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ByDave Hall

Bell on song for CRE return

When asked to create a rainbow ark stole, Yvonne Bell was told a triceratops had to be included.

Yvonne, from Deanshanger, Northamptonshire, phoned the vicar when the stole was finished, asking if she could deliver it the next day. He agreed – providing it was after 4pm when his six-year-old son, who had insisted on the inclusion of the herbivorous dinosaur with a massive head and two large horns, would be home from school to give it the OK!

Exhibiting at this year’s CRE National for the first time in some two decades, Yvonne specialises in silk painting for vestments, icons on wood and acrylic on canvas. A Christian herself, she produces hangings for churches, altar frontals, pulpit and lectern falls and banners. Vestment ranges include chasubles and stoles for priests and copes and mitres for bishops.

Her original painted silk artwork is stretched over canvas or framed and canvas prints of her work have proved particularly popular. Commissions include designs for book covers and backcloths for conferences – ‘For just such a time as this’ is 14 ft high by 9 ft wide. A series of backcloths for Birmingham Cathedral, and a stole featuring an abstract of spaghetti junction, were part of her display at CRE in 1998.

Artwork often crosses over from paintings to vestments, as in ‘Given for you’ a set featuring a painting, stole and chasuble. The hands of God the Father are shown in rainbow colours as a reminder of the flood and covenant represented by the rainbow.

Yvonne began producing beautiful clerical items after returning to the UK from the United Arab Emirates. She was unable to get a job in her profession, operating electroencephalograms! A lover of art, she went to college and it led to a change of career and a switch to the C of E from the United Reformed Church.

‘That was fortunate,’ she explained, ‘because the URC do not wear clerical clothing of this kind!’

• Yvonne Bell is on stand R6 at CRE National 2022

Main picture: Yeshua’s Promise

Book your tickets to CRE National 2022 for as little as £3 (£8 on the door)

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ByDave Hall

Primark and the Passion: Saltmine bring Easter to Norwich high streets

More than 1,400 local shoppers forsook the city centre high street and went to church over Easter – to see the final resurrection scene in a dramatic passion play.

The 80-minute contemporary performance was put on in various sites in Norwich by CRE National 2022 exhibitor Saltmine Theatre Company who partnered with Celebrate Norwich and Norfolk on Easter Saturday.

‘Not many people see what happens inside church but this was outside for everyone to see and experience. I enjoyed it,’ one shopper told the local evening newspaper.

Norwich-born Freddy Goyner was back in his home city to take the lead role.

‘It’s a big responsibility to play Jesus and bring a bit of what I know and believe the Son of God to be,’ he said.

The cast included 12 professional actors from Saltmine Theatre and about 40 actors, singers, and musicians from various local churches. The action took place twice in different locations, concluding with the resurrection in St Peter Mancroft Church. It had to be performed three times to accommodate all those wanting to see it.

Saltmine are available to perform at churches, schools, theatres and festivals with custom-designed sketches, national productions, issue-based theatre and workshops, or a range of programmes suitable for all kinds of settings and occasions. The Dudley-based theatre company has been reaching people with the gospel for more than 40 years using the creative arts.

‘We aim to reach all ages, teaching people about real life issues and inspiring faith, hope and love,’ said Rachael Orrell, Saltmine’s chief executive officer. ‘As we cautiously and gratefully celebrate surviving the covid-19 pandemic, our work will continue to evolve and diversify.’  

The company will perform samples of their work at Sandown Park in October.

• Saltmine Theatre will be on stand R1 at CRE National 2022

Book your tickets to CRE National 2022 for as little as £3 (£8 on the door)

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ByDave Hall

Homeless people grateful for any pod in a storm

Towns as far apart as Barnstaple and Sheffield are among the first to use a unique resource to help homeless people.

