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Home (to 23 Nov 20)
Our next exhibitions:
CRE South West 2021: 17-18 March 2021
Westpoint, Exeter
CRE National 2021: 12-14 October 2021
Sandown Park, Surrey
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CRE South West 2021: 17-18 March 2021, Westpoint, Exeter
CRE National 2021: 12-14 October 2021, Sandown Park, Surrey
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Major Messy Church conference at CRE 2017
This highly-successful initiative, using hands-on activities to explore Bible stories, is church for people who don’t do church – providing a ‘safe’ space to encounter the Christian faith. Messy Churches meet at times (and sometimes places) that suit people who don’t already belong to a fellowship. It’s all age. And it’s fun.
We’re delighted that CRE exhibitor BRF, who resource, support and enable the project, will run three, two-hour conferences on the project, one on each day of CRE 2017, looking at different aspects of the Messy phenomenon.
Tue 17 Oct
11am – Starting and sustaining a Messy Church
To include a discipleship pilot report, demos of one or two discipleship pilots and a chance to try out Messy Science
Wed 18 Oct
11am – Theology from the Mess
A ‘Being Messy, Being Church’ forum with another opportunity to try out Messy Science
Thu 19 Oct
11am – The Big Messy Meet-Up
An update of the latest Messy projects, with particular reference to discipleship and vintage pilots and a final opportunity to try out Messy Science
A full list of speakers will available soon.
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Nothing beats sitting on it, wearing it, tasting it…
‘While we discover products and services online, discerning customers will always want to try before they buy, meet the person behind the product, the man behind the mission,’ said event director Brett Pitchfork. ‘Put simply, nothing beats sitting on it, wearing it, listening to it, tasting it – and comparing it to other options. You can only do all of that, under one roof, at CRE.
‘We are putting together an exhibition which builds on the quality and experience of the past, yet presents fresh ideas, products and suppliers to local church leaders and members.’
Among new features at CRE 2017 are:
Museum of the Bible – an innovative, global, educational feature inviting us to engage with the history, narrative and impact of the Bible
The Compassion Experience – a unique, interactive trailer presenting the lives of two real children living in abject poverty
Messy Church – a conference for everyone connected with this highly-successful initiative, from seasoned campaigners to start ups
A keynote speaker at CRE will be George Verwer, who founded and led Operation Mobilisation for more than 40 years. ‘It’s a great time in history for the Church,’ he said, ‘and I’ll be at CRE to tell visitors what is God doing through the Church, around the world.’
Rev Cindy Kent MBE returns to host Cindy’s Sofa, her popular lunchtime chat show featuring music, drama and a range of special guests. UCB Radio will broadcast live from the show floor.
‘CRE is a place to build and develop important relationships with local church leaders and provide solutions as they reach out to their communities,’ said Andy Moreman, CEO of CPO. ‘We look forward meeting members of hundreds of churches in October.’
To receive regular news updates about CRE 2017, click here.
If you represent an organisation considering a stand at CRE, click here.
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Juliet’s journey: it started with a scarf
Countless members of the cloth now wear Juliet’s ecclesiastical vestments, including three Archbishops of Canterbury – George Carey, Rowan Williams and Justin Welby. The colourful robes worn by the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu at his enthronement were also made by Juliet and her talented team, in collaboration with Watts & Co.
‘Over the years we have made more than 30,000 stoles, with countless banners, altar frontals and pulpit falls now in schools, chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world,’ said Juliet, a dedicated exhibitor at CRE since its inception and the inspiration behind CRE’s popular Clergy on the Catwalk show.
CRE has enabled her to showcase her team’s skills on a much bigger stage than the usual displays she does at theological colleges and diocesan conferences.
‘I am able to meet people from all Christian denominations and meet people from schools, multi-faith chapels, prisons and hospitals,’ she explained.
At CRE in Birmingham many years ago, Archbishop Desmond Tutu opened the show and was given a stole designed and stitched personally by Juliet. Cliff Richard received a special waistcoat from her at CRE in 1994 which he has sported on TV.
