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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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)

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Introducing the welcome back ‘togetherness’ deal

While many churches have seen congregations swell by streaming services, nine out of 10 in a recent survey admit they have lost connection with people.

The Christian Conference Trust aim to rectify that by offering a special deal this summer for church congregations, leadership teams and youth groups to meet at their three centres at The Hayes, in Swanwick, Derbyshire, High Leigh in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire and Belsey Bridge in Ditchingham, Suffolk.

The survey, conducted by the trust, also discovered that 98 per cent of event organisers still plan to hold face-to-face conferences in the future – giving confidence to all Christian residential providers.

John Heasman, the trust’s chief executive, said: ‘There has never been a more important time to reconnect in person. Video conferencing helped us all through 2020 but it will never replace the closeness of community felt by going away for a weekend conference together. Our guests understand the value of residential events with 91 per cent telling us they do not believe that video conferencing will replace face-to-face contact.

‘We’ve been serving the Christian community for more than 100 years and we’re going to be here for the next generation of believers to enable their ministry to flourish. As one of our guests told us recently, ‘there is no substitute for togetherness’”.

Believing that the future of residential retreats is vital, the trust are offering church conference or retreat organisers a £49 per night all-inclusive deal when the centres reopen from July 1.

‘This should give a real lift to church groups and those who may never have experienced residential retreats,’ said John. ‘And it provides an incentive to attract many who are not regular churchgoers but have followed the streaming of services.’

The trust follows all the latest guidelines to create a Covid-safe environment.

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Play now, pay later strikes the right chord

With the pandemic putting local church finances under pressure, one company is pulling out all the stops to make sure the music doesn’t stop.

‘We have introduced a special deal because churches are currently in a difficult position,’ said Tony Packer, who started Viscount Organs (Wales) 13 years ago. ‘Our Play Now, Pay Later scheme offers a new organ at a modest deposit with interest-free payments spread over the following two years. We appreciate that times are hard and may continue so until the pandemic reaches the stage at which churches are back to normal. We also realise that church finances have been hit with fewer people in the socially-distanced congregations.’

Based in South Wales, the company operatives were recently permitted to travel out of the area and the first post-lockdown installation was completed at St Anne’s RC Church in Margate.

‘We were delighted to be the preferred supplier for St Anne’s,’ said Tony. ‘The chosen instrument was our magnificent Envoy 35F in real oak with seven channels of audio and featuring our new infrasonic Subwoofer system. This was a long-term rental with the option to convert to our exclusive Rent-to-Own Scheme at the end of the rental period.’

Play Now Pay Late provides a unique interest-free one or two-year plan for a home practice organ and avoids the full initial outlay for a new instrument.

‘We also offer this plan for churches and educational settings,’ said Tony. ‘Queen Anne’s School in Caversham recently took advantage of this offer.’ 

Viscount’s most popular instruments, the Chorum 40 S and the Envoy 23 S, are available from as little £189.00 per month. The plan cost is exactly the same as if purchased outright and the company can also provide a customised plan to meet personal requirements.

Click here for more details.

Viscount Organs (Wales) will be exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 October 202, Sandown Park, Surrey)

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CRE: full steam ahead for Sandown return

It’s full steam ahead for the first CRE National for two years (Oct 12-14).

‘As each week goes by, we become more and more confident that we will once again welcome our valued exhibitors and visitors through the doors of Sandown Park,’ said CRE event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘While meetings via Zoom have been essential over the past 12 months, face to face beats mouse to mouse – every time!’ 

Aware that some form of social distancing may still be necessary in the autumn, part of the exhibition has been moved from the main Surrey Hall to the Esher Hall below – allowing the creation of wider aisles in both halls and a one-way system. Other safety measures will depend on Government stipulations at the time*.

The pandemic has changed the agenda, so careful consideration has been given to several new features at CRE National, to help local churches in a post-Covid world. These include:

Church Digital – With live online services and social media now a regular part of local church life, this special feature will help you move your communication strategy to the next level.

Church Resilient – Your church income may have taken a serious hit in the past 12 months but expert financial advice will be at hand from several specialist exhibitors.

Church Universal – In the midst of the pandemic, issues of race and equality have come to the fore. A panel of experts will help us work through what it all means at local church level.

Church Tomorrow – With mental health now a major issue among young people, a stream of seminars will focus on the special needs of the next generation.

Church Worshipful – Whether your tradition is contemporary or traditional, enjoy a day conference from Mission Worship to bless, revive and encourage.

‘We are grateful to many friends who have prayed for us over the past 12 months,’ said CRE owner and MD Steve Goddard. ‘Our prayer is that, as we look back, we will see how a greater good has come from these extraordinary days and that thousands of churches played a strategic role in bringing renewed hope and healing to their communities.’

* These may include hand sanitisers, decontaminating spray, protective screens at visitor registration, messaging reminders and socially-distanced seminar rooms, toilets and breakout areas.

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Streaming with laughter

Enjoy some of the funniest online service ‘fails’ and send Ship of Fools your favourite entries for the Streaming with Laughter poll

Ever since the hapless Revd Stephen Beach of St Budeaux, Plymouth, got a bit too close to some candles and set his jumper alight – ‘Oh dear! I’ve just caught fire!’ – churches around the world have been posting spectacular streaming service fails during lockdown.

