ByCRE
Cut the clutter! Put it on an app
Mobile apps can simplify church communications and help you reach and engage new members.
So says James Dickson, founder of CRE exhibitor Piota (Put it on the App), makers of high quality, affordable mobile apps for churches, schools, charities and local community organisations.
‘Keeping your congregation engaged and in touch is not easy,’ said James, who worked in finance for 20 years before setting up Piota. ‘They want to hear from you but their inboxes are crowded. Add to that a young adult demographic that doesn’t do email, a website which broadcasts information but can’t personalise it and ever-decreasing attention spans. Even the most inspiring or urgent material goes unread.’
If you are struggling to cover everyone through a mix of emails, texts, Facebook feeds and website announcements, you already know the problem!
‘You need a high-quality mobile app versatile enough to double up as both a messaging centre and information hub for your congregation, volunteers and wider church family,’ contends James.
‘Our church app, which we will demonstrate at CRE, is your one-stop shop. It speeds up communications in rich formats, directly to everyone with the app or specific sub-groups. It’s a quick reference source with immediate access to everything people need to know, from meeting timings to last week’s sermon, to how to donate. It is affordable and should even pay for itself in cost and time savings.’
* Piota will be on stand S57 at CRE2017
ByCRE
Rachel and team consider ‘revival’ among young people
TED-style talks on school missions, worship for all ages and intentional discipleship are among a host of subjects covered in the Youth Zone at CRE2017.
Open all day for three days, the zone will feature a range of speakers including:
Rachel Gardner (pictured above), Relationships Lead at Youthscape and president of the Girls Brigade, who will share from her long experience in engaging with young people in tough-to-talk-about topics.
Jamie Sewell of Message Trust, who will outline his work with young people in mission. Jamie has many years’ experience as a youth pastor and is developing the trust’s mission teams, reaching and discipling young people.
Laura Hancock of Youth for Christ, who will explore current youth culture in relation to the local church.
CRE’s Youth Zone comes at a time when new figures show one young person in six self identifies as a practising Christian. The statistics show that 13 per cent of 11 to 18-year-olds say they are regular churchgoers and more than one in five (21 per cent) describe themselves as active followers of Jesus.
The study, commissioned by the HOPE Revolution partnership and carried out by ComRes, suggests that a commitment to Christianity is much higher among young people than previously thought. Another study, Youth for Christ’s Gen Z: Rethinking Culture research, showed similar results, suggesting that a surprisingly high number of young people still describe themselves as Christian.
‘We will look in depth at the results of our survey and take time to explore what it means for local churches in their attempts to engage with current youth culture,’ said YFC’s Laura Hancock, who will also lead the zone. ‘We will consider how best to take the good news of Jesus to a fresh generation of young people.’
Youth Zone exhibitors include:
Bible Education Services
Sandyholme
The Treasure Box People
Discover Archery
iSingPOP
Pulse Ministries
Hope Now
Nicodemus
Youth For Christ
ByCRE
‘Card-carrying’ gospel duo set for Cindy’s Bar
From Croydon to Esher, via Germany, Italy, Poland, Jamaica and the USA – that’s the journey of Clif and Marie Reid, special guests at CRE 2017.
Surrounded by church choirs from birth, the duo started singing and playing at an early age in south London. Their love for music was further influenced by Thomas Whitfield, The Winans, Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams and the Clarke Sisters. Accomplished and exuberant vocalists in their own right, Clif is now a sought-after keyboard player. They have also produced their own album, If Only, offering upbeat urban Gospel.
Married in 1998, they have also launched My Truth, a conversational card game for married couples. Marie invented the game after writing subject headings on paper, screwing them up and challenging Clif to share his views on the subjects in question.
‘I was amazed and surprised at some of the insights Clif shared,’ admitted Marie. ‘Even after 17 years of marriage, I really saw his heart on issues more deeply. If this ‘game’ could bring out new insights for us I figured it could do the same for other couples.’
‘Answering the questions really made me dig deep,’ admitted Clif. ‘Marie and I have a strong marriage but this game made it stronger.’
The couple will sing each lunchtime in Cindy’s Bar, a dedicated venue offering entertainment and conversation, hosted by Rev Cindy Kent MBE.
‘CRE is a fantastic place to meet people and discover new ideas and resources,’ said Marie. ‘Seeing so many organisations in one place, focused on strengthening and supporting the church, is truly inspiring. We are honoured to share our music and card game, to help touch and heal hearts and relationships.’
