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ByDave Hall

Printer ink: costing you more than Dom Pérignon?

When Gestetner closed its offices and made one man redundant it did churches a great big favour.

Nigel Page went on to launch Apple Office Equipment, specialising in reducing the cost of printing for churches and charities. Now, 27 years later, his company leads the way in auditing the way photocopiers are being used and suggesting cheaper and more efficient alternatives.

‘Some printing devices are expensive to run,’ he said. ‘Our audit makes sure organisations are not paying above the odds for ink, toner, or the use of a particular machine. A national newspaper recently pointed out that printing ink can be more expensive than Dom Pérignon champagne. That is perfectly true. We recommend the best machine for the setting and the most efficient way of using it. We often find churches and charities have the printer set at colour when it is totally unnecessary. There are ways to ensure the machine only prints in black unless a code is put in to allow the user to switch to colour.’

With a fully-trained team of technicians available to deliver a high quality of friendly service – suitably protected in these days of Covid-19 – Nigel’s promise is that all their machines have been through extensive testing before delivery, to ensure that they reach the customer at a high standard. And he can also offer various purchasing and leasing options including the company’s Apple Rental Agreement.

‘We have no tie-ins, no contracts, no hidden costs – just honest ethical trading with friendly advice and expert help,’ he said. ‘We will miss CRE at Sandown Park. We love meeting old customers and making new friends. It’s a great meeting place for those looking for a better way to do everything.’

Click here for more information.

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

CRE At Home

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ByDave Hall

The green, green grass for homeless people

In 1999, Pastor Pete Cunningham, his son Andrew and Vicki Woodley, already housing the homeless in their church building in Southport, put their hands in their pockets and purchased two flats in Southport to give homeless people somewhere to live.

The first recipients of Green Pastures were a single mum and her child. Two decades later, there are now hundreds of people housed by the charity at any one time and thousands more have benefitted over the years.

In 2003, a chaplain from North Staffordshire found out about the work and asked the charity to buy a property in Stoke-on-Trent – so his team could take ex-offenders from the prison gate to house and care for them.

‘Taking a step of faith, we bought a property for someone else,’ recalled Pete. ‘The results were amazing! As we provided more housing, the re-offending rate reduced. Now we partner with dozens of other churches across the UK and house more than 1100 people. Many of our partners look after ex-offenders and a good percentage stay out of prison and become good citizens. Many go on to have faith in Jesus Christ. This is our modus operandi – saving souls. Our properties and staff work to that end.’

For those who cannot work with homeless people direct, it is possible to invest in the work – with the funds working ethically. Investors are paid up to five per cent and with the money Green Pastures buy property for local churches and provide all the paperwork, expertise and ongoing support to operate a successful supported housing project. 

The enormous changes in towns and individual lives can be seen everywhere. Residents of The Greenhouse Project in Plymouth have experienced the faith of the support workers in their Green Pastures home. One resident said: ‘When I met the guys at The Greenhouse and saw how they love Jesus and the way that they were living for God, that appealed to me, and that helped me get back into recovery and faith.’

For more information click here.

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

CRE At Home

See the CRE At Home resources guide!

Our next exhibitions

ByDave Hall

Lockdown spurs outbreak of ‘weird-free’ evangelism

Lockdown could have inhibited Christian witness – instead it has spurred many churches to take a fresh look at sharing their faith.

Recent research by the Evangelical Alliance, under the title ‘Changing Church: Responding to the Lockdown Crisis’, confirms a significant increase in people who are looking for spiritual answers from the Bible, prayer and their local church. 

And Living & Telling from Agapé UK has been welcomed as an engaging way to conquer our faith-sharing fears, with any group or church now able to run the course in their own homes.

One member said: ‘We had a great time together. With Zoom we were able to break off in pairs which worked really well for me. From the security of my own home I felt I could be more honest and vulnerable with the person I was paired with. The course content really makes you stop and think about how you can share your faith in Jesus without being weird.’

Agapé Europe had to halt applications after more than 100 students from 22 countries registered for their launch of Living & Telling some weeks ago and three countries are currently translating of all the resources.

Gavin Calver, chief executive officer of the Evangelical Alliance, said: ‘Living and Telling is a simple, practical and powerful tool to help us all start sharing our faith more effectively. I wholeheartedly encourage every Christian to get involved.’

