Worship without the worry: simple, affordable solutions from CCLI
Through a growing number of carefully-selected partnerships, CCLI now offers a whole range of solutions for churches – from worship software to tracks, apps to administration tools.
‘Traditionally, visitors have approached our stand at CRE with questions only about copyright and licensing,’ explained CCLI’s Rich Burrough. ‘But last year marked a significant change, with the introduction of the CCLI Family. A logical next step from copyright licensing has been to empower churches with content that can be used under those licences. Now we want to provide time-saving applications and tools that enhance church services and activities where that content is used. Our DNA is to serve the church and that’s what the CCLI Family is all about.’
First to join was WorshipTools, a small team of software developers who are all involved in worship in their local churches. Central to WorshipTools’ vision is that their applications can be used for free. Having started with Presenter, which is simple, yet fully-featured presentation software, WorshipTools now provides online planning and church database management applications appropriately called Planning and Community, as well as a digital music stand app called Charts.
‘All WorshipTools applications are built with the needs of churches in mind,’ explained Rich, ‘they’re easy to learn and connect seamlessly together, saving time. And, of course, they can all can be used free, forever!’
With the growing adoption of tracks in worship, their next partnership was with Loop Community. Loop provides a range of track solutions, from sophisticated multitracks that can supplement the sound of larger worship teams, to simple Lite tracks, designed for congregations who may not have any musicians available.
‘All tracks are easily customisable, either online, or using Loop’s free Prime App,’ said Rich, ‘making them a more flexible alternative to backing tracks.’
The latest member of the family will be introduced at CRE 2024. Sunday Sounds provides quality patches and templates for keyboards. As sound designers and worship musicians, Sunday Sounds’ team understands the needs and challenges faced by worship keyboard players. As well as their library of sounds and song-specific patches, Sunday Sounds’ solutions include apps, software and hardware to help keys players.
‘Just as CCLI grew out of the need for copyright solutions, the CCLI Family is about providing simple, affordable solutions to the challenges faced by today’s churches,’ said Rich. ‘And not just churches with technical know-how and big budgets. We believe we have solutions for every church, no matter their means.’
And they’re not stopping there!
‘We hope to have something very new and exciting to introduce at CRE 24, which a growing number of our customers have been asking for,’ said Rich. ‘Want to know what it is? Come and meet us in Milton Keynes!’
• CCLI are on stand C42 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Aintree Baptist: scaling the planning application hurdles
Making personal, face-to-face contact with experts in their field is the unique value of CRE – as Rev Geoff Bentley of Aintree Baptist Church, Liverpool found out last year.
He met Mark Newall, director of BCHN Architects, at CRE 23 in Solihull. Their conversation led to the company being invited to plan the remodelling of the Victorian era building.
‘We are now progressing the design towards a planning application via our collaborative design process,’ said Mark. The whole congregation has been involved in the planning process with company experts holding a series of meetings to determine individual church members’ views.
Original thoughts of demolishing the building had been put forward before but these were rejected by the Liverpool planning department. BCHN were asked to remodel the present building, demolish existing extensions and create a new development to include a meeting hall for at least 200 people, various smaller meeting rooms, a reception area, office and foyer café, along with storage areas.
The new plans include redeveloping the present building to two stories, without overlooking adjacent properties, and working out how visitors can park either in the church car park or other nearby areas.
‘It was a long process as we wanted the whole church, neighbours and other stakeholders to be satisfied with the final plans,’ said Mark. ‘We hope to make the planning application in August.’
Based in Shrewsbury, BCHN Architects began life in 1963 as Leonard Baart Associates and has evolved through various changes until becoming BCHN Architects in 2023 following the merger of Baart Harries Newall and Bott Cruise Architects.
‘The collaborative relationship we form with our clients is central to the way we work, with dialogue at the heart of everything we do,’ said Mark.
Pastor Bentley, who took over the leadership of the church in 2017, situated near the historic site of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase, said: ‘We are seeing the closure of many churches and other publicly accessible buildings, but we are growing numerically. We can serve the community in a wider and more effective ways if we have the facilities to support these tasks.’
‘Our job was to provide those facilities and in consultation with the church, that is what has happened,’ said Mark.
