Pursuing a dream and changing a life
‘Your “student” has done better than she ever imagined possible,’ read the message. ‘We have obtained funding from seven out of 12 applications!’
They are words which blessed Sean Tully, a trusts and foundations specialist with more than 20 years’ experience in grant-making and trust fundraising. Sean now works for CRE exhibitor and sponsor Action Planning, a specialist consultancy for charities and other non-profit organisations.
‘It was a simple piece of work but had a profound personal effect on the volunteer, who prefers to remain anonymous,’ said Sean. ‘It’s always good to hear our support is bearing fruit for an organisation but the message went on to reveal a valuable personal benefit, too.’
The message continued: ‘The whole process caused me stress and angst. As a newbie to the village in which I live, what would it be like if I achieved nothing for the community? I realised there are things I can put my heart and soul into that can turn into something special from a starting point of nothing. In this respect the process has been life changing – thanks to your experienced counselling. So this is a very personal thank you for helping me through the process and for challenging what I was doing, to make it more relevant. We are now obtaining tenders for our project and the whole village is excited about the prospect of a new space for community to flourish.’
Action Planning’s work with churches ranges from very simple challenges like this, to complex challenges such as the successful bid compiled for the Diocese of Oxford in which a £2m grant was won from the Church of England Strategic Development Fund.
‘This client testimony came as a welcome reminder never to underestimate the impact we can have on the people we work with, regardless of the size of the prize,’ reflected Sean.
The thank-you letter concluded: ‘Bid writing is a lonely job and one which I had not tackled before but only by doing the job does one discovers what is involved. I am now thinking about what else I could tackle that I never thought I could do – singing is one of my thoughts!’
Sean commented: ‘Singing tuition in not among the many services we offer at Action Planning, but if our support inspires our clients to sing as well, we’re very happy with that!’
• Action Planning will be on stand B15 at CRE Midlands 2023
Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3
Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)
Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
Let auto-reporting ease your copyright burden
A new system which automatically reports which hymns and songs have been used during a church service has been well received by churches throughout the UK.
‘Auto-reporting removes one of the biggest pain-points facing our licence holders,’ said Rich Burrough of CRE Midlands exhibitors CCLI. ‘We rely on reports from our customers so that royalties can be fairly and accurately distributed to song owners. But we know that it can be a burden and we have long wanted to make it easier to do.’
For the past few years, all reporting has had to be done manually online with churches encouraged to report weekly following their Sunday services.
‘We’re indebted to the many churches who report,’ continued Rich. ‘In the UK, the accuracy (and therefore integrity) of our pay outs is admired by mainstream copyright organisations, some of whom we work in partnership with. But, while most of the time it’s a fairly straightforward process, with a repertoire of 600,000 authorised songs, finding the correct version of a song can sometimes be a time-consuming process. With more than 24,000 UK churches registered with CCLI, plus a similar number of schools and Christian organisations, it’s so important that we get this right, so we’re really pleased to be introducing a better way.’
Now, with Auto-reporting, churches can connect a growing list of participating presentation and planning tools to CCLI’s reporting website – and their reports will be done for them! Auto-reporting is now available through ProPresenter, EasyWorship, MediaShout, Proclaim, OnSong, ChurchTools, SongBeamer, Loop Community’s Prime multitracks app and three free WorshipTools applications – Presenter, Planning and Music Stand. Other popular applications are coming soon.
How you enable Auto-reporting depends on the application you use but is typically as easy as ticking a box within your worship software. Then, as long as the songs in your setlists and service plans include the CCLI song number, they’ll be reported automatically. The best and easiest way to ensure the song number is always present and correct is to use CCLI’s SongSelect to pull in lyrics. Lyrics on SongSelect are now available free to all CCLI Church Copyright Licence holders.
‘Thousands of churches have already enabled Auto-reporting,’ says Rich, who will be at CRE Midlands 2023. ‘I’m looking forward to showing CRE visitors how easy it is, and helping more and more to get started.’