Amazing Grace Spaces, exhibitors at CRE National 2022, are creators of the emergency pod containing a bed, chemical toilet and a USB socket for charging a mobile phone – providing accommodation for the user until a permanent home can be found. The Salvation Army, who run two Lifehouses for homeless people in Sheffield, have also installed two pods as part of a pilot scheme to provide temporary support. And in two months they proved their worth.

Andy Parkinson, manager of the Lifehouses said: ‘The pods are aimed at people who are not quite ready to come off the streets. They may have more complex needs such as mental health issues, offending history or addiction, which means they are not as well suited to a communal environment.

‘The pods provide a warm and safe place to sleep while The Salvation Army and local council tackle some of the reasons why the occupiers have become homeless. In two months we have seen a real difference in the two clients placed in them.’

In Barnstable, four newly-created demountable pods, which can be erected outside or inside a building, have been installed thanks to funding from North Devon Council and Freedom Community Alliance. They will provide safe overnight accommodation for four rough sleepers at any one time.

Councillor Nicola Topham, lead member for housing on the North Devon Council, said: ‘The pods offer a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable members of our community while the Enhanced Outreach team continues to work with each person to get them the help they need, long term.’

Stuart Johnson, from Llanwern, Newport, started Amazing Grace Spaces with his wife Caroline in 2015, after some years working with various charities to help the homeless. He is keen to find churches prepared to donate a car parking space on which to locate a pod.

‘The pods are not the final answer, but while someone is waiting for permanent accommodation, they are safe from bullying or injury or losing the few possessions they may have,’ he said. ‘They also give members of a church the opportunity to minister to them in a loving and caring manner.’

• Amazing Grace Spaces are on stand B4 at CRE National 2022

Book your tickets to CRE National 2022 for as little as £3 (£8 on the door)

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ByDave Hall

Laura’s lessons for traumatised teens

Laura Newall’s course on self-esteem in girls and boys was hot off the press when she opened for business in February – but this brand-new resource touched a nerve-end with visitors at CRE South West.

Exeter-based Laura (pictured far left), was ‘absolutely bowled over by the large number of connections I made at the exhibition and the encouragement I got from so many people.’

In 2014 she went out to Uganda to teach girls and women how to recognise their abilities and self-worth. A life-changing experience, it inspired her to do something similar in the UK.

‘I had been trained as a primary school teacher and my dissertation was on self-esteem in children, so there was already something to go on,’ she explained. Her course for girls and women went down well so she produced a similar course for boys – ‘I have two sons and a daughter – all now grown-up – and knew the problems both faced.’

The new initiative, though well received by a number of schools, churches and other groups, was halted because of Covid-19.

‘It is a face-to-face course which needs a personal link,’ said Laura. ‘Now we are back to nearly normal, things are beginning to take off. Teenagers’ mental health has taken a nose-dive in the pandemic, so it is more important than ever.’

The Inspire Project aims to empower, encourage and equip people to become everything they were created to be by helping them discover the truth about their value and identity as well as God’s purpose for their lives.

‘It is for any person, regardless of whether they have a Christian faith,’ she said. ‘The courses can be used to encourage and equip those already in the church or as an evangelistic tool to reach out to those who are not.’

The courses are primarily targeted towards young people between the ages of 14-18. However, by adapting or changing certain activities, they can also suit children in primary school and people of any age.

Book your tickets to CRE National 2022 – and save up to £5

Photo: Laura Newall (left) at CRE South West

ByDave Hall

To the Sandown foyer, on a wing and a prayer

For the first time visitors to CRE National 2022 will be greeted by a full-sized Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) plane in the foyer.

‘At every exhibition people tell us mission is a key area they are looking to resource in their churches,’ said event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘We thought it was time to put it centre stage!’

In February, 15 organisations from the South West Agencies Network (SWAN) exhibited at CRE South West alongside MAF, under the title Mission on the Map.

‘Over two days in Exeter, a steady stream of visitors came through Mission on the Map,’ said Mike Frith of OSCAR (pictured far left), ‘giving rise to conversations about all aspects of mission, enquiries about serving and supporting and some fantastic networking opportunities.

