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Your building is a partner in mission

Church buildings are not an end in themselves but active partners in local mission.

That’s the view of Nigel Walter of ChurchBuild (Archangel Ltd), who believes we can learn important lessons from the Covid-19 crisis.

‘New technology has enabled church members to engage effectively over the past few months,’ he said. ‘We might conclude we no longer need buildings at all. But is a Zoom meeting really “church”, or do we need to be assembled together in one place, as the Greek word ecclesia suggests?’

Even before Covid-19, many people found their buildings to be awkward, expensive and a distraction from the purpose of mission and worship. Yet they also help play a role in the formation of community.

‘If Jesus “moved into the neighbourhood” (as The Message renders John 1.14) then we shouldn’t be surprised that we, too, are called to commit to the places we find ourselves,’ said Nigel. ‘And for all sorts of practical reasons, that commitment often takes the form of bricks and mortar.’

His view is practical and down to earth – seeing buildings as important, not as an end in themselves, but as active partners in local mission.

‘We bring design skills and decades of architectural experience to churches and see our vocation as equipping them to deal better with their buildings,’ he explained.

ChurchBuild is the result – a suite of free resources to help churches create a better fit between a church community and the buildings it occupies.

‘We have also recently set up a Facebook group where people can share experiences and help each other to save time, money and heartache, and hopefully provide inspiration, too,’ said Nigel. ‘Beyond that, we can also offer paid architectural services, if relevant.

‘We live in an age of increasing rootlessness, made worse by the pandemic. In that context, buildings, and particularly old buildings, offer opportunities to build bridges with local neighbourhoods.’

Click here for ChurchBuild’s range of free resources

A free Cambridge Paper on Church buildings recently published by Nigel Walter is available here

• ChurchBuild will be exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, 12-14 Oct)

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140,000 reasons why charity has earned national accreditation

An independent Christian safeguarding charity has been awarded the national quality standard for ‘outstanding’ helpline provision.

Currently celebrating 30 years of continuous service, Thirtyone:eight’s Safeguarding Helpline is open to anyone and provides a free source of advice and support for churches, charities and faith-based organisations on all safeguarding concerns.

‘During the pandemic, two issues have been raised more than any other,’ said Thirtyone:eight’s Peter Wright. ‘Firstly, how to communicate safely online with children and young people and, secondly, how to deliver essentials safely to adults that are self-isolating or shielding – and whether these adults are classed as having care and support needs.

‘Additionally, we’ve seen a particular rise in calls around mental health issues, domestic abuse and how churches can help people with anxiety caused by financial loss.’ 

Answering the calls are a team of committed Christian safeguarding professionals with backgrounds in social work, education and the police. As one caller recently said: ‘Knowing you can pick up the phone and get access to a dedicated team of professional safeguarding advisors, who understand the specialist context in which you are working, is hugely significant for us.’

National accreditation has been awarded by the Helplines Partnership (the national body for helpline providers) and has been specifically developed for the helpline sector to recognise excellence and best practice in service delivery.

‘It is a huge privilege to be awarded this national accreditation which reflects the high level of service to which we aspire,’ said Barbara Ball, the charity’s head of advisory services. ‘Since 1990 the helpline has been there for people to answer any questions or provide advice on issues ranging from drafting a safeguarding policy to how to respond to a case of abuse. In that time our experienced team have answered well over 140,000 calls. We are especially delighted to receive this award as we celebrate an important milestone in our organisation’s history.’

In granting the award, the Helplines Partnership said: ‘It was clear that Thirtyone:eight’s helpline is strongly focused on meeting the needs of its callers. From observations and discussions undertaken during the assessment, the commitment to delivering an effective high-quality service was strongly evident. Helplines Partnership would like to congratulate those involved.’

Click here for more information

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When experience and expertise are striking qualities

Eight church insurance consultants now cover the length and breadth of the country – ready to support churches, parishes and dioceses. 

It follows customer feedback telling Ecclesiastical how vital and valued their support service is.