Photo: Cremetti Commercial
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‘Messy’ Martyn: It’s time we abandoned Sunday schools
‘My own thinking from more than 40 years as a teacher and working with churches has been challenged,’ said Messy Church team leader Martyn. ‘Like many, I used to accept that the best way to nurture children and young people into faith was to have separate groups for their learning and fellowship. Today, I am increasingly uncomfortable with this inherited proposition.’
He points out how research into children’s spirituality and how adults become rooted in the Christian faith, reveals that both family and other significant adults really make a difference. In other words, a multigenerational approach to faith nurture is something the church needs to rediscover!
‘Of course it was there in the Bible all along,’ continued Martyn, ‘where faith was passed on at festivals as well as family gatherings and definitely not in some special Sunday school arrangement for children or youth group facility for teenagers. The young need to be alongside the old, the old the young – arguably even more so today in our fragmented communities.
‘My own grandparent generation needs to be in touch with how young people and children are thinking – to be stimulated and refreshed in faith through their questions, wonderings and sense of adventure – every much as the young need to see for themselves that God remains faithful throughout all the stages of life.’
Martyn remains excited about Messy Church, which offers a successful model for bringing the generations together on a shared journey of faith.
‘This isn’t the traditional Sunday school way of things with children,’ he says. ‘In fact, were I to be asked to start a new church, I would definitely not include a Sunday school in my plans! There is an argument for some separate age and interest groups but not for the main church gathering, where for me the default must be togetherness. It might be messy but it is certainly the best way to form healthy Christians.’
Photo: Cremetti Commercial
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How building a stronger marriage is on the cards
Marie Reid invented My Truth after writing subject headings on paper, screwing them up and challenging husband Clif to share his views on the subjects in question.
‘I was amazed and surprised at some of the insights Clif shared,’ admitted Marie. ‘Even after 17 years of marriage, I really saw his heart on issues more deeply. If this “game” could bring out new insights for us I figured it could do the same for other couples.’
‘Answering the questions really made me dig deep,’ said Clif. ‘I found it a very valuable exercise. Marie and I have a strong marriage but this game made it stronger.’
The Reids piloted the game with more than 25 couples and received great feedback. Couples who purchase My Truth will get a pack of cards with a total of 80 topics for discussion.
Having established themselves as major gospel artists over the course of the last four years, the Croydon-based couple have performed at over 100 churches around the UK and released an album in 2012, If Only, now available on iTunes.
ByCRE
Hope Now meets young people at crossroads
These are just some of the questions young people face at key points in their journey of faith.
‘We want to use our hugely diverse ministry to encourage them to discover how they can bless others, lead people closer to Jesus and bring hope to the world,’ said Hope Now’s Jon White. ‘We pray that God would prompt their hearts to pray, go and tell others about what he is doing.’
Hope Now is an international Christian charity striving to share the love of Jesus through giving practical aid and spiritual support for the past 30 years. The organisation currently works in Sri Lanka, Moldova, Myanmar but most of its work is in Ukraine.
‘We work in areas of healthcare, orphans and fostering, prison ministry, education and Bible teaching, evangelism and church planting, summer camps and care for the elderly,’ explained Jon.
‘We are keen to meet youth leaders, introduce them to our work and show them what we can offer their young people. We want to give churches the opportunity to have Hope Now speak at their youth groups about the work of the charity, aiming to inspire them in their faith.’
ByCRE
Outdated building? Discover the godly game-changer
That’s how Nigel Walter of CRE 2018 exhibitor Church Build describes Building for Mission. Packed with potential for effective engagement with the whole community, the book covers a wide range of practical issues affecting church buildings, from caring for medieval masonry to installing multimedia electronic systems.
‘We’ve set out to offer essential information and easy-to-follow advice on heating, lighting and energy efficiency, installing a kitchen or toilets, dealing with damp and much more,’ said Walter. Church Build believe the best buildings are created from a close partnership between client and architect.
‘We like to think of our role as being a critical friend,’ said Walter. ‘We’re at your side to support and guide, but we’re also there to question. When choosing an architect, what you are really buying, therefore, is not a product, not even a service but a relationship.’