• CCLI are on stand D29 at CRE Midlands 2023
Book your ticket for CRE Midlands 2023 here from as little as £3
Organisations looking to book a stand should contact James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk) or Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk)
Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
Twin your turnips and bless a family
Twin your garden and plant hope for a family in rural Kenya.
That’s the suggestion from Ripple Effect, a charity that works alongside farmers in six countries in East Africa, helping them learn more, grow more and sell more.
‘If you are proud of your garden, whether it is large or small or even a simple patio, you might like to twin it with a family in Migori, Kenya,’ said Ann Hatton, Ripple Effect’s church development executive. ‘By doing so, you will plant hope for a family, so they can grow more food in their own gardens.’
Ripple Effect started in 1998, under the title Send a Cow. Christian farmers answered an appeal from the Bishop of Uganda, with families desperately short of milk after a long civil war. But from that humble beginning the project blossomed, enabling African families to learn how to create productive allotments on small plots of land – to produce food to feed the family and provide enough to sell for other necessities.
‘We are a farming expertise charity, training women how to improve the quality of land they farm,’ said Ann. ‘We also offer talks on health and safety, as well as social development – and in more recent times, Covid-19.’
Ripple Effect, exhibitors at CRE Midlands 2023, are now asking UK Christians to twin their gardens to plant hope for a family in Migori, Kenya. A £60 donation provides three years training in sustainable organic farming, beginning with a small kitchen garden which the families are encouraged to set up and use as a small business which can also provide for others.
‘Not only that, but the families helped are encouraged to share what they have learned with neighbours and communities, creating a ripple effect across rural Africa,’ explained Ann.
‘Families learn to build productive farms and adapt to the effects of the climate crisis. Women and people with different needs and abilities get a greater voice and influence in their communities. Farmers learn enterprise skills and become resilient entrepreneurs, in charge of their own futures.’
She pointed out that UK donors not only gets the pleasure of knowing they are giving a new start to a family in a rural district of Kenya, but also receive a sustainable wooden plaque to mount in their own garden, a vegetable growing guide from no-dig expert Charles Dowding, and wildflower seeds to give a colourful annual reminder of the help they have given to others. In the same way, churches with gardens can twin them and display the plaque to those who visit.
• Ripple Effect are on stand F7 at CRE Midlands
Organisations looking to book a stand at CRE Midlands 23 should contact Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk) or James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk).
Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
Visitor registration for CRE Midlands 23 will begin in the Spring
Facing the facts: booklet dispels popular myths about Jesus
An evangelistic booklet called ‘Jesus Unmasked: Fact-Checking the World’s Greatest Influencer’ is already into its second print run.
Written by Andrew Halloway, editor of national evangelistic newspaper Good News, the booklet was only published last year but sold out within six months. Specifically designed for churches and individuals to give away to non-Christians, Jesus Unmasked tackles the effects of a recent survey which shows that only 54 per cent of the UK population are sure that Jesus was a real human being. Those who believe Jesus is a mythical or fictional character has risen from 22 per cent to 28 per cent. Only 49 per cent of those aged 18-24 believe in the historicity of Jesus.
‘There’s always a need to share the good news about Jesus in a way that is contemporary, fresh and relevant,’ said Andrew, ‘so this booklet is written in today’s language and illustrated throughout. We live in a society where most people know very little about Jesus. What they do know is often inaccurate because of the untruths that are pushed around by atheists on the internet. Yet, as the Talking Jesus survey showed, one in three non-Christians want to know more about Jesus Christ. I’ve written the booklet to counter false impressions that many have innocently taken on board.’
Step-by-step, the booklet tackles arguments about the Bible being written long after Jesus lived (and inaccurate) or written by a biased Church. It shows there is plenty of historical evidence to back up the Gospel accounts. Jesus Unmasked also shows why Jesus’ life and teaching, and ultimately resurrection, form a strong argument that he is the son of God. At the end the reader is challenged to consider Jesus and discover a relationship with him for themselves.