Tim Moyler, of Agapé UK, said: ‘If you are a Christian, and find yourself reticent to talk about your faith (or even if you are ready and raring to go), Living & Telling is for you. We believe that helping people discover Jesus can be done by all kinds of Christians, so this course is suitable for everyone.’

Click here for more information.

• Agapé UK will be exhibiting at CRE South West (17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter)

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

ByDave Hall

Making a difference this Christmas is on the cards

If your church sends greetings cards to the local community, there are 50,000 reasons why you should source them from Just Cards Direct.

The company was established in 2007 and designs and sells high-quality Christian cards and gifts. 

‘We support craft projects in Africa,’ said the company’s founder Anne Stiles. ‘So far we have donated £50,000 to Christian charities.’ Having received numerous requests for their products, Just Cards now offer a dedicated churches’ account and discount.

‘You will receive 25 per cent off all of our products, including cards, notebooks, colouring products, colouring pencils, coasters, mugs, keyrings and lots more,’ said Anne.  

There’s also an invoice facility with 30 days’ free credit, which means no delay in getting your supplies. 

‘Even if you’ve never sent cards before as a church, this year might be a good time to start,’ said Anne. ‘With thousands of people isolated in their homes through Covid-19, why not send a Christmas card to those in your parish, or a small gift hamper to a struggling family?’

For more information click here.

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

ByDave Hall

‘Fresh and green’: God has big plans for older people

For older people during the pandemic, Pilgrims’ Friend Society’s care homes and independent living schemes have proved an emotional lifeline.

‘We are passionate about providing residents with spiritual support, whether that’s through devotions with staff and other residents, or simply a quiet bedside prayer with another member of the community,’ said the society’s Helen McKay-Ferguson. ‘This has been especially significant over the past six months.’

The society’s homes and housing schemes have connections with local churches which many residents attend.

‘When visits to our homes are not restricted, invited speakers lead regular devotional times,’ said Helen. ‘Many local churches also provide practical support, through fundraising events, financial giving or volunteering and visiting.’

Psalm 92:14 reads: ‘They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.’

‘In a culture where negative views of aging abound, the biblical perspective is refreshing and energising,’ said Helen. ‘We have more than 200 years’ experience of supporting older people and believe God has big plans for them.’

Myrtle, a lady living at the society’s Framland home in Wantage, Oxfordshire, said: ‘I’m thankful to be alive and to be living here.’ Doris lives in an independent living scheme in Bedford. ‘It’s like having your own home,’ she said, ‘and at the same time being part of one big family.’

The society has a range of resources to help churches encourage their older members.

• Pilgrims’ Friend Society are exhibiting at CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct 2021). For more information click here

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

ByDave Hall

Fundraising? Click into gear with Ecclesiastical

Fundraising has always been vital for churches – and the internet has opened up many additional ways to increase much-needed funds.

With this in mind, Ecclesiastical have launched an easy-to-use online fundraising hub offering lots of great ideas and simple advice. 

‘It can be daunting to know where to start,’ admitted Michael Angell, church operations director for Ecclesiastical Insurance. ‘Drawing on our own experience of over 130 years’ working with churches and on the advice of fundraising experts, we’ve pulled together a range of top tips to help you grow your existing income streams and develop new sources of income.’

The hub includes guidance on digital fundraising – including crowd-funding and running online events, as well as using the web to keep your congregation and wider community informed and engaged. There is help with researching sources of grant funding and writing professional applications that can make all the difference to the answer you receive.

A series of video webinars includes one in which internationally-respected expert Caroline Underwood from Philanthropy Company, who has worked with global charities, shares some of her fundraising secrets.

Click here to find out more.

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

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

ByDave Hall

Time we moved on from ‘science versus God’

If you are perplexed by the pandemic in particular and science in general, help is available from Christians in Science (CiS).

Exhibitors at the forthcoming CRE South West 2021 (Westpoint, Exeter, 17-18 March), CiS offer helpful material on a number of relevant subjects, including Coronavirus. Although primarily a professional group, a proportion of its almost 1000 members are not scientists.

‘We are happy to welcome anyone with an interest in science and faith,’ said CiS development officer Steph Bevan. Current members include highly distinguished senior scientists and gifted speakers. Local groups are scattered around the UK and Ireland.

