October 2010
Monthly Archive
October 27, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS TO WENDY RIMMINGTON, appointed as new MD of Alban Books with effect from November 1st 2010. Wendy’s appointment follows on from the sad death of former MD, Jane Grounsell, reported here last month.
Wendy’s previous experience includes time with Chambers Harrap, the Penguin Group, the BBC and Christian Aid, as well as in the US marketplace, most recently with Pearson, Boston, where she was involved in e-publishing development.
Commenting on her new role, Wendy said, “Having moved to Edinburgh in 2004 to run Chambers Harrap, after a very happy career at Penguin and the BBC, I am delighted to once again be working so closely with American Publishers and to have the chance to continue Jane’s legacy.”
Speaking on behalf of Alban Books’ Board, Claire VanderKam, Vice President and Treasurer at Eerdmans said, “As Alban turns a page in its history, we are confident that Wendy is the right person to lead us forward. I believe Wendy and Alban Books will be a winning combination.”
October 25, 2010
THAT’S THE QUESTION being asked by Ben Myers after reports “from a reliable source” — but dismissed by one of his commenters as urban myth — of thefts of WWJD bracelets from “one of Australia’s big Christian bookstore chains”.
It’s a good question: what would Jesus steal? A few lost souls from under the nose of a sleeping monster? A lamb, and come out with a lion? I suspect he wouldn’t have too many qualms about robbing a bank these days when the banks have been stealing so much from the rest of us. For sure he’d steal life in the face of death and wouldn’t be ashamed of the scars… and watch out: he might just steal your heart; I know he’s stolen mine.
The sad fact is that no matter how many of our customers are exemplary citizens, there are wolves among the sheep. You have to love this story from mndt on reddit:
Me: “That will be 17.50, please.”
Customer: “Are you a Christian, dear?”
Me: “Why do you ask?”
Customer: “Are you?”
Me: “Well, no. Why do you want to know?”
Customer: “Oh. I would like to be helped by someone else, please.”
Manager: “Good morning ma’am, I hear you’ve been having a problem with the clerk?”
Customer: “Oh, she didn’t make any trouble, it’s just that I don’t want my money to be handled by someone not of the faith. You should be careful, she’ll probably nick from the till when you’re not looking.”
Manager: “You’re right, ma’am, I shall definitely have to reprimand her.”
Me: surprised “What for?”
Manager: “For failing to notice that the lady was not planning on paying for the three Mars bars and the map of Europe she must have put in her bag while you were fetching me.”
(The customer freezes for a second, then looks at her bag.)
Customer: “Good heavens! I must’ve been so distracted I didn’t even notice the devil putting them there!”
Undoubtedly urban myth again, but it does raise the question of security awareness. At LST we only ever had one theft that I could be sure of: a customer brought the IVP Essential Reference Collection CD to the till. I noticed that the tape seal had been cut and sure enough, the CD was missing. We never did find the culprit, who might even now be serving as a church leader somewhere. From then on, that box became a display pack and the actual packs were kept in a secure location.
Other things went missing, of course, but we could never be certain whether or not it was a database error, item misplaced in the shop, goods-in processing error or theft; and even when the annual stock take came around, there was never time to analyse the data to work out where things had gone or mysteriously appeared from. The net difference was usually a few hundred pounds, not in our favour — relative peanuts on a year’s trading, certainly not enough to warrant investing in a hi-tech security system.
But as I thought about the question, What would Jesus steal? I wondered: who would Jesus prosecute? Would Jesus prosecute? Or would he invite the thief to come follow him — to work in the shop with him — to be a key holder, perhaps even appoint the thief as company treasurer? It’s a surefire path to disaster, of course, but Jesus did it, and accepted the consequences.
I wonder how many of us, when push comes to shove, are really up for following Jesus, the man who said, if someone takes your coat, give them your shirt as well? That’s Luke’s version; Matthew’s is different: if someone sues you for your coat, surrender your shirt too. Why does Matthew’s Jesus seem to assume that his followers will be sued?
What’s your shop’s policy on theft, whether it’s theft by staff or by shoplifters? What about security systems and staff training or awareness? Is theft inevitable? Should we as Christian retailers adopt a different way to the world? Or is this an area where we’re all in business together, Christian or otherwise?
What about delaying payments to your suppliers because your bank balance is jittery — is that theft? Or taking refuge behind bankruptcy laws to evade your creditors? Do we have a duty to uphold a legal system that protects corporate thieves but prosecutes private citizens or should we be seeking to overturn it as Jesus once turned over the tables in the temple?
What would Jesus steal? Who would he prosecute? What about you?
