CRE News

ByDave Hall

Sermon of the Year 2021: Hughes woos the pews

Catharine Hughes may enjoy winning at board games but she’s scooped top prize in a pursuit that is far from trivial.

Catharine, 50, is winner of Sermon of the Year 2021 – an online competition organised by Preach, the quarterly membership magazine published by the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust (LWPT).

‘I was very surprised to receive the trophy!’ said Catharine, a member Poynton Methodist Church in Cheshire. ‘Preaching has been something I’ve done for a number of years and it is always such a privilege to share God’s word. I’m very grateful to the judges. It’s unbelievable – and I just want to thank everybody who has helped me on my journey so far.’

Cross the Divide was the theme chosen for this year’s competition. Three finalists were selected from a host of entries from all Christian denominations. Preachers and would-be preachers were asked to submit a sermon of 1,500 words via the online form on the Preach website. The judges looked for how the Bible text was dealt with, how the biblical themes were handled, and how the structure, application and theme of the message were covered.

Ian Buchanan, chief executive of CRE exhibitor LWPT, commented: ‘We were especially impressed with the overall standard of entries received this year and very pleased that entries came from many different churches and people of all age groups.’

Catharine grew up in Yorkshire and became a Christian during a mission conducted by the late Rob Frost. She has a degree in maths and psychology and qualified as a chartered accountant. Her husband’s research took them and their two children to Lusaka, Zambia, which delayed her accreditation as a Methodist local preacher by four years but gave her plenty of practice – and stories for two books. She is now completing her second of three years’ part-time training for presbyterial ministry.

‘After being told I had won the award I was delighted, but also a bit anxious about preaching my next sermon to people who knew,’ she admitted. ‘But I fell from a horse and fractured my back and am now strapped up – so my next preach will be some time off!’

The other finalists were Philip Sudworth from Wigan and Katrina Clifford, from West Ewell, Surrey.         

Now in its sixth year the competition aims to promote the art of sermon writing and preaching and is open to all Christian denominations.

Ecumenical in outlook, Preach covers a topical theme in each edition to help preachers understand and explore current issues in a Christian context.

Photo: Sermon of the Year 2021 winner Catharine Hughes

LWPT are on stand A20 at CRE National 2021

Book your tickets to CRE National!

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars and special features at CRE National 2021

Welcome Back – See an online version of the CRE National 2021 ‘Welcome Back’ brochure

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

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ByDave Hall

‘The church doesn’t talk about porn, so I assumed I was a freak…’

With statistics showing that one in two male Christians views porn in secret, Mike Genung, founder of a ministry to people struggling with sex addiction, will be at CRE National 2021 to show how churches can engage with those hurting from porn and adultery.

Mike had given up church after being molested as a 14-year-old by a trusted female adult from his church. He became consumed by sex, drugs and alcohol. The sexual side included porn-fuelled masturbation, promiscuity, sex with prostitutes, an affair with a married mother and visits to strip clubs.

Mike Genung of Blazing Grace

‘In spite of spending years in church, God showed me I’d never gone after him,’ he recalls. ‘I’d sought women, ministry success, money, Bible knowledge, and other things, but not the Lord himself.’

That vision changed his outlook, saved his marriage and led to a new motivation to help others. He started a support group for men in 2000 and in 2004 set up the Blazing Grace website.

Today Blazing Grace has grown into an international ministry offering counselling for individuals and couples. He has written seven books, speaks in churches and other organisations in the US and Europe and leads retreats and conferences. The Rogue Christian, his seventh book, will be available at CRE National.

‘Because the church doesn’t talk about sex or porn, I assumed I was a freak,’ he maintains. ‘Then I stumbled on surveys showing that 50 per cent of Christian men were viewing porn and wondered how so many Christians could be struggling with a sin so devastating that it destroys marriages – yet no one talks about it?’

Recent surveys show that two-thirds of Christian men view pornography – and those are just the honest ones. Christian women struggle with it, too. In fact, women are the fastest-growing segment when it comes to viewing pornography.

As well as speaking at CRE, Mike will lead a one-day seminar at Sure Hope Church in Old Colwyn, Conwy, North Wales on October 9. Anyone can attend. The contact came as 

as a result of a meeting between Mike and a visitor to CRE Midlands in March 2020. He would also welcome the opportunity to lead seminars in other churches – including London – when he is in the UK for CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct). Interested church leaders can contact him at the Blazing Grace website.