ByCRE
All kinds of everything… for all types of church
Irish singer Dana opened CRE in 1993 (see picture) and, we’re delighted she will do the same again – cutting the tape on an exhibition that offers all kinds of everything for all types of churches.
Dana will be with us for three days, where she will be interviewed by Rev Cindy Kent MBE about her wide-ranging career in music and politics and take part in various special events.
As Ireland’s first winner of the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest, the school girl from Derry became an overnight singing star, with a number one record throughout Europe. Years of recording success followed with chart-topping albums and singles and she hosted her own hit series, A Day Out with Dana (BBC), andWake Up Sunday (BBC).
In the midst of a successful mainstream career, Dana started to speak publicly about her faith. She and husband Damien began writing songs together, including Totus Tuus – inspired by the motto of the Late Pope John Paul II.
In 1987, Dana was invited to lead 86,000 young people in singing Totus Tuus for Pope John Paul II in the New Orleans’s Super Dome. Around this time, she was also invited to sing at three of Dr. Billy Graham’s Crusades, two in the US, and one in London’s Wembley Stadium in the UK.
During the 1990s, she entered the world of politics, securing a nomination to run in the 1997 Irish Presidential election, the first non-political, non-party candidate ever to do so. She campaigned on protecting the Christian family values and life enshrined in the Irish Constitution, and earned a respectable 14 per cent of the votes, beating one of Ireland’s major political parties. In 1999, she was subsequently elected as a Member of the European Parliament, representing Ireland’s Connacht-Ulster constituency from 1999 to 2004.
Dana and her husband Damien have their own new music production company called DS Music Productions. She has remained close to her Irish roots, working tirelessly for peace and Christian family values.
ByCRE
Major Messy Church conference at CRE 2017
Whether you’re a start up or a seasoned campaigner, you’ll find what you’re looking for at a special three-day Messy Church conference at CRE 2017.
This highly-successful initiative, using hands-on activities to explore Bible stories, is church for people who don’t do church – providing a ‘safe’ space to encounter the Christian faith. Messy Churches meet at times (and sometimes places) that suit people who don’t already belong to a fellowship. It’s all age. And it’s fun.
We’re delighted that CRE exhibitor BRF, who resource, support and enable the project, will run three, two-hour conferences on the project, one on each day of CRE 2017, looking at different aspects of the Messy phenomenon.
Tue 17 Oct
11am – Starting and sustaining a Messy Church
To include a discipleship pilot report, demos of one or two discipleship pilots and a chance to try out Messy Science
Wed 18 Oct
11am – Theology from the Mess
A ‘Being Messy, Being Church’ forum with another opportunity to try out Messy Science
Thu 19 Oct
11am – The Big Messy Meet-Up
An update of the latest Messy projects, with particular reference to discipleship and vintage pilots and a final opportunity to try out Messy Science
A full list of speakers will available soon.
ByCRE
Nothing beats sitting on it, wearing it, tasting it…
Offering a host of new ideas and initiatives in a fast-changing world, CRE returns to Sandown Park in the Autumn (17 to 19 October 2017).
‘While we discover products and services online, discerning customers will always want to try before they buy, meet the person behind the product, the man behind the mission,’ said event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘Put simply, nothing beats sitting on it, wearing it, listening to it, tasting it – and comparing it to other options. You can only do all of that, under one roof, at CRE.
‘We are putting together an exhibition which builds on the quality and experience of the past, yet presents fresh ideas, products and suppliers to local church leaders and members.’
Among new features at CRE 2017 are:
Museum of the Bible – an innovative, global, educational feature inviting us to engage with the history, narrative and impact of the Bible
The Compassion Experience – a unique, interactive trailer presenting the lives of two real children living in abject poverty
Messy Church – a conference for everyone connected with this highly-successful initiative, from seasoned campaigners to start ups
A keynote speaker at CRE will be George Verwer, who founded and led Operation Mobilisation for more than 40 years. ‘It’s a great time in history for the Church,’ he said, ‘and I’ll be at CRE to tell visitors what is God doing through the Church, around the world.’
Rev Cindy Kent MBE returns to host Cindy’s Sofa, her popular lunchtime chat show featuring music, drama and a range of special guests. UCB Radio will broadcast live from the show floor.
‘CRE is a place to build and develop important relationships with local church leaders and provide solutions as they reach out to their communities,’ said Andy Moreman, CEO of CPO. ‘We look forward meeting members of hundreds of churches in October.’
To receive regular news updates about CRE 2017, click here.
If you represent an organisation considering a stand at CRE, click here.