Now Ship of Fools, the online community and magazine, is putting out a call for the funniest online church gaffes, which they will run in a readers’ poll later this year – to discover the best ‘Streaming with Laughter’ moment. Nominate your favourite online church clip here!

‘It’s been wonderful to see how willing local churches have been to embrace online church during a very difficult year,’ says Simon Jenkins, editor of Ship of Fools. ‘Despite some embarrassing and downright hilarious moments, church leaders have been willing to take risks, make mistakes, and then post them online for the rest of us to enjoy. We want to celebrate that.’

Some of the best examples sent in to Ship of Fools so far include a tree falling onto a worship group drummer, who heroically battles the foliage to continue playing, and a Catholic priest who forgets to turn off the augmentation filters on his Facebook livestream during Mass. As a result, online worshippers see him continue to lead the service wearing, in turn, a cartoon pink moustache, a cat mask, and a pair of sunglasses.

‘Our current print edition of CRE News (viewable here) offers several pages of useful advice on avoiding such calamities,’ says CRE owner and MD Steve Goddard. ‘And at CRE National in October (12-14) our special Church Digital feature will help churches go to the next level in learning how to broadcast their services effectively. However, with so many outsiders still, wrongly, viewing the church as po-faced, it’s good to show how we are also happy to laugh at our misfortunes.’

If you’ve seen an online church service fail you’d like to nominate for the ‘Streaming with Laughter’ poll, follow this link to Ship of Fools

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Don’t let your insurance get cancelled by Covid

Many churches do not realise their insurance claims have been potentially invalidated by the pandemic.

So says Russell Hickman, of Access Insurance, who points out how, with church premises not checked as regularly, even a leaky roof can fall foul of the conditions.

‘Few risk management or business continuity plans foresaw the possibility of closing premises for extended periods,’ says Russell, an advisor to churches for the Surrey-based company. ‘Charities in particular have faced the challenge of moving staff and volunteers to remote working.’

Income has also taken a huge hit.

‘Those who put gifts on a plate each Sunday were no longer doing so, but additional investment has been needed to put services online,’ said Russell. 

The majority of standard policies exclude any cover for Covid-19 related expenses or lost income. However the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has tested some policies in court to obtain a ruling on whether any cover exists and at least one church insurer is considering Covid-19 claims following a recent court ruling.

The case is based around extensions to the business interruption cover which traditionally covered losses stemming from damage at the premises insured, resulting in extra costs being incurred or loss of income as activity ceased. Over the years insurers have added non-damage extensions to the wordings to cover situations where, for example, the insured party could not access the premises for a variety of reasons, some of which included an outbreak of an infectious disease in the locality. Some insurers clearly define which diseases they cover, others are more ambiguous.

The FCA argued that the pandemic lockdown orders and the reluctance of people to continue in economic activity are ‘one indivisible cause’. The court passed a judgement, ruling that some policies did cover losses arising from the pandemic. A number of insurers appealed, but the Supreme Court ruled in favour of policyholders, ordering some insurers with ambiguous wordings to pay claims.

The ruling is unlikely to affect many non-profit organisations as several of the large specialist charity insurers had clear wordings, and the courts ruled they were not liable for Covid-19 business interruption losses.

Some charities were aware of the extent and limitations of their cover but a significant number believed they would be covered for Covid-19 related losses and expenses under their business interruption cover. While it was possible to purchase standalone ‘pandemic insurance’ before Covid-19, these policies were prohibitively expensive for most organisations and very few of these policies exist – cover for Wimbledon Tennis is one such example.

In addition, there is usually limited cover under business interruption policies for losses which do not arise from a defined peril (insured risk) like ‘damage to property’, i.e. having to use another office following fire damage to your own premises.

Aside from any contractual obligations, a group of insurers have donated over £80 million to a Covid-19 Support Fund, designed to assist community-based charities and those supporting the most vulnerable in society. The fund is being administered by a network of larger funding charities including the National Emergencies Trust. Insurers have generally been willing to be more flexible than normal with contract terms and obligations because of the pandemic and lockdowns/ tier system. Many insurers have waived or relaxed stringent policy conditions which would normally apply to buildings which become unoccupied for example.

Insurers are taking different stances on liability cover as policies are renewed, with some adding blanket Covid-19 exclusions and others making no amendments. In the main, larger charities are reviewing costs and seeking leaner insurance programmes which provide the essential cover they need, without some of the optional covers they might have opted to purchase before the pandemic. Key information which determines the cost of a policy should be shared with insurers as soon as possible. This includes projected income and wage roll figures and any change in activities.

Having a remote workforce means charities will want to review the insurance they have for office equipment, possibly widening the cover to include risks such as theft of laptops from employees’ homes. Similarly, if their insurance covers the running of the events and the hiring in of equipment. they will want to review whether the event will proceed and whether cover is required.

Access Insurance works with over 15,000 churches and charities to understand their unique risks and build specific policies – so organisations only pay for the cover they need. Access is willing to offer advice to churches and charities struggling to understand their position and they are invited to contact Russell Hickman for advice and support.

Access are exhibiting at CRE National (12-14 October 2021, Sandown Park, Surrey) and CRE South West (23-24 Feb 2022, Westpoint, Exeter)

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