October 22, 2010
UNLIKE WOOLWORTHS UK, Woolworths South Africa (a completely separate company) are still going strong, but recently decided to drop religious magazines as part of a business review. The decision sparked outrage amongst Christian customers, with lots of angry comments and counter-comments on the Woolworths SA facebook wall, which led to a rapid reinstatement of the withdrawn titles. Read all about it:
Closer to home, however, it’s Martin Latham at Waterstone’s, Canterbury, who thinks religious publishing is history:
I’m sorry, Pope, but your visit did nothing for my bottom line. I am looking at unsold piles of papal pap, publishers’ poop. You didn’t even do a walkabout in Canterbury and sample mushy peas at the Turkish chippy near the cathedral. Perhaps if the Pontiff had appeared on “Jonathan Ross” to promote Jesus of Nazareth (his 22nd book) it would not be selling for 96p online. And although our own Rowan Williams is more charming than the “I-vill-ask-ze-questions” Bavarian, the archbishop’s famously abstruse works sell badly too.
The whole Reformation battle has come down to the Unacceptable pursuing the Impenetrable. Even Christ-specific shops flounder. SPCK has gone and the St Paul’s Catholic chain only survives by not paying business rates, and using unpaid nuns at the tills.
He continues in similar vein to the bitter end — The God delusion — but is he right? Have religious publications seen their day, or is it rather as “Christian publisher” observes in a comment, simply that Martin is “just not very good at selling them”? If that’s the case, if as most of us claim it’s more about mission than money — if we want to see Christian books available everywhere rather than only in our sector’s niche bookshops — what advice would you offer Martin to help him get over that hurdle? And what can we do to draw more non-Christians into our own shops — to get those books off of our shelves and into readers’ hands?
October 21, 2010
On behalf of Keith Jones Christian Bookshop, Colin Bailey, former manager, writes:
Friends may be interested to know that Mr Keith Jones, the founder of Keith Jones Booksellers in Bournemouth, passed away recently, aged 97.
His career in the Christian book trade began over 50 years ago as manager of the local branch of Pickering & Inglis. When this was closed – and he was made redundant – he started his own small independent store which he managed until his retirement. The shop has grown over the years into one of the largest Christian bookshops in the UK with a local, national and international reputation.
The current partners and staff would like to express their sympathy to the family, and give thanks for his life and the opportunity we have to share in the ministry he started.
Any information, personal experiences and reminiscences regarding his remarkable life would be much appreciated. Please email them to kjinfo AT btconnect.com.
- Keith died in the early hours of Thursday October 14th and the funeral is to be held on October 27th, 2.30pm, at Charminster Chapel, Bournemouth.
October 18, 2010
SO WRITES PAUL IN CANADA at Christian Book Shop Talk, discussing the criteria by which retailers select their suppliers — but is he right? Paul is, of course, addressing Canada’s situation — but how similar is that to ours here in the UK?
Personally I am reluctant to place so much weight on supplier incompetence, although we have seen plenty of that, arrogance too, in recent years: I’ve seen far too much incompetence in terms of ill-informed or over-enthusiastic staff (both extremes are best avoided, methinks) in Christian bookshops themselves to be able to sit comfortably alongside Paul on this one.
Arguing that “we should all reconsider our priorities when deciding where to do our wholesale shopping”, Paul suggests that an important question being missed is:
- Do they have good people?
In other words, are their staff intelligent, insightful people? Are they compassionate and understanding?
Often times the answer is “no,” although it often takes many months to find this out. Many of our suppliers simply did not do well in the hiring process. Many others don’t offer ongoing training.
…I believe in our industry we’re dealing with a number of “bests”
- We have the greatest products by the finest authors and artists
- We have great staff at the retail level in many of our stores
- Our customers — a lot of them good ‘church people’ — represent the nicest people in our communities
No, the weak link(s) in our industry is (and has always been) in the supply chain.
October 14, 2010
Press Release from John Ritchie Ltd, 14/10/10: Carlisle Consolidation (pdf, 1.7mb)
IN A PRESS RELEASE issued this afternoon, John Ritchie Ltd have announced the consolidation of their UK trade operations under one roof at STL Carlisle.
It’s a decision that undoubtedly demonstrates a renewed trade confidence in the company as they have fought to recover from last year’s turmoil under their former owners, Biblica, and reflects well upon all involved in running STL’s distribution and wholesale services this year: congratulations to everyone concerned.
Consolidation of most stock at STL is expected to be completed by mid-October, leaving the Kilmarnock site dedicated to developing the company’s publishing and retail services. Ritchie trade partners who do not have STL accounts will be contacted separately with further information.
Full Press Release:
JOHN RITCHIE LTD – TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT
The past 12 months have been a period of significant growth for the Kilmarnock based company, John Ritchie Limited. As part of its ongoing business development, it acquired Penfold Card & Gift in Bicester, Eikon Bible Art and most recently the STL Distribution business in Carlisle at the start of 2010.
The priority over the first 6 months of this year was to stabilise the distribution business and carry out a strategic review of the new expanded organisation to determine its future direction.