ByCRE
Discover a purpose-built slum… in leafy Surrey
A unique, interactive presentation of the lives of two real children living in poverty – that’s the Compassion Experience, a special walk-through feature at the next CRE (Oct 17-19, 2017, Sandown Park, Esher).
‘Thousands of visitors will experience another world without leaving theirs – the daily life of poverty faced by millions,’ said Compassion UK’s Caroline Cameron. ‘Most importantly, the presentation will offer a message of hope for children sponsored through our world-class child development programme.’
The Compassion Experience, currently being made in the USA before being shipped to the UK, will be one of the most ambitious features ever staged at CRE. After three days at Sandown, the Experience will visit churches, schools and other venues across the UK.
‘We have worked closely with Compassion to bring this unique presentation to Sandown Park,’ said Brett Pitchfork, CRE’s event director. ‘We hope many thousands of ordained clergy and lay leaders will see how it can be used in their own localities.’
‘CRE gives us the opportunity to meet hundreds of church leaders and inspire them with the difference they and their churches can make in the lives of children living in poverty,’ said Nick Harris, director of marketing at Compassion UK. ‘That’s why CRE was the first event we booked into our diaries when launching the Compassion Experience.’
To receive regular news updates about CRE 2017, click here.
If you represent an organisation considering a stand at CRE, click here.
ByCRE
From the end of the world to… Esher
Somewhere in the world today you will find George Verwer — a man with the energy of someone half his age — wearing his trademark globe jacket, speaking next to an inflated globe of the world.
One moment he will bound across the stage, making his audience laugh, then without warning, prick their consciences with the need to reach unreached people with the Christian message.
Verwer founded and led Operation Mobilisation for more than 40 years before stepping down in August 2003. He will be a keynote speaker at the next CRE (Oct 17-19 2017).
Today the organisation has two ships and more than 4,000 people working in over 80 nations.
‘It’s a great time in history for the Church,’ said Verwer, ‘and I’ll be at CRE to tell visitors what is God doing through it, around the world.’
To receive regular news updates about CRE 2017, click here.
If you represent an organisation considering a stand at CRE, click here.
ByCRE
CRE now taking stand enquiries
Stand enquires are now invited for CRE 2017 at Sandown Park (17-19 October).
A floorplan is available to view and exhibitors are invited to contact the sales team (see below).
There are tentative plans to take CRE back to regional cities. Since 1985 it has been held in places afar apart as Exeter and Edinburgh, Belfast and Bristol, Manchester and Harrogate.
‘CRE will continue to serve all those who care about the future of the local church and its ministry in the community and world at large,’ said CRE managing director Steve Goddard. ‘Our aim is simple: to offer inspiration and innovation for the whole congregation.’
To discuss your exhibition requirements, please contact one of the sales team.
Contact
Carol Malpass, Sales Manager
carol@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2467
Brett Pitchfork, Event Director
brett@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 6297
Steve Goddard, Managing Director
steve@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2701
David Ramsay, Sales Manager
david@creonline.co.uk
Photo: Cremetti Commercial
ByCRE
CRE goes back to the future
Under new management that looks very familiar, CRE returns to Sandown Park this year (17 to 19 October 2017).
The largest annual exhibition of its kind in Europe, CRE is now owned by Stephen Goddard, its media consultant for more than 25 years.
‘Last May, the Bible Society decided to focus on its core mission of offering the Bible to the world and purposed to find a new home for CRE or close it down,’ said Goddard. ‘Offering a host of new ideas and initiatives in a fast-changing world, CRE is a strategic event in the ecclesiastical calendar. We have therefore pulled together a team with vast experience of running the exhibition successfully.’
CRE’s founder, Gospatric Home, is its new honorary president. Brett Pitchfork returns as event director. All the sales and administrative staff have worked at some time for one or both of CRE’s previous two owners.
‘The first thing we did was to listen to hundreds of exhibitors, the majority of whom wanted CRE to return to Sandown Park, its home for 28 years until 2014,’ said Goddard. ‘They also asked if it could run for three rather than four days. We therefore decided not to take up the dates reserved at ExCeL in May 2017 and instead return to Sandown Park (Oct 17-19, 2017).
‘We are working hard to put together an exhibition which builds on the experience of the past yet will present fresh ideas, products and suppliers to church leaders and members.’
If you would like to exhibit at CRE 2017, please go to the Choose your stand page, or contact one of the team below.
Contact
Carol Malpass, Sales Manager
carol@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2467
Brett Pitchfork, Event Director
brett@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 6297
Steve Goddard, Managing Director
steve@creonline.co.uk
0161 250 2701
David Ramsay, Sales Manager
david@creonline.co.uk
Photo: Georgie R