Blazing Grace are on stand K5 at CRE National 2021

Mike Genung will speak on ‘How churches can engage with those hurting from porn and adultery’ (11am, Tue 12 Oct)

Book your tickets to CRE National!

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars and special features at CRE National 2021

Welcome Back – See an online version of the CRE National 2021 ‘Welcome Back’ brochure

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

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ByDave Hall

Dad’s Army’s tetchy vicar set for CRE debut

The oldest surviving member of BBC TV comedy Dad’s Army is celebrating his 90th Birthday at CRE National 2021. 

Frank Williams, cast as Walmington-on-Sea’s tetchy vicar, will guest on Cindy’s Sofa along with fellow sit-com star Sue Hodge (‘Allo ‘Allo) on Wed 13 Oct.

In real life Frank may not have turned round his collar but he has a strong Christian faith and a lifelong commitment to the church.

‘Although I have spent many years in various film and television roles, being part of Croft and Perry’s classic comedy is hard to beat,’ he said. ‘It’s always a great privilege to take our Dad’s Army event into churches, and the occasional Easter cruise organised by Christians in Entertainment director Chris Gidney. We’ve been doing this for around 20 years now and it pulls in people who wouldn’t normally go to church. The outside world discovers that Christians can laugh and have fun, as well!’

In fact, Frank has worked with many of the greats, including Tommy Cooper, Harry Worth, Dick Emery, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise. At CRE Frank will sign copies of his best-selling autobiography, Vicar to Dad’s Army – and thinks that Mr Mainwaring would be proud to see that even at 90, he is far from retiring! You can see his recent showreel here.

Frank’s appearance at CRE National is part of the Arts Centre Group’s 50th anniversary celebrations in association with Christians in Entertainment. For decades, the arts had been considered a poor choice for serious-minded Christians – until a small group of musicians, actors and broadcasters, including Nigel Goodwin, Sir Cliff Richard and Rev Cindy Kent MBE, formed the Arts Centre Group in 1971 with a simple aim: supporting artists to be ‘fully professional and fully Christian’.

Still going strong, Rev Cindy, CRE’s ‘queen of conversation’, will use the event to discuss the role of the arts in both Christian and mainstream circles with a special focus on encouraging the next generation of aspiring performers, broadcasters, authors and journalists.

Book your tickets to CRE National!

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars and special features at CRE National 2021

Welcome Back – See an online version of the CRE National 2021 ‘Welcome Back’ brochure

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

Lion-sized guide is roaring success

A free magazine called Aslan is a lion-sized guide to getting the best from Christian books, CDs and DVDs.

So says David Wavre, owner of Aslan Christian Books, a family-owned company with more than 30 years’ experience in the book trade.

‘We’ve designed the magazine as a one-stop shop for all that’s new – and a reminder of those classic authors whose writings are still relevant,’ he explains. In its May-June edition, Aslan presents a host of new books, key titles, ones to watch and some Christian classics.

‘We pride ourselves on offering a fantastic range of Christian titles across denominations and interests,’ he maintains, ‘all at the best prices around.’

The company is moving to a new nearby warehouse in Wiltshire at the end of June, to add about 10,000 square feet to the current operation. The current 32-page edition of Aslan – sent to about 10,000 individuals and churches – also highlights material covering prayer, biographies, devotionals, bibles, diaries and lectionaries, daily bible reading notes, fiction, children’s material, music and film. It also contains four pages of bargain buys.

Aslan is bi-monthly from January to June and then monthly.

• Click here for further information.

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

CRE: Organisations book in as confidence returns

It’s taken time for the confidence to return after lockdown but in the past two weeks several organisations have booked stands at CRE National (12-14 Oct 2021) – taking the total space sold to almost 80 per cent.

So reports Brett Pitchfork, CRE’s event director, who has plotted a new floorplan for the event, in case social distancing is still required in the autumn. Changes include wider aisles and the use of the Esher Hall at Sandown Park.

‘There has been a growing sense of anticipation and determination to do business in the “old way” – face to face,’ said Brett. ‘Zoom conversations only take us so far. Finding new customers and supporters is best done in a live environment and CRE National is shaping up to be an emotional homecoming for many exhibitors and visitors.’

Among the organisations taking stands at CRE National in the past two weeks are:

  • Mellor and Mottram (heating suppliers)
  • CCSM (Chinese Church Support Ministry)
  • GIVT (unique cashless giving app for churches and individuals)
  • SICO (specialist furniture suppliers)
  • Single Friendly Church (equipping churches make single people feel fully welcome)
  • USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel)
  • ising Worship (Engaging God’s people in praise)
  • isingPop (helping children and families engage in collective worship in school, church and home)

‘If you are considering taking a stand, please get in touch soon,’ said Brett. ‘Your choice of position becomes smaller as the weeks go by.’