Jesus Unmasked can be read in full here and costs £1 for one copy or 80p each if ordered in a pack of 5 or 20, plus p&p. Email: goodnewsoffice7@gmail.com to order.
With more than 30 years in Christian publishing behind him, Andrew will be at CRE Midlands in November to talk about the booklet and his monthly publication, the Good News newspaper, which offers a selection of easy-to-read articles with testimonies and helpful material for non-Christians. Thousands of copies are given away in door-to-door ministries and in personal evangelism.
• The Good News newspaper is on stand C15 at CRE Midlands 2023
Organisations looking to book a stand at CRE Midlands 23 should contact Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk) or James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk).
Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
Visitor registration for CRE Midlands 23 will begin in the Spring
Church of the Ascension rises from the ashes
A church in Greater Manchester has been spectacularly rebuilt following a devastating fire six years ago.
The blaze, which destroyed the roof and much of the interior of The Church of the Ascension in Lower Broughton, took dozens of firefighters with six fire engines to extinguish. Gas pipes melted with the subsequent ignition causing additional damage. The roof of the building collapsed and the interior was destroyed.
The £5m restoration of the Grade II-listed church in Salford has involved many partners including specialist insurer and CRE Midlands exhibitor Ecclesiastical – along with local architects, contractors, engineers and project managers overseen by the Diocesan Advisory Committee.
Damage to the 149-year-old church, designed by eminent Manchester architect James Medland Taylor, occurred after the community had spent three years fundraising and securing grants totalling £250,000 to go towards a renovation.
Jeremy Trott, claims director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see the church restored to its former glory and to bring the community back through its doors. As a specialist insurer set up more than 135 years ago, we have a huge amount of expertise in working with churches. We understand the complex nature of a restoration of this scale. I’d like to thank the teams who worked on the project and the church community for their support.’
Fr Falak Sher, priest in charge, took over two years ago and was delighted when the church was officially reopened in November last year.
‘Broughton is a poor area and the church is surrounded by blocks of flats which have recently been built so the church is a witness to the new community of all nationalities,’ he said. ‘In the past few months I have conducted six weddings, 15 baptisms and three funerals, so it is already being well used. The reconstruction means that, while the exterior looks similar to the past, the interior is completely suitable for community work – a mixture of old and new which presents a lovely welcome atmosphere.’
To mark the six-year anniversary of the devastating fire at the Grade-II listed church, the team at Ecclesiastical Insurance have created a case study which showcases just how much adversity the church overcame to restore the beautiful building.
• Ecclesiastical are on stand P29 at CRE Midlands 23
Organisations looking to book a stand at CRE Midlands 23 should contact Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk) or James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk).
Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
Visitor registration for CRE Midlands 23 will begin in the Spring
Bursting with good news, CRE is expanding!
Strong demand for stands at this year’s Christian Resources Exhibition has encouraged the event’s organisers to expand the exhibition floor area.
CRE Midlands will take place at Cranmore Park, Solihull, near Birmingham on 8-9 November 2023.
‘With several organisations booking space every week, we can now offer positions in the venue’s Diamond Suite,’ said CRE event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘This will enable us to run Mission on the Map, where a number of agencies will come together to focus on mission opportunities and resources, at home and abroad.’
Securing the Diamond Suite also means the event’s talks and arts programme will be increased with a third presentation area in the body of the hall.
‘We are grateful to our loyal exhibitors for supporting us through Covid and beyond,’ said Brett. ‘It is also encouraging to see several new organisations taking the opportunity of reaching key local church leaders throughout the Midlands and beyond.
’The venue is conveniently located in a major conurbation, near the motorway network. At similar centres nearby, parking can prove prohibitively expensive for exhibitor and visitor alike – but Cranmore Park has free parking for hundreds of vehicles.
‘Although there are more than eight months to go until the doors open, any organisation considering exhibiting should contact the sales team as soon as possible.’