• BCHN Architects are on stand F5 at CRE 24
Photo: Members of Aintree Baptist Church consider plans to modernise their church.
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Get some sound advice from CRE first timers
From a single lectern microphone to a full sound system with lighting and screens, MTS Live can meet the needs of your church, however big or small.
‘With dynamic lighting and video wall, we were able to create a fantastic party atmosphere for the 20,000-plus visitors to the Big Church Festival,’ said Keith Forster, who launched MTS Live in 2006. ‘And what we did for that event can be done on a smaller scale to make church services easier to understand.’
Based in Oldham, the company, which will exhibit and provide technical resources to CRE 24 for the first time, is heavily involved in providing sound, lighting, video and staging for major conferences, awards shows, exhibitions, festivals and community events. It also has a busy installation department. Alongside the company’s more commercial work it offers support, both practical and financial, to churches and other Christian organisations. A good example would be their continuing work for The Message Trust.
‘We cover the vast majority of their UK events, everything from a small PA system for a day’s work in school or prison, through to larger conferences and outreach gigs as well as completing extensive installation work at their HQ in Manchester,’ explained Keith.
‘Our in-depth professional knowledge and wide-ranging experience allows us to calmly and flexibly meet the demands of our varied clients.’
When The Ark, Isleham moved the growing church to a green oak building outside the village, MTS Live created a full 3D visualisation of the space so the design could be viewed and changes made before any installation work. The MTS Live experts assisted The Ark’s team with the installation, programming and commissioning of the lighting system.
‘We look forward to talking to church leaders at CRE 24 about any problems they may have with their systems,’ said Keith. ‘It will be our first visit to the exhibition and we know that visitors will find us receptive to any problem or proposal. There is nothing that our skilled team will not be able to solve!’
• MTS Live are on stand P32 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
From pass the plate to tap the app
The brand-new Tap To Give contactless app from iKnow Church is now available, allowing people to donate by simply tapping their bank card or their own phone against the phone with the iKnow giving app installed.
The money is then securely transferred from donor to church bank account.
iKnow Church is one of the first organisations in the UK to develop a contactless app of this kind, beating many secular donation platforms. With a smartphone all that is required, specialist contactless-giving hardware does not need to be purchased. Many contactless solutions charge a subscription but the iKnow app can save the church an additional monthly payment as it is included as part of the iKnow Church package of resources.
Since the soft launch of the app, iKnow has found the average donation to churches using contactless giving is £8.89 with donations given so far starting at just £1 and going up to £100.
‘Before the global pandemic many churches still had a sizable number of donations given through cheques and cash placed in the offering basket,’ explained iKnow’s Kyle Cottington. ‘Situations surrounding Covid-19 quickly pushed giving to online where donations could be made digitally 24/7, through online banking or website forms. For many people, habits have changed following the pandemic and the amount of people who carry cash continues to decrease.’
Andrea Best of New Life Bible Church, said: ‘As a small church, we were pleased to be able to download the iKnow Church app via our mobile phones, which was easy to set up alongside our iKnow software. Having used it at church, everything went smoothly and individuals were very receptive to using it. Thanks for making this facility available!’
‘We’ve received fantastic feedback from churches using the app,’ said Chris Gibson of iKnow Church ‘Many are surprised at just how easy it is to set up and start receiving contactless donations.’
iKnow Church offer administration software developed just for churches to help with administration, pastoral care and finances. Used by churches in different denominations it was also selected as the Church of England Partner for Administration Software.
• iKnow Church will be at stand F1 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
40 up! Open Bible Trust look forward to next chapter
The Open Bible Trust will hold a service of thanksgiving next week to celebrate 40 years in operation (2pm, Sat 13 July, St Stephen’s Church, Upper Basildon, Reading, RG8 8LS).
It was early in 1984 that eight friends, who had met on Christian holidays, shared their concern at the decline in bible study in churches – and lack of accessible resources.
‘There were plenty of good daily reading notes and many excellent deeper commentaries, but there seemed few resources for that intermediate level,’ explained Michael Penny (above), one of the eight. The friends decided to do something about it and the Open Bible Trust was born. In April 1984 the first issue of Search magazine came out, to be followed two months later by the second edition, accompanied by a bible study booklet – a pattern which has continued for 40 years.