To book your stand, please contact:

Carol Malpass
carol@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2467

James Batterbee
james@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2306

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

Dynamic trio will ‘preach off’ for coveted title

A dynamic trio will take part in a ‘preach off’ before a panel of judges in June – to decide who will be named Preacher of the Year.

Organised by Preach Magazine, published by the Leaders of Worship and Preachers’ Trust (LWPT), the three chosen for the online final on June 24 are Katrina Clifford, from West Ewell, Surrey, Philip Sudworth, from Wigan and Catharine Hughes from Poynton, Cheshire.

They had been asked to produce a sermon in 1,500 words on the theme of ‘Cross the Divide’.

‘We were especially impressed with the standard of entries this year,’ said Ian Buchanan, chief executive of LWPT. ‘Entries came from many different churches and people of all age groups.’

  • Katrina Clifford is a member of Trinity URC in Wimbledon and also attends All Saints West Ewell (Church of England). She is currently training to be a Synod-recognised lay preacher in the URC and is attached to New Malden URC as part of her training. 
  • Philip Sudworth is a member of Standish Methodist Church and became a Methodist local preacher in the Wigan circuit in December 2017. Retired from the education service, he was voted Local Volunteer of the Year for the borough of Wigan in 2019.
  • Catherine Hughes grew up in Yorkshire and became a Christian during a mission led by the late evangelist Rob Frost. A member of Poynton Methodist Church, she attends Mobberley Methodist Church and is training for Presbyterian ministry.

Set up to promote the art of sermon writing and preaching, Sermon of the Year is in its sixth year. It gives preachers from across the UK an opportunity to hone and demonstrate their skills and is open to all Christian denominations.

Judges at the online preach-off will be Antony Billington, senior pastor at the Beacon Church, Wigan, and theology adviser at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, Dr Helen Morris, acting director of studies and lecturer in applied theology at Moorlands College and Tobi Olujinmi, an international public speaker, media producer and founder of W Talk. Click here for more information.

LWPT are exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct, Sandown Park, Surrey)

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars and special features at CRE National 2021

Welcome Back – See an online version of the CRE National 2021 ‘Welcome Back’ brochure

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

Time to look after your three congregations

Churches must go on broadcasting services online after lockdown – even if it means servicing several congregations.

So says Derek Clare, who formed New Day Audio Visual Specialists more than 20 years ago. Derek, 65, who gives advice and professional help to all churches seeking AV help, thinks that many now reach three distinct groups.

‘Firstly, there are those in the church building,’ he suggests. ‘Another group feel unable to return but may well do so in the future. The final “congregation” are people not previously reached but who tune into services online.’

Streaming services also provides a link for members of the local congregation unable to attend through illness or family commitments. 

‘Covid-19 pandemic has been a disaster for the world but created the biggest opportunity ever for presenting the gospel,’ believes Derek, who met his wife 21 years ago and was married six weeks later. Together they formed New Day company six weeks after that!

‘The pastor of one church into which we installed streaming equipment has a building which does not hold much more than 30 people,’ he explains. ‘But the services he is streaming are watched by people on up to 15,000 computers in Iran each week – probably with more than one person watching on each. And there are 600 people or so watching locally. I have always had a passion for using technology to further the gospel. During these uncertain times being online has been of even greater importance.’

The setting up of such systems is not difficult, he points out.

‘We have a range of solutions from a single camera which will stream directly to Facebook, YouTubeLive and other platforms, to multi-camera setups. We help with legal questions and allay concerns congregations may have about live video.’

And he promises: ‘With our expertise and support we will get you online fulfilling Mark 16:15: “Then Jesus said to them, you must now proclaim the good news to the whole world, to all creation.”’

Click here for more information.

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

Landmark of hope is making ‘tremendous progress’

A huge monument to God’s willingness to care for his people is moving nearer to the building stage.

The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, 50 metres high and on a strategic 10-acre site between the M6 and M42 motorways, is expected to be seen by more than 500,000 people a day.

Snug Architects of Totton, Southampton, whose design for the project beat more than 130 competitors from 28 countries, will continue to oversee the project to completion. Their stand at CRE Midlands 2020 introduced the wall to visitors.