Rev Mike Royal, general secretary at Churches Together in England, said: ‘I’m delighted CRE is coming to Birmingham. It provides a unique opportunity for church and charity leaders to engage with the widest network of Christian organisations seeking to make a difference at home and aboard. I am looking forward to seeing many people there!’
Organisations looking to book a stand should contact Carol Malpass 0161 250 2467 (E: carol@creonline.co.uk) or James Batterbee 0161 250 2306 (E: james@creonline.co.uk).
• Click to view the latest floorplan and price list for available stands
• Visitor registration will begin in the Spring
ByCRE
CRE National 2022: three days where practical met creative
Local church leaders and members made the most of the last scheduled CRE at Sandown Park, Surrey (Oct 11-13), writes David Giles.
Visitors were treated to a medley of music from Two Lads and a Laptop as they awaited the opening ceremony, undertaken by Christian comedian Tim Vine (pictured above), using typically over-sized scissors to cut the ribbon. After the formalities, Vine was interviewed in the event’s arts café by Sorted magazine’s Steve Legg. Amid much wit and one-liners, the punmeister spoke of the importance of faith, family and the joy of simply having fun.
That fun was evident in a number of CRE’s stands aiming to equip Christians with tools and resources to share their faith with others in innovative ways. Vine was presented with a pair of not-quite-eponymous ‘I am the Vine’ socks at the Holy Socks stall – part of a large range of clothing sporting a subtle (or less subtle!) gospel message. Also on offer: evangelistic golf balls!
In one of the thought-provoking seminar strands, ‘Lifting the Lid’, Alan Charter (pictured below) of Global Children’s Forum and Children Matter, explored child spirituality and invited more than 80 attendees how best to serve the needs of younger churchgoers. Using a variety of techniques, the sessions focused on children and young people referred to in the Bible and provided a wealth of practical advice on enabling youngsters to find and grow in their Christian faith.
Charter shared his view that ‘children are, perhaps, more able – and have a less world-impacted radar – to tune into God’s voice than sometimes we adults do, so maybe we need to flip it and learn a little from them as well.’
‘We are innately spiritual beings,’ he continued, ‘so how do we nurture a child’s spirituality as well as our own? Let’s give every opportunity for children to encounter God in any and every way that they can.’
One of the attendees, Pauline Joyce – youth and children’s worker at St Mary’s, Speldhurst – found these sessions enormously encouraging. ‘We are doing better than we thought we are!’, she exclaimed, finding the content to be highly relevant to her congregation near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. ‘And being CRE, we’ve also come away with lots of useful resources.’
Contemporary topics from racial justice (Revd Dr Chigor Chike, Archbishop of Canterbury’s Racial Justice Commission) to the climate change emergency (Revd Dr Darrell D. Hannah, Operation Noah) were also covered in the 70-strong talks programme.
More than 160 exhibitors addressed issues as diverse as church insurance and creation care, vestments and Veggie Tales. Combined with the programme of talks and opportunities for prayer and worship, the event truly had something for all the church family.
Leigh Ides (pictured below), representing exhibitor Trinitas Church Insurance Services, explained the value of CRE: ‘Insurance is a people industry. And so is the church. For us, selling a non-tangible product, one of the real benefits of CRE is meeting people face-to-face. It helps us to explain who we are and what we do, to an engaged audience. Even if it’s not the church treasurer in attendance, the ability to offer visitors an information pack and ask them to pass it on in person is powerful. It’s about exchanging information. We get asked a lot of questions!’
Rounding off Mission Worship Wednesday in the venue’s Arts Café, Christian music executive Les Moir chaired a panel discussion with worship leaders Lou and Nathan Fellingham, Noel Robinson, Philippa Hannah and artist Helen Yousaf. He reflected on the differences between music produced for professional albums and music ministry in churches where the same level of ability and resourcing may not be available.
The producer of Graham Kendrick’s Shine Jesus Shine, Moir observed that ‘what’s important is “heart song” – that the song is in your heart. When we look at John 4, people worship God in spirit and truth. Let’s be real. Let’s be real in our worship. When we read the Psalms, we find that they are very real. We should just be honest in our worship – not pretending or putting on behaviour. And let’s not confine worship to the four walls of the church – let’s worship in the public space.’