‘We would normally be attending and speaking at church events, as well as providing a local point of contact for our church customers,’ said Claire Woolway, customer relationship manager for Ecclesiastical. ‘In these challenging times, we are missing personal visits desperately but have had to adapt our ways of working, observe official guidance to keep everyone safe and instead remain available to offer support by phone, email and online.’ 

Church Insurance Consultant, Kay Short, who moved from the north to the south west just before lockdown, to cover the dioceses of Truro, Exeter, Bath & Wells, Bristol and Salisbury said: ‘We can’t wait to return to face-to-face meetings but there is still lots we can do in a different way.

‘Each week is full of variety for the team, even if a little different at the moment. It might include a call with an archdeacon about the financial issues facing many parishes; a Skype meeting with a diocese to offer training about metal theft; discussions with a church about cyber awareness; planning a webinar with police on reporting heritage crime, or a conversation with a Diocesan Advisory Committee.’

‘Together, our Church Insurance Consultants provide an incredible depth and breadth of experience and expertise in insurance and church life across the country,’ said Claire Woolway. ‘They work collectively as a team to provide incredible national and local support to all our church customers during these difficult times and continue to find creative ways of keeping in touch with our churches.’

She points out that the team can help churches understand their insurance and support them with health and safety or risk management. Their job is to provide reassurance to churches while the church concentrates on its missional role. 

Ecclesiastical’s Church Insurance Consultants are keen to offer and share their support in whatever way they can.

• To find out more about the team of Church Insurance Consultants please click here [WC1] [JA2] [SG3] or email meetus@ecclesiastical.com with your contact details and the name of your church, parish and diocese. Ecclesiastical’s local church insurance consultant will then be back in touch with you. 

• Ecclesiastical will be exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, 12-14 Oct)

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Church rotas: software to make them simple

Love them or (more likely) loathe them, rotas are a vital part of church life – and now there’s a solution to help make them hassle free.

Cambron Software’s plan2gether is a brand-new product from the creators of Power Music. 

‘We have one underlying philosophy – keep it simple!’ explained Cambron’s Colin Cameron. ‘There are some very powerful (and complicated) church management systems out there but we wanted to create something that did one thing well – make life easier for the people who organise church rotas. It had to be accessible from anywhere and easy to make changes and send reminders to people.’

With plan2gether all the rotas are in one place – worship band, security, welcoming, coffee morning, creche, AV, flowers and cleaning.

‘You name it, plan2gether will manage your rota and most importantly, automatically notify people by email or SMS text when they are on duty,’ said Gordon. ‘Users can make themselves unavailable and edit their rota duties to swap with others.

‘Currently, many churches are not running services as usual but as we move to a more normal situation, this is the time to start organising your church volunteers using our new solution.’

The first rota is available free.

Click here for more information

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‘Bikers’ bench’ is fitting memorial to 59 Club founder

Motorcyclists who make an annual pilgrimage to Lincoln Cathedral can now witness the woodworking skills of CRE exhibitor Nicholas Hobbs.

Influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, Nicholas has crafted a bench in memory of 59 Club founder Fr Graham Hullett. Positioned in the Lady Chapel, it provides the ideal spot for contemplation by motorcyclists in memory of Fr Hullett. Officially recognised by the Church of England, the 59 Club was formed in London during the 1960s, a period infamous for clashes between Mods and Rockers.

The club claimed a worldwide membership of more than 10,000. A rider himself, Fr Hullett wore his dog collar under his leathers and ostensibly ran the club without rules. Nevertheless, he gained respect by being a father figure to many, approachable and down to earth, offering them moral, occasionally financial support and attending court cases. He visited prisons and carried out the duties of a cleric ­­– marrying, christening offspring and burying those who perished in road accidents. 

He had a long-lasting influence amongst a large group of disaffected youngsters. In recognition, a number of early members clubbed together in 2005 to buy a Royal Enfield Bullett 500 for Fr Hullett – to get him back in the saddle and on the road again. Upon his death, Fr Hullett’s specially-painted bike was left to a member of the Spirit of 59 who subsequently offered the bike to auction to fund the permanent memorial bench at Lincoln.