‘It also enabled many of these organisations to connect/reconnect with their existing contacts/supporters in the south west. One mission organisation reported 55 connections over the two days, significantly more than most places where they exhibit.’

‘The success of the venture in Exeter has prompted us to run a similar zone at Sandown Park – this time in pride of place, above the steps in the entrance foyer!’ said Brett.

United Beach Missions, Church Mission Society, OSCAR and OMF are among the organisations already taking part in Mission on the Map at CRE National 2022. Other agencies considering taking a stand should contact the CRE sales team on 0161 240 4500.

Book your tickets to CRE National 2022 – and save up to £5

ByDave Hall

CRE South West: no other way to reach so many in just two days

As Covid-19 restrictions are lifted churches will have to learn a whole new way to present Sunday worship.

So said Simon Thomas, a former Blue Peter and Sky Sports presenter, at the opening of the Christian Resources Exhibition at Westpoint, Exeter (Feb 23-24).

‘When you are leading a service or preaching online it is difficult to decide whether to look at the congregation or the camera but unless you look at the camera those watching cannot feel fully involved,’ said Simon. ‘If you forget about your online audience very soon you will not have one.’

Helping churches develop broadcasting skills was one of the key themes of the exhibition with many visitors attending practical seminars on related subjects. Simon also talked about the death of his wife, Gemma, from acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) – four days after being admitted to hospital in 2017. Subsequently, he launched the Gemma Thomas Fund to raise awareness and money for research. He is now president of Blood Cancer UK.

‘I want to make sure that more people are made aware of the signs and symptoms of all blood cancers so we can improve early diagnosis and give people a fighting chance,’ he said.

Simon paid his first visit to CRE at Sandown Park as a 12-year-old, taken by his late father, a vicar.

‘The event has advanced so much,’ he said. ‘There is something here for every aspect of church life. It really is a must for Christians.’

CRE South West attracted 1521 people (1257 visitors and 264 non-visitor attendees) – numbers which delighted the organisers after the impact of Covid-19.

‘Running an event in the face of a pandemic is a nerve-wracking experience so we are grateful to all our loyal exhibitors and visitors,’ said CRE owner Steve Goddard. ‘In fact, the atmosphere last week was as upbeat as we have ever known with a sense of release and purpose after two years behind closed doors.’

‘It was good to be back together again and exhibit our plane!’ said MAF’s Kevin Crook. ‘We were so encouraged to see a large number of people showing real interest in our work, many of whom had never even heard of us.’

Mike Frith of OSCAR said: ‘We had a steady stream of visitors through Mission on the Map and many great conversations.’

Tim Moyler of Agapé UK, said: ‘There is no other way we could have reached so many leaders and organisations in just two days. Many said our Living & Telling course was just what they were looking for. Our national director was amazed at how many unexpected and fruitful conversations she had.’

‘We were genuinely delighted with the reception we received,’ said David Saint of Action Planning. ‘Although it was inevitably quieter than the national exhibition, we had a large number of very positive conversations. I’m pretty sure we came away with more leads from two days in Exeter than three days in Esher – and we were pretty pleased then, too!’

‘CRE is always an excellent platform for meeting quality contacts,’ said Chris Dunphy of ChurchEcoMiser. ‘Although the past few years have been anything but “normal”, the team know how to attract the right people and this was one of the best exhibitions we have ever done.’

These positive comments were endorsed by visitors.

‘I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all. The event was very well set out and organised, the seminars engaging and informative,’ said Liz Moore, a life coach. ‘It was lovely to network with people I hadn’t seen for a long time – and new people, too. Well done, CRE!’

Rev David Coffey, of Upton Vale Baptist in Torquay, told BBC Radio Devon: ’It’s fascinating to see the number and range of exhibitors at CRE. It reminds you how churches of all denominations form a huge marketplace. Gone are the days churches can go it alone.’