It was a theme echoed by Helen Yousaf, champion of using visual arts in the church, who spent the middle day of CRE painting a number of bespoke pieces based on words or descriptions she felt the Holy Spirit giving her. ‘I feel like creatives are the postmen and postwomen of Jesus,’ said Yousaf. ‘When you put paint in front of children, they’re not going to sit there and decide if they’re artists or not. They’ll just pick it up and paint. I think that if we can just put more options in front of people to worship – no matter what they are – that will be beautiful as we become childlike in our worship again.’
CRE attendee Ginny Milns, a member of the worship team at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Four Marks, Hampshire, agreed. ‘What inspired me? The creative and artistic options, definitely. I can be quite creative not just musically but through crafts, and CRE has inspired me to develop that part of my identity. I hope my creative expression in serving God can flourish.’
The next Christian Resources Exhibition will be held at Cranmore Park, Birmingham 8-9 November 2023 (pictured).
‘We are not abandoning the south east for good!’ said CRE owner Steve Goddard. ‘However, there are many other cities sending us a “Macedonian call” – come over and help us! We begin in Birmingham in November 2023.’
• For stand enquiries at CRE Midlands 2023 (8/9 Nov 2023) please contact our sales team:
Carol Malpass: 0161 250 2467 or carol@creonline.co.uk
James Batterbee: 0161 250 2306 or james@creonline.co.uk
• Click here for the official CRE Midlands 2023 brochure, floor plan and price list
After Liverpool disappointment, encouraging lift off for CRE Midlands 2023
Following Liverpool’s winning bid for Eurovision 2023, the hall booked for CRE North 2023 (3-4 May) was requisitioned by Liverpool City Council for the contest.
As a result, the next exhibition will be CRE Midlands, held at Cranmore Park, Birmingham 8-9 Nov 2023.
‘We hope to return to the north west but cannot say when,’ said CRE owner Steve Goddard.
Even before news broke of Liverpool’s bid for Eurovision 2023, CRE Midlands had been confirmed in the autumn slot usually reserved for CRE National at Sandown Park.
‘Our exhibitors want us to take the exhibition to new venues where they can make fresh contacts,’ said Steve. ‘We’re delighted to respond with the first-ever CRE at Cranmore Park, a friendly, relaxed venue, conveniently located near the motorway network in the heart of England.
‘At other nearby centres parking can prove prohibitively expensive for exhibitor and visitor alike – but Cranmore Park has space for hundreds of vehicles. And it’s free!’
CRE’s last visit to the Midlands, in March 2020, coincided with the onset of Covid-19.
‘We’re returning in double-quick time to make sure churches throughout Greater Birmingham and beyond benefit from the goods and services offered by an expected 140 organisations on the exhibition floor,’ said Steve.
Response has been overwhelmingly positive with more than 50 per cent of space sold or reserved within two weeks.
‘This is well beyond expectations and while it doesn’t make up for the disappointment of losing a much-anticipated exhibition in Liverpool, we are heartened by the commitment of our valued exhibitors,’ said Steve.
• For stand enquiries at CRE Midlands 2023 (8/9 Nov 2023) please contact our sales team:
Carol Malpass: 0161 250 2467 or carol@creonline.co.uk
James Batterbee: 0161 250 2306 or james@creonline.co.uk
• Click here for the official CRE Midlands 2023 brochure, floor plan and price list
‘Like words from heaven’: listed church rejoices at sound advice
A churchwarden in Gloucestershire has invented a new game – spot the loudspeakers.
‘When visitors come into our building I challenge them to see if they can see where we’ve located them,’ said Nigel Robbins of the Church of St John Baptist, Cirencester and former mayor of the town. ‘When they give up, I smile and say: “From heaven!”’