‘It’s a common misperception that there is always conflict between science and faith and this can be abused by those with anti-Christian or anti-science agenda,’ explained Steph. ‘In reality, science has always been the domain of many committed Christians.’ She recalls how astronomer Johannes Kepler dedicated one of his papers with a prayer: ‘I have here completed the work of my calling, with as much intellectual strength as you have granted me.’ This same attitude is shared by many Christians who work in science today.

Four fascinating lectures, given at an online conference last month, include three on God and pandemics. All are available on the group’s YouTube site. 

Prof Bob White, FRS, speaks on Plagues and Pandemics: perspectives from science and faith. A professor of geophysics at Cambridge University and director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, comments: ‘Viruses such as Covid-19 travel around the globe at, literally, the speed of a jet airliner. At least in the high-income countries today we have developed the hubris of thinking we can control our world, that we are in charge. So when something like the Covid-19 pandemic hits us it’s a shock to our whole way of thinking, to our individualistic lifestyles, and it exposes the inequalities and injustices in our world.’

Dr Mirjam Schilling, a researcher at the University of Oxford working on the interplay of viruses and the innate immune system, asks whether viruses are part of God’s creation. ‘This year a virus is affecting all of us dramatically. But are viruses as evil and vicious as we like to portray them?’ she contends. ‘When you look at the pictures and images, there’s symmetry and beauty. We underestimate them because we think only about their function. It’s interesting how they mechanistically work. As we do more research we may be able to use them as a therapeutic agent in some way. I’m quite excited about viruses though I accept this is a very subjective view!’

Christians in Science produces a quarterly magazine, PréCiS, which informs its membership of science and faith events around the UK and Ireland and includes short articles and interviews. A current aim of CiS is to forge stronger links with local churches both to encourage congregations to see how science can enhance faith and worship and to help in outreach events by answering objections to belief based on mistaken ideas of a conflict with science. In these ways, CiS is offering itself to churches as a partner in mission.

• Christians in Science (CiS) will be exhibiting at CRE South West (Westpoint, Exeter, 17-18 March).

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey

ByDave Hall

Befuddled by fundraising? Now there’s a Saint at your service

Churches looking to rekindle a capital appeal project in the wake of lockdown can increase their chances of success with the help of a third sector consultancy.

Prior to lockdown, Action Planning ran three church capital appeals workshops on behalf of the Diocese of Oxford. All three were oversubscribed. Now the consultancy is planning to take this service online, giving churches throughout the UK the opportunity to log on and gain valuable insights for their own projects.

‘It’s not uncommon for churches to be sitting on capital projects that were launched years ago but have stalled for some reason,’ explained Action Planning chairman David Saint. ‘It’s a classic case of “don’t spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar”. Successful capital appeals rely on a number of factors: a realistic target, a strong case for support, a plan of action, good communication, faith… We help church fundraisers to make all these factors watertight and give them a clear plan for launching – or relaunching – their appeal. As Christians ourselves, we are always keen to see church projects succeed.’

Action Planning’s experience in church capital appeals is extensive and among its network of consultants are seasoned church fundraising specialists whose expertise is renowned, not least David Saint himself. Associate consultant Andrew Barton is another highly-respected expert in church fundraising. Earlier this year he carried out extensive bid writing work for Oxford Diocese, which clinched a £2m grant from the Church of England Strategic Development Fund. Three churches across Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire had appeals that had been in play for more than 10 years reignited by a feasibility study carried out by David Saint and associate consultant Sean Tully.

One, St Mary’s in Bloxham, Oxfordshire, reported that ‘Action Planning’s recommendations were spot on… it was helpful to have a third party telling us the things we need to address.’ St Mary’s have since asked Action Planning to deliver a further piece of work, advising them on how best to pursue their strategy in light of Covid-19.

‘In addition to our practical experience, it’s often our objectivity that enables us to bridge gaps and bring all parties together behind one cohesive plan,’ says David Saint. ‘For thousands of churches around Britain that are trying to recover from the blows inflicted by the pandemic, the need for calm, experienced guidance has never been more pressing.”

• Action Planning are exhibiting at CRE South West 2021 (17-18 Mar) and CRE National 2021 (12-14 Oct). For more information click here

Join our mailing list to make sure you receive a free copy of the CRE At Home 2020 handbook, which will be posted in October

Our next exhibitions

CRE South West 2021 – 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter

CRE National 2021 – 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey