For centuries people have wondered what happens when we die.
Is there life after death?
If heaven exists, what can we know about it?
Who will be in heaven and how can we get there?
Some questions about heaven cannot be answered in this life.
But what God has revealed in the Bible gives us hope for the future.
Through her writing and speaking, Catherine Butcher draws on Christian scriptures to explore the questions many people have about what lies beyond this life.
In 2021 the YouGov Death Study
found that only 33% of Britons say they believe in an afterlife.
IMPRESSIONS OF HEAVEN
Catherine is developing a suite of
Impressions of Heaven resources
that aim to help individuals
and churches to be confident
about the heavenly home
that Jesus promises
to prepare for his people.
IMPRESSIONS OF HEAVEN
– the book
Impressions of Heaven explores the glimpses of heaven we have throughout the Bible - from Eden to the heavenly city.
The Bible book of Ecclesiastes says God has set eternity in human hearts.
Impressions of Heaven helps readers to identify the eternal longings we all have and
points to the person of Jesus and the heavenly kingdom he is establishing.
Ideal for:
✓ Personal encouragement
✓ Church teaching and discussion groups
✓ Anyone seeking a clearer understanding of heaven
The book Impressions of Heaven was originally published as What You Always
Wanted to Know About Heaven… But Were Afraid To Ask (CWR, 2007). It
was revised and re-published in a beautifully illustrated format as a limited edition for guests at Catherine’s mother’s funeral.
Impressions of Heaven
velvet soft cover, 64 pages of full colour.
This unique MUSICAL performance explores perceptions of heaven and points towards the hope-filled promise of new life in the joy of new creation.
It’s a great event to invite friends and family who are open to exploring the Christian faith.
First performed in 1997 and most recently in 2025, City of Gold includes the poetry and prose of Adrian Plass, plus music by Phil Baggaley, Mark Edwards, Julie
Costello and others.
You can stage your own version!
Many of the original cast are available to present the event in cities around the UK.
Anyone planning to organise a production in their area can have access to CDs, the
City of Gold script, lyrics, musical scores, and backing tracks.
'City of God is a powerful and moving musical that stirs the soul and lifts the eyes towards heaven. I was deeply honoured to be part of its original presentation and wholeheartedly commend it to all
- come expectant!’
J.John, evangelist
Resources
HOW TO USE THEM
• Impressions of Heaven - the book
• City of Gold - the musical
• Impressions of Heaven - a gift book
• Impressions of Heaven - a 4-week course
• Impressions of Heaven - a sermon series
Each of the Impressions of Heaven resources can stand alone or alongside City of
Gold - the musical.
Churches might choose to
• Explore the book Impressions of Heaven
• Host the 4-week course to equip the congregation
• Run the sermon series
• Stage City of Gold - the musical
• Give away Impressions of Heaven - the gift book
• Offer a follow-up course for City of Gold guests
What readers said about What You Always Wanted to Know About Heaven…
Catherine Butcher tackles a tricky and often confusing subject in a short,
easy-to-read book…
Don’t be deceived by the size of the book
and the conversational tone;
the author has researched thoroughly
and covered a great deal of ground.’
Wendy Mason,
Evangelical Now
Catherine Butcher
is a prolific author and communicator.
She contributes regularly to radio and TV programmes and speaks at women’s breakfasts, conferences and retreats.
Topics have included the faith of Queen Elizabeth II,
Heaven, and World War I heroine Edith Cavell.
She co-wrote (with Mark Greene)
The Servant Queen and the King She Serves
—a gift book
which sold 1.3 million copies
to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday;
the foreword was written by the late Queen herself.
Newspaper-trained, her books include:
• 40 Stories of Hope
(the 2018 Lent book for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland)
• God’s Rescue Plan
(part of CWR’s Cover to Cover Bible study series)
• The Cox’s Book of Modern Saints & Martyrs
(with Baroness Caroline Cox)
• Edith Cavell:
Faith Before the Firing Squad (Monarch, 2015)
She was editor of Bible Reading Fellowship’s devotional series
Day by Day with God
for 10 years and was the founding editor
of the Mothers’ Union magazines Families
First and Families Worldwide.
She has also edited The Christian Counsellor,
Renewal magazine,
Woman Alive, and consumer titles for the Co-op and BP.
She holds a Master’s in Christian Spirituality from
Heythrop College, University of London,
is a member of the General Synod of the Church of England
and a Reader at her local church, where she preaches regularly.