Richard Gamble (pictured), former chaplain at Leicester City Football Club, had the vision for a colossal national landmark of hope with each of its one million bricks representing an answered prayer. The project aims to preserve and celebrate the UK’s Christian heritage and inspire the nation to pray. Using state-of-the-art technology, visitors will use their phones to read the answered prayers to which each brick relates.

Richard, the wall’s chief executive, said: ‘We want to create an iconic structure the nation will not only be proud of but find inspirational – a landmark of hope.’

The Möbius strip concept forms a continuous loop that allows visitors to process through a gravity-defying triumphant arch, before encircling the wall. With seemingly no support where the strip curves and twists, the arch will be over 40m high with an 80m span – significantly larger than Sir Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North, which is 20m tall with wings measuring 54m across.

A visitor centre, bookshop and 24-hour chaplaincy support service are part of the plans.   

Richard, whose book Remember, was recently published, added: ‘We are making tremendous progress and are thrilled with response across the country to this project. Several large donations have catapulted us forward. We will start to build the access road in September which will coincide with a crowdfunding campaign – and begin the mobius strip in 2022. We are on target to complete building at the end of that year.’

You can contribute to the project by sending in your answered prayer here or you can contribute financially here.

• Snug Architects are exhibiting at CRE National (12-14 Oct, Sandown Park, Surrey)

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

Jerome classic sparks National Big Church Read

A reading project in which everyone who lived alongside the Thames was encouraged to read Jerome K. Jerome’s classic Three Men in a Boat sparked Steve Barnett into action.

‘The Big Thames Valley Read gave people something in common to talk about,’ said Steve, who runs St Andrews Bookshop. ‘I wondered if it would work in a church setting. If we could encourage people to read the same book at the same time it would build fellowship, create a sense of shared experience and deepen faith.’

During lockdown, Steve Barnett and Andy Lyon from publishers HodderFaith agreed to create the National Big Church Read – if either John Mark Comer or Pete Greig joined in. Both said yes!

One year on, there have been two National Big Church Reads. The third began this week, on May 24, focussing on How to Pray by Pete Greig. The fourth read follows in September with Bouncing Forward by Patrick Reagan.

‘We encourage groups and churches to journey through the book together with the author,’ said Steve. ‘The author records a short video for each week that can be played from the Big Church Read website in which the author encourages people to talk about the book.’

What has excited Steve, whose bookshop will exhibit at CRE National (Oct 12-14), is that some people are drawn into reading who might not normally do so – and many read the whole book.

‘We discovered that a third of the Christians said they didn’t usually read Christian books while many said they did not finish a book they had started,’ he said. ‘Every one of the people who did not normally read the whole book, did so. We are hearing of how groups have been drawn closer, lives changed and faith deepened. That is why more than 90 per cent of those who have already been involved in a Big Church Read say they will be joining another.’

Click here for more information.

• St Andrew’s Bookshop are exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct, Sandown Park, Surrey)

Our next exhibitions

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!

ByDave Hall

SPCK acquires Lion Hudson to become UK’s largest Christian publisher

With the forthcoming acquisition of publishers Lion Hudson from the AFD Group, the SPCK Group will be the UK’s largest Christian publisher with income in excess of £8 million per annum.

James Catford, chair of SPCK, said: ‘This is an exciting and visionary step which combines the UK market leader in children’s Christian publishing with the market leader in adult Christian publishing. The strengthened SPCK Group will now have the scale and resource to be a global leader in Christian publishing.’

Sam Richardson, chief executive of SPCK, said: ‘I am delighted that this move continues SPCK’s momentum. In the past six years we have doubled our income and won both the Christian Publisher of the Year and Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year awards three times. Our successful merger with Inter-Varsity Press has proved we can provide a seamless experience for authors and customers and retain the distinctive theological approaches of different imprints under one roof. This move will help both SPCK and Lion Hudson to better serve our authors, our customers and the church in the UK and around the world.’

David Dorricott, managing director of the AFD Group, said: ‘It has been a privilege to be part of God’s plan for Lion Hudson for a season – and we are delighted that this exciting opportunity will now release new energy not just in the amazing imprints of Lion Hudson, but also the wider SPCK group. We will continue to cheer them on in their vital work – especially in presenting a Christian world view to an increasingly secularised society.’

SPCK and Lion Hudson will be exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 October 202, Sandown Park, Surrey)

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2022
23-24 February 2022
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021
12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

CRE News

Click here for CRE News

Your new 60-page products and services guide. Nothing beats reading it!