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Do you really need a new sound system?
Our first contact from the team at Blyth Central Methodist Church was a phone call that we’ve had many times before explained Paul Dougherty of Blaydon Communications Ltd 'Our sound system isn’t working, it’s all crackly and we just need a new one'.
"In some circumstances, this could be true", said Paul, "audio equipment does degrade, and eventually, it will need to be replaced, but sometimes things just need a good overhaul and a bit of a spruce up. Our first recommended action was to have us attend the church and assess what equipment had been installed. This also allows us to get talking to the people that use the system to find out the real problems first-hand.
Durham Cathedral roof restorations
Founded as a monastic cathedral it has a rich and varied history and was built as a place of worship, whilst also being the home of a Benedictine community. Over the past century it has enjoyed a multi-use purpose and is a Christian Church of the Anglican Communion as well as being a shrine to St Cuthbert, the seat of the Bishop of Durham and a place of pilgrimage and spirituality.
A much-loved and cherished landmark in the North East of England, it also won the ‘Reader’s Choice of Britain’s Best Building’ in a poll conducted by the Guardian, detailing its importance and recognition amongst the local community and wider public.
Churches embracing new technology
The needs of a church sound system are quite simple in so much as they want intelligible audio to reach all the congregation including those with hearing impairments. Although this requirement has probably been the same for many years there is now a plethora equipment that can be used and this is when the world of sound can become a mine field.
A complex and high risk major repair made the more easier by a touch of kindness
The tower and spire of St Thomas’ Church in St Helier, Jersey stands approximately 196 feet above ground level. The tower is 33.83m (111ft) in height and the spire is 25.9m (85ft) in height. The tower and spire are constructed from Brittany Granite and are of mid Victorian Gothic design. The tower has stepped buttresses and incorporates the main entrance porch of the church with a triple lancet window with a tracery rose. All four elevations have tall lancets to belfry complete with louvres. The corbelled eaves lead to the transition stonework to the spire.
Surmounting the tower is an open worked spire which incorporates two sets of four decorative Gothic type dormer openings complete with decorative finials. Closer to the summit of the spire are eight rectangular openings, one on each broach all on the same level. The spire houses the main cross beam that supports the ornate cast iron cross. There are a series of steel rods, four in total, that are hooked under small decorative openings. The cross beam and rods provide compression to the spire stonework.
Read more: A complex and high risk major repair made the more easier by a touch of kindness
How to protect your listed property and deter thieves
Gaining consent to make alterations can be challenging if the measures proposed permanently alter the fabric of the building. There are many reversible and inconspicuous measures you can take to improve the security of your listed building which balance the needs of home owners and the authorities.
When speaking to your broker about the right insurance for listed buildings, insurers may take into account your security measures.
Read more: How to protect your listed property and deter thieves
Before you start streaming
In a time of global pandemic, where all church buildings in the UK have been closed during lockdown, we’ve all had to find a new way to do church. Whether via Zoom, through Facebook or YouTube, live streamed, pre-recorded or podcast, churches have been piecing it and sometimes cobbling it together to do things... digitally. DM Music offer some advice.
Since the beginning of March 2020, you won’t be surprised to hear, we’ve seen a huge increase in churches asking ‘How do we live-stream our services?’. In fact we produced a DM Quick Expert Guide to answer this question back in April. Asking ‘how?’, as it turns out, is not the only question you’ll need to consider, and it may not be the best place to start.
Devotion to heritage ironwork is recognised by unique award
For 35 years Chris Topp – along with his colleagues – has devoted his time to increasing his and others’ expertise in the preservation and restoration of the heritage of ancient iron.
Chris’s interest in traditional blacksmithing skills began in 1967 when he had a summer job in Bolton that was within walking distance of the Atlas Forge. At that time, Atlas Forge manufactured puddled wrought iron, as well as re-rolling wrought-iron axles.
Read more: Devotion to heritage ironwork is recognised by unique award
Live streaming your church service
If you or your church are thinking about streaming, then before you read on, DM Music recommend you read their Before You Start Streaming Quick Expert Guide. The company believes it is essential to the way you approach the below.
Since the first National Lockdown, live streaming of some form, has been high on the agenda for most churches. With so many options to choose from – including streaming hardware & software, streaming platforms, cameras and microphones – we felt it was necessary to put together a straightforward guide which should aid you in choosing the right live streaming solution for your church.
Furniture makes its way across the sea
This summer saw West Country-based Fullers Finer Furniture complete a number of deliveries across the water in Northern Ireland. The first was to the Salvation Army’s new premises in Larne, County Antrim – just a short distance from the ferry port. The order was placed following introductions at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Manchester. It was for the company’s trademark York lectern, a Holiness Table and, more unusually, three flag stands.
The furniture was completed in a natural oak finish. The York lectern was fitted with a mic socket and tablet lip, ready to facilitate the latest technology. The lectern bears the Salvation Army crest, hand-crafted in a complementary wood.
Heritage projects benefit from the versatility of new steel windows
One of the many benefits of steel as a window framing material is its versatility. Steel is very malleable, which means it can be configured into a variety of shapes. It is also stronger than any other framing material and therefore able to support vast expanses of glazing, allowing light to flow into a space.
For heritage projects that versatility is appreciated by conservation officers, architects and designers, because using steel often means buildings can be brought up-to-date while simultaneously staying true to the original character of the development.
Read more: Heritage projects benefit from the versatility of new steel windows
St Bart’s goes digital
The parish church of St Bartholomew in Horley, a parish covering Horley town and Gatwick Airport, is a Grade One-listed building, mainly of 14th century origin, although a church has been on the site since the middle of the 12th century.
The building was significantly restored in the early 1880s, with the south aisle added in the early 1900s. Its most notable external feature is its narrow wood-shingled bell turret and spire. More recently, in 1991, two upper rooms were added next to the bell tower which are used for Sunday children’s work, prayer groups and meetings.
SLPTG Apprentice Awards 2020 – winners revealed!
The Steeplejack and Lightning Protection Group (SLPTG) recently held its annual Apprentice Awards, which celebrate apprenticeships within the Steeplejack and Lightning Protection industries. This year the awards were held at DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly on Thursday 5 March.
Secondary glazing provides divine solution for church windows
Feature windows have played a crucial role in church architecture throughout the ages, with shapes and styles changing to fit the trends of the times. Works of art in themselves, they contribute to a church’s majesty, and the ambience they create adds an extra dimension to the experience of worship within.
These often centuries-old features hold us in awe, and the fact that they still stand intact is incredible in itself. Time does take its toll, however, and churches have to find ways of protecting and preserving their windows. Secondary glazing can play an important role in this.
Read more: Secondary glazing provides divine solution for church windows
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