Each December, on the anniversary of its dedication, motorcyclists travel to Lincoln Cathedral from around Britain, gathering in the Lady Chapel to remember the man as they sit on the bench and later meeting in a local pub to recall stories from an earlier era.

Nicholas, who studied creative design at Loughborough University, makes functional furniture to commissions.

‘I create work that will stand the test of daily use and the test of time,’ he said. ‘It was my great pleasure to be invited to make this memorial bench which, alongside the Pumfrey family bench, is available for use by pilgrims for reflection every day.’

Nicholas has created many memorable items including a blanket chest in selected, figured English oak which is in the permanent Arts & Crafts collection at Leicester City.

Churches and cathedrals regularly draw on Nicholas’ specialist skills to create striking, long-lasting items, blending a strong architectural design style with the exacting construction standards of the Arts & Crafts tradition. 

Click here for more information.

• Nicholas Hobbs will be exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, 12-14 Oct)

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High five for church wi-fi

When two of your premises are divided by a main road and the rectory is even further away, how do you link them up?

St Giles Church, Northampton called CRE exhibitor Midshire Business Systems who installed an easy-to-operate system that pumps wi-fi through all three sites.

The church runs various groups such as parent and toddler, blood donor (NHS) and English language lessons for the community, and members can access the system as well. Wi-Fi points were installed on the ceilings so that perfect signals were distributed around all three buildings. A VoIP (voice over internet protocol) telephone system allows the use of handsets in all three premises, linking them and enabling calls to be transferred between sites with a click of a button. All calls are also free of charge.

A wireless bridge transfers the broadband wirelessly over the road, eliminating the need for an extra analogue line and broadband, avoiding the problem of the church’s thick walls which make it difficult for a wireless signal to penetrate. 

‘We were delighted with the way Midshire installed a telephone system and broadband in both the main church and the parish office,’ said Helen Goff, the church’s officer administrator. ‘The work was carried out efficiently and professionally. After sales care, including any teething issues and trouble-shooting, has been equally met with efficiency, professionalism and a thoroughness in seeing a job through to the end.’

Social distancing has made it more important ever that a wi-fi solution is in place to avoid forcing people to crowd around in a tight area.

Martin Hill, senior salesman for Midshire, said: ‘Most churches I now deal with have a wi-fi solution. It is required for laptops, PCs, interactive screens, digital signage printers, card reading machines (donations), and mobiles etc – all equipment which we can supply.’

Click here for more information.

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Covid-19: young people learning to ‘value what they have’

More than one in three young people between the ages of 16 and 24 in the UK say they have learned to cope with adversity since the outbreak of Covid-19.

In a survey by the Prince’s Trust, 37 per cent said they have gained coping skills or emotional resilience. A consultation with 150 children and young people showed they felt they had learned new hobbies, picked up old ones, and appreciated time to reflect. They also said they had experienced gratitude.

Luton-based Youthscape’s centre for research has analysed a series of surveys by various organisations on young people and their experiences during Covid-19 – and have amalgamated the findings. Most young people in one survey of 13 to 24-year-olds said they enjoyed spending more time with their parents – but had begun to worry more about their parents and family. A Barnardo’s survey of eight to 24-year-olds found an increase in issues related to mental health and wellbeing. The top feelings expressed by the youngsters were boredom (51 per cent), worry (28 per cent) and feeling trapped (26 per cent).

One 13-year-old boy said: ‘It has made me realise that the future is more unpredictable than I thought. I don’t know what will go on in the future, so I am going to value what I have now.’

One of a number of studies on young people and Covid-19 showed an increase in anxiety – and that anxiety rose the older the children got. Among those struggling were older teenagers, girls, those from black or minority ethnic backgrounds, those not in education, employment, or training and some already struggling with poor mental health.