Simon Preece, church warden at St Andrew’s, Kenn in Devon, said: ‘I was so excited and almost overwhelmed by it all with people so willing to exchange ideas.’

• CRE National 2022 will take place at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, 11-13 October. To book a stand click here. Visitor tickets will be available from May 2022.

ByDave Hall

Beating the path to a rural revival

The Church is the biggest grass-roots organisation in the country so healthy churches are an important sign of a healthy society.

So said the Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev Robert Atwell (pictured below), making his maiden speech in the House of Lords in November.

‘Village churches are at the heart of rural communities,’ he stressed. ‘We need to strive for open church doors and open virtual doors.’

Sarah Cracknell, project manager for the Church of England’s Grow the Rural Church initiative, will lead two seminars on the subject at CRE South West (12 noon, Wed 23 Feb and 3pm, Thu 24 Feb) – two of 40 scheduled during the exhibition’s two days.

‘The Covid-19 pandemic has meant many people are rediscovering the gift of “local” and finding imaginative solutions to the challenges confronting us,’ she said. ‘For the first time many are working from home and investing in their village. We are discovering new ways of doing church, worshipping together online and connecting with the fringe in a way our urban cousins have been yearning to do for years.’

Grow the Rural Church Project is an eight-year project that has been running in the Diocese of Exeter since 2017. Jointly funded by the Church Commissioners Strategic Development Unit, it was set up to support rural churches in finding sustainable uses for church buildings – and to enable exhausted and burdened church communities find capacity for mission.

‘The mid-point of our project funding coincided with the first lockdown and we had to find new ways of working,’ said Sarah. ‘We used the time to deeply evaluate the situation. This CRE seminar will share the main points that we learned from the first half of the project and how we have adapted to support our vulnerable rural churches.’

Visitors will discover more about the resources the project has produced, including Lightening the Load, a self-assessment toolkit for churches, and guidance and support for festival churches in Devon. Sarah will also share the story of the development of the missional project Devon Pilgrim – an initiative developed in partnership with some rural churches, offering a different way of collaborating and sharing resources. 

‘Devon Pilgrim has brought new energy into churches and established new relationships with people outside the church,’ she explained. ‘As well as increasing visitor footfall to the church buildings it gives an opportunity for people asking spiritual questions to look to the church for answers.’

• Grow the Rural Church are on stand C24 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions

ByDave Hall

How green was my vestry

Free saplings will be available at CRE South West to publicise a green church heating initiative.

ChurchEcoMiser has no boiler, is compatible with solar panels, silent in operation, virtually maintenance free and (most importantly) warms the fabric and congregation.

Chris Dunphy (pictured), who launched the system a year ago as an all-electric carbon neutral system, will give away 150 trees as an indication of his determination to help green the planet. The saplings will be about 150-200mm in a hessian bag of soil.

‘The trees will be given to people who visit our stand for information,’ he said. ‘Our commitment to working towards a greener future is to plant 500 square metres of woodland for every church heating system installed. We will be doing this through the National Trust and each church will be issued with a certificate and proof of purchase.’

Chris, a long-standing exhibitor at CRE, has 47 years’ experience in church heating. He developed ChurchEcoMiser in 2016 as the ideal system for remote country churches where gas was either unavailable or too expensive to install – ‘but it proved a popular option with all churches.’

Over the years, he has designed and installed more than 1,000 heating systems in church buildings and he was the heating adviser to the Diocese of Sheffield for 10 years. Many of the churches he has worked on are Victorian or medieval where protecting the fabric of the building is as important as heating the congregation.

‘It has always been a challenging but rewarding task,’ he said.

• ChurchEcoMiser are on stand P56 at CRE South West

Book your tickets to CRE South West! – and save up to £5

Seminar Guide – See the complete guide to seminars at CRE South West 2022

Your invitation – See an online version of the CRE South West 2022 brochure

Our next exhibitions