It follows a massive overhaul of the sound system by CRE National exhibitors Novum AV. St John Baptist is a Grade 1 listed building which includes architectural styles from the 12th century. Novum used special look-alike material for the loudspeakers – successfully camouflaging them from the impressive surroundings of what is one of the largest parish churches in England.
In fact, the company removed a dozen boxed speakers from the medieval limestone columns in the church and more than 300 metres of unsightly cabling before installing the tall, slim, speakers, designed to blend into the environment – each one colour-matched and positioned discretely. The speakers improve building architecture and aesthetics.
‘The specialist system we used means that sound waves are digitally steered direct to the congregation, focussing on the listening area and directing sound away from hard, reflective surfaces,’ said Tim Jacques, the head of Novum AV. ‘This avoids the problem of reverberation in large buildings – particularly with a lot of stonework. The high controlled coverage also means that the words spoken can be much more intelligible.’
By designing a system with a small number of specialised loudspeakers, the budget was directed towards buying high quality units. Providing extra speakers would have involved more installation labour and other materials.
‘We had been bedevilled by a sound system for the spoken voice which frequently let us down,’ said Nigel Robbins. ‘The new speakers perform magnificently, the human voice suffering no distortion through dispersion such as reverberation. The softest sound comes through clearly from over 70 yards away. Hard-of hearing people declare they no longer require the old loop system!’
The new speakers actually enhance the appearance of the atmospheric church, making it easier to lease the space to local organisations – both a community benefit and a commercial opportunity for the church.
• Novum will be on stand T12 at CRE National 2022
Photos: Hiding in plain sight: the new sound system at the Church of St John the Baptist, Cirencester
Our next exhibition
CRE Midlands 2023
8-9 November 2023
Cranmore Park, Birmingham
Calendar is window of opportunity to share Christmas story
A slap-up festive dinner is deemed by the general public as the best-loved tradition at Christmas, while attending a carol service or going to church on Christmas Day don’t even make the Top 20, according to recent surveys.*
‘It goes to show how getting an advent calendar, rated in 10th position, becomes an important opportunity to share the Christmas story,’ said David Marshall, founder of the Meaningful Chocolate Company. It is estimated more than 16 million advent calendars are sold in the UK each year. Well over half (61 per cent) of all UK adults buy one and four out of five contain chocolate.
‘Advert calendars stay around for the whole of the Christmas period,’ said David. ‘Back in 2013 I came up with the idea of a calendar which was Fairtrade, included a 24-page story book with a line of the Christmas story behind each window. For 24 days families could share and get to know the Christmas story. This new research shows that advent calendars are a great opportunity to do this.’
You can watch how the Real Advent Calendar is made on a short video here. Each calendar costs £4.50 and will be available on the KCLCT bookshop (stand W3) at CRE National (11-13 Oct 2022).
Britain’s favourite Christmas traditions
1. Christmas dinner
2. Giving and receiving presents
3. Putting the Christmas tree up
4. Eating with all the family on Christmas Day
5. Putting up Christmas decorations
6. Watching traditional Christmas films
7. Eating Turkey on Christmas Day
8. Listening to Christmas songs on the radio
9. Sending Christmas cards
10. Getting an advent calendar
11. Eating Turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day
12. Wearing Christmas jumpers
13. Going out for a Christmas meal with friends
14. Watching the monarch’s speech
15. Getting dressed up on Christmas Day
16. Hanging a wreath
17. Putting a mince pie and glass out for Santa, and carrots for Santa’s reindeer
18. Drinking Bucks Fizz on Christmas morning
19. Lounging around in your Christmas pyjamas
20. Going to a pantomime
* Survey carried out by 72 Point between 19/11/21 – 23/11/21 on behalf of Save the Children UK. Representative sample of 2,000 UK adults who celebrate Christmas.
** YouGov Results – Advent Calendars, Sample size: 2,024 UK adults, Fieldwork: 6th – 8Th November 2019
Our next exhibition
CRE Midlands 2023
8-9 November 2023
Cranmore Park, Birmingham