Penny was the trust’s first administrator and editor before moving to the USA in 1991 to pastor a church, where he set up a sister organisation to work with the OBT. He returned to the UK in 1999 and in 2007 took up the reigns of administrator and editor once again.
‘It has been a great 40 years,’ he said, ‘and we have so much to thank the Lord for. St Stephen’s is a lovely church set in the countryside of West Berkshire, an area of outstanding natural beauty, and there is plenty of parking. Everyone is welcome.’
Michael pointed out that, as well as publishing the bi-monthly magazine and booklets, there have also been extra booklets and books – so much so that the trust now has more than 400 publications, all available in print and as eBooks.
‘Thanks to companies like Amazon and Apple, these are available is many countries of the world,’ he added.
From bible studies on videos and then DVDs, OBT now produce material on YouTube, with more than 320 videos currently available. Studies once on cassettes and then CDs are now on the OBT podcast channel.
‘One of our best series is six podcasts on Exploring Ecclesiastes,’ said Penny. ‘An Old Testament book so relevant to the affluent 21st century!’
What of the next 40 years?
‘Only the Lord knows,’ said Penny. ‘I won’t be around for all of it!’
• The Open Bible Trust are on stand A21 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Let your phone be your guide
Visitors to two churches in Oxfordshire can now benefit from a digital guide to the buildings and ministries.
The first Info Point system installed in the diocese is at St Mary the Virgin in Great Milton. A tour of the building can be streamed on a mobile phone and includes details of the recently restored and significant 17th century Dormer Monument and an unusual church organ in the vicar’s stall.
Great Milton’s neighbouring church, St Peter’s in Great Haseley, Oxfordshire, loved the idea and held a launch event in April to reveal their interactive, 10-stop church tour.
Simon Cronk, Rector of Great Milton, Little Milton and Great Haseley, said: ‘Our Info Point is just the first step in our church eventually getting more in tune with the expectations of the 21st century. We already have an excellent guide book but we can now compare favourably with some of the country’s well-visited places for innovative interpretation. This will be appreciated by the local residents as well as our visitors.’
St Michael’s and All Angels Church in Kingsland will be the third Herefordshire church to install an Info Point (with a further three more to follow later this year). The Info Point includes a church tour with behind the scene videos of bellringers and the organist, plus a fun children’s trail with quizzes, puzzles and a word search.
Dan Boys, MD of Derbyshire-based Info Point, said that the system is the ideal way for a church to help people understand important features of a church as well as providing fun activities for children – all of which do not require the church to have personnel on duty. There is also a solar-powered version available.
• Info Point are on stand P18 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
CRE 2024: Print a poster for your church
It’s never too early to tell friends at your church that CRE is coming to Milton Keynes (9-10 Oct 2024) for the first time – so we’ve created a printable A4 poster you can download and put up on your church noticeboard.
‘While thousands of people on our mailing list have been to several exhibitions, there are many more, in hundreds of churches within a short drive of the Marshall Arena, who have never even heard of us!’ said CRE owner and MD Steve Goddard. ‘There is nothing like a colourful poster to pique their interest.’
We invite you to download the poster using the link below and print it out for your church noticeboard. If you are going to the exhibition by car and are happy to give someone a lift, please add your name and contact details in the space provided.
We are grateful for your help in promoting CRE 24 and look forward to seeing you in October.
‘Best preacher’ leads way in reaching Muslim world
Dr Michael Youssef (above) is doing more to reach the Islamic world today than any man on the planet.
A big claim – but one made by internationally-respected teacher and pastor RT Kendall.
Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, Youssef’s The Kingdom Satchannel is reaching 22 countries in the Arabic-speaking world with coverage accessible in 260 million+ homes worldwide. One in every two listeners is Muslim.
‘We have 2000 enquiries per month!’ said Andrew Hawkins, UK/Europe director of CRE 24 exhibitor Leading the Way, whose field teams on the ground follow up seekers and disciple new believers.
