? It’s a wrap with Rapleys

Aldersbrook Baptist Church (pictured) in Wanstead, East London, had problems with a renovation project. 

Meanwhile Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance wanted to sell part of the garden at Dedham vicarage and expand the graveyard.

Both knew where to go: Rapleys Charities Consultancy, a new exhibitor at CRE National 2021.

The company has provided several recent quinquennial survey reports for churches of varying ages and design to identify possible problems and point out realistic ways to repair or improve the property. At the same time issues have been identified which could have huge cost implications.

As Graham Smith, Charities Consultancy partner, said: ‘We provide a comprehensive range of services for the charity, ecclesiastical and non-profit sectors in respect of all aspects of land and property matters throughout the UK. Our experienced professional teams provide authoritative insights from our market specialists. We can provide bespoke single service delivery or comprehensive advice on multi-disciplinary instructions.’

With more than 30 years’ experience working for non-profit organisations, the firm is expertly placed to provide ecclesiastical advice across the full spectrum of property-related issues, involving:

• acquisitions and disposals
• valuations and qualified surveyor reports
• quinquennial surveying
• planning advice
• project management
• portfolio advice
• business rate assessments and appeals
• rent reviews and lease renewals
• investment and claims

Rapleys experts understand the needs of charities and non-profit organisations and the complexities of this sector. 

‘We tailor our support and advice to meet the individual requirements of each client,’ said Graham, enabling them to concentrate on what they do best. We are delighted to be getting back into church buildings after Covid, but it also reminds us of the unfinished jobs and the ongoing plans in how to use the buildings. After what has been a tough 18 months, now is the moment for picking up where churches left off and seems ideally suitable to starting something fresh.

‘Both I and Adam Harvey, fellow Charities Consultancy partner, look forward to the opportunity of supporting the future of your ecclesiastical needs at CRE National 2021.’

• Rapleys Charities Consultancy are on stand H9 at CRE National 2021

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