Lucie Shuker, director of research at CRE exhibitor Youthscape, said: ‘We know the virus has heavily impacted young people’s mental health. All have experienced loss over this time, whether time with family and friends, education or normal teenage experience. But some who were already vulnerable have had a particularly rough time with increased anxiety, loneliness and depression.’

The local youth work team at Youthscape have developed a resource in response, for use with young people in schools.

‘It’s called Thrive and can be used by teachers, school visitors and churches to help teenagers process their return to school and develop resilience and mental wellbeing in these few weeks and months,’ said Lucie. It features four short films with teaching from Dr Kate Middleton and stories from some amazing students, ten creative activities suitable for self-guided or classroom work ready to be delivered by teaching staff with printable activity sheets.

Click here for more information

• Youthscape are exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct 2021)

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Pandemic sparks transformation of parish magazine

In the year of ‘more tech, vicar?’ live streaming has become essential for church services and even the humble church magazine has been digitally transformed.

According to a recent poll by CRE exhibitor parishpump.co.uk, who supply graphics and editorial material to nearly 1800 church publications, many magazines have coped surprisingly well during lockdown. 

In March, the Church of England warned against paper delivery of magazines because of Covid-19. ‘For this reason, parishes are encouraged to look to digital communication…’ said the notice. In response, Parish Pump subscribers report that a quarter of parish magazines ceased publication but around two-thirds went digital or are now producing both printed and digital versions.

Anne Coomes, Parish Pump’s editor, said: ‘It is great news that so many have gone digital – we warmly welcome it. Far from stopping your church magazine production during this crisis, we think it is critical to keep it going. People all over the country are now more isolated from their local church family than they have ever been in their lives.  A church magazine can help keep them in touch with each other.

‘In fact, we hope that many of the churches who at first decided to simply stop their magazines will now reconsider, and at least try the digital option for a few months. Of the hundreds of church magazine editors to have gone digital, many are attracting new readers at this time.’

Click here for more information.

• Parish Pump will be exhibiting at CRE South West 2021 (Westpoint, Exeter, 17-18 Mar) and CRE National 2021 (Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, 12-14 Oct)

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Retired but not redundant: unearth your new role

When Dave Carlos stopped working he was determined not to come to a grinding halt – and those experiences form the backcloth to his CRE At Home 2020 online seminar Retired but not Redundant.

Now available to view on the CRE YouTube channel, the seminar will be helpful to those considering imminent retirement and others who have retired but are finding it unfulfilling. It also provides useful advice for churches wanting to help mobilise members who are in similar situations.

‘Retirement is not what is used to be,’ said Dave, now 68. ‘People develop skills and expertise over the years, and it can be helpful to identify areas in which their retirement can be personally rewarding and of great use to church and community.’

With a lifetime of interest in computers – in the early 1980s he was editor of Home Computing Weekly – Dave started his own PR company, advising producers of computer games, before moving to Christian charities Agapé UK and then Care for the Family.

His talks on cyber security have been welcomed by many organisations and he has also teamed up with Lancashire Police, helping to train new officers. On top of all this, he is a leader in his local church and helps run a computer clinic, along with other computer enthusiasts! They meet regularly in a local pub, inviting anyone with a problem computer, or who has difficulties with an application, to pop in and allow them to sort it out.

‘This gives me the opportunity to gently give a Christian prod to those I am helping and also to those working with me,’ he said.

The key to knowing what to do when retiring, he maintains, is not just about the person’s skills and interests, but prayer.

‘The individual must pray about his or her circumstances,’ he said, ‘and local church leaders should certainly pray for those they know who are about to retire.’

Retirement is not simply about finding something to do that is fulfilling, he points out, but to becoming involved in something which provides opportunities for evangelism and simply helping others. The seminar is a valuable aid, reflecting Dave’s personal experience, and provides many helpful tips for those approaching ‘the great change’. It is one of more than 20 seminars available on CRE TV in the week beginning Mon 12 Oct 2020 – when CRE National 2020 should have taken place but for Covid-19. The seminars will remain available for months to come.

Click here to watch Retired but not Redundant by CRE’s Dave Carlos, part of CRE At Home 2020.

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