‘Michael is the best preacher on TV today, I recommend him without reservation,’ continued Kendall. ‘I urge you to support this ministry.’
Some 200,000 of the organisation’s Navigator solar-powered pocket devices (above) have been distributed around the world, accessing countries where Bibles and missionaries cannot go. Containing the New Testament and 150 Bible teachings by Dr Youssef, they are available in 28 different languages. Some churches in the UK are using them to reach asylum seekers and refugees.
In 2023 Dr Youssef preached at evangelistic celebrations in Dublin and Belfast, by invitation of local churches. Many attendees made Christian commitments before, during and after the events. In April, Dr Youssef preached in Veracruz, Mexico and this month in Springfield Massachusetts, with discussions underway in Scotland for future events.
• Leading the Way will be on stand P40 at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
The tabloid that’s tried and tested at bringing good news
More than 74,000 copies of the UK’s most popular evangelistic newspaper, Good News, were distributed over Easter – meaning that at least 150,000 people had the chance to read about Jesus with each copy likely to be seen by at least two people, probably three.
Used by evangelical churches of all denominations across the country, plus individual Christians and missions, the full-colour, tabloid-style paper has caught the imagination of those who want to share the Gospel with their neighbours.
Good News, available at CRE 24, features the testimonies of both well-known and ‘ordinary’ Christians – showing how God transforms lives, as well as stories highlighting the positive work of churches and Christian charities.
Run by a small team of dedicated Christians as a registered charity, Good News started in 2001 and has been edited by Andrew Halloway since 2007.
Andrew says: ‘Good News distribution is a tried and tested method of enthusing congregations about evangelism and engaging them in reaching people in their area. From the regular flow of commitments to Christ we see from the decision coupons returned to us, plus the anecdotes from churches who see how effectively Good News provides opportunities for evangelistic conversations, we know it works.
‘We give the glory to God for that, as we support churches in their task to reach the unchurched.’
Carl Carmody, head of Challenge evangelistic newspapers worldwide, believes churches need to re-envision their people to reach their friends and neighbours.
‘If you are not using a give-away newspaper like Good News to reach your community, how are you doing it?’ said Carl. ‘How else are you going to energise the whole church to join in personal evangelism?
‘Good News is a simple way to begin talking to people behind closed doors, and to graciously sow a seed into a home and a heart.’
• Good News will be at CRE 24
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk
Six million reasons for new dyslexia-friendly Bible
For the first time ever, the whole Bible has been made available in a dyslexia-friendly format.
The Bible Society initiative began in 2015 with the book of Psalms and the Gospel of Mark. It’s now been completed with the publication of Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua.
People with dyslexia can struggle to read and write easily because they don’t deal well with text on a page. Around six million people in the UK – one in 10 of the population – are thought to have the condition to some degree or another. Reading the scriptures can be particularly challenging as bibles are often produced on thin paper in densely-printed type.
The books in the dyslexia-friendly format are laid out like novels rather than in traditional columns and use shorter paragraphs. The larger, sans serif typeface with more space between the lines helps to reduce visual clutter. The books use thick paper so words don’t show through from the next page and a matt, rather than glossy finish minimises light reflection. Because the dyslexia-friendly series is published in shorter volumes, readers find it easier to navigate them instead of having to find their way through a thick bible.
Clair Natt (seen above), who has dyslexia, said: ‘I struggled reading the Bible because the words are so small and the pages are really thin. I found it really difficult to read; it’s just too complicated for me to comprehend and understand.’
Reading Scripture in the Good News Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly edition, has transformed her experience.
‘It’s more spaced out, the words are bigger and it’s just easier to read,’ she said.
Bible Society’s publishing director Derek Hill said: ‘We want to make the Bible available and accessible to everyone who needs it. We’ve committed resources to this project because it will benefit many people who will be able to discover its treasures for themselves.
‘People can collect the different books as individuals, or churches might decide to invest in a set. This is a significant achievement and we’re delighted to reach this accessibility milestone.’
The Dyslexia-Friendly range will be available at CRE 24
• The Bible Society are at CRE 24
Photo: Clair Natt with the new Good News Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly edition.
CRE 2025
Book your ticket to CRE 25!
To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk