CHURCH LEADERS MEET IN ADVANCE OF CRE MIDLANDS

At the meeting, Dr Peter Green, director of the Christian Family Trust, told the audience: "It blew my mind when I visited CRE some years ago. It was so exciting; you must bring all your people here. They will see dozens of things which can transform local ministry."

Rev Margaret Simmons, from the parish of St Matthew and St Oswald in Rugby, added her note of enthusiasm. “When I was a new vicar I went with members of my church,” she said. “There was so much to see and always an excellent talks programme – such a lot to inspire fresh ideas.”

Lynn Boulden, producer at UCB Radio, relayed how the station’s Word for Today bible reading notes, written by the late Bob Gass and sent to millions worldwide, owed a debt to the exhibition. UCB’s Ian Mackie had travelled to Washington and attended the only CRE ever held in the USA. While the event itself was unsuccessful, with only a handful of visitors attending, Mackie met Gass for the first time. The rest is publishing history.

Steve Goddard, current owner and managing director of CRE, said: “Bringing people together makes all the difference. The internet is a wonderful invention; but in our opinion face to face beats mouse to mouse – every time.”

[AT THE END OF JUNE, dozens of leaders from churches across the Midlands met at Cranmore Park in Solihull (above) – the purposebuilt exhibition centre that will be the venue for the upcoming CRE Midlands 23 on 8-9 November.

More than 150 stands at CRE Midlands 23 will offer products and services ranging from contactless card machines to customised keyboards for worship. Mission on the Map will bring together a dozen missions working nationally and internationally. Some 50 talks will feature experts offering advice in various aspects of church life, from fund raising to faith sharing.

Birmingham-born Roger Jones will bring a choir to perform a revised version of his musical Saints Alive. The BIG Sing choir, who scored a hit with the judges on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year (right), will help open the show at 10am on 8 November – the first-ever CRE at Cranmore Park and the first in Greater Birmingham for eight years. q

• The opening hours for CRE Midlands 23 at Cranmore Park, Solihull, are: Wed 8 November, 10am-5pm; Thu 9 Nov, 10am-4.30pm. Advance tickets available from £3 (£8 on the door). Visit www.creonline.co.uk for more information.