After consultation with a small number of staff in Kilmarnock, John Ritchie Ltd is now proposing to further enhance its service to the UK Christian retail trade by integrating all Ritchie trade distribution operations into the Carlisle warehouse. This re-organisation will enable Ritchie to provide a consolidated ordering facility and more efficient supply of products to its trade customers. The existing Kilmarnock site will focus on developing its Publishing and Retailing functions.
Ken Munro, CEO of John Ritchie Ltd said: “I believe this re-organisation of activities is essential in order to improve efficiency and further enhance the excellent support for all our customers. John Ritchie Publishing enjoys an important heritage within Scotland and Northern Ireland and it is our intention to further support this core market through our retailing and publishing activities. STL Distribution offers unparalleled service levels to the UK Christian book trade. By bringing Ritchie’s stock range into Carlisle we will continue to strengthen and broaden the product range we bring to market.”
The majority of stock will be transferred to Carlisle by mid-October, at which point all order enquiries should be directed to STL Distribution. Further details will follow shortly for Ritchie trade accounts that do not have accounts with STL Distribution.
October 14, 2010
Posted by Phil Groom under
Book News,
News,
People News | Tags:
Andrew Marr,
BBC Radio 4,
Christian theology,
Death,
Hannah's Child,
Mary Warnock,
Public Debate,
SCM Press,
St Paul's Cathedral,
Stanley Hauerwas,
Start the Week |
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Press Release: Stanley Hauerwas, UK Events (pdf, 279kb)
THIS WEEKEND Stanley Hauerwas will be joining us here in the UK for the official launch of his book, Hannah’s Child (9780334043683, SCM Press, £19.99, released in April this year). It’s a hectic schedule including events at the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral and King’s College, London, as well as a debate on Monday morning with Mary Warnock and others on BBC Radio 4′s Start the Week hosted by Andrew Marr. (9.00am, 18/10/2010, repeat at 9.30pm)
For all that, however, this is your invitation to meet him at St Paul’s Cathedral on Tuesday, October 19th, where he’ll be taking part in a public debate with Sr Frances Dominica, founder of the children’s hospice movement. Subject: Death. Scheduled 6:30pm – 8pm. Admission is free and unticketed, doors open at 6.00pm. From the UK events press release:
Death is the great contemporary taboo as well as the great universal. Life must be prolonged at any cost, and some say the new temples in our cities are the great hospitals. But have we lost the art of dying well? And if we found it, how would it change the way we live?
Whether or not you can be there to join in the debate yourself, this promises to be a high profile visit from one of the USA’s leading theologians. Hauerwas is already well known to thousands of UK Christians from giving the keynote speech at Greenbelt this year: he’s about to become even better known. If you haven’t already got Hannah’s Child in stock, now would be a good time to get your orders in…
Hannah’s Child
A Theologian’s Memoir
Stanley Hauerwas
9780334043683 (0334043689)
SCM Press, 2010
£19.99
Trade Orders to Norwich Books & Music or STL UK (out of stock at STL at the time of posting)
Norwich Books & Music on Pubeasy.com
October 13, 2010
Posted by Phil Groom under
Book News,
Guest Posts | Tags:
Biblical Theology,
Christian theology,
Christianity,
Derek Bigg,
Dewcroft Publications,
In Pursuit of the Truth,
LBC,
London School of Theology,
LST,
Meet the Author,
Oak Hill Theological College,
Systematic Theology |
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Derek Bigg
Before leaving LST I had the privilege of meeting Derek Bigg, a former LST (or LBC, as it was in those days) student, who called in at the shop to supply me with stock of his book, In Pursuit of the Truth. It’s a book that has emerged out of a lifetime of faithful and in-depth biblical study, and I invited Derek to tell us his story:
“I’m no theologian.” Have you ever heard anyone say that? Perhaps you’ve even said it yourself – or at least thought it.
My response? You’re certainly a theologian if you’ve grasped the significance of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. And that’s just the beginning. Effectively you become a theologian whenever you make a judgment about the meaning or proper interpretation of Scripture.
The real issue is not whether Christians can be theologians but what kind of theologians they actually are. At one end of the spectrum are those who have a coherent theological system. At the other end are those with a ragbag of uncoordinated ideas. Most of us are somewhere in between.
My own theological journey began in the 1950s as I listened to occasional sermons preached in my North London church by Alan Stibbs and Derek Kidner of Oak Hill Theological College. Then came four years as a student at London Bible College, when Ernest Kevan was Principal, followed by a teaching ministry in Spain and more recently the training of future leaders in Haywards Heath Evangelical Free Church, where I have been a member for many years.
The calibre of our theological thinking will inevitably affect the quality of the end product – what we believe and practise. Consequently our theology should as far as possible be in harmony with the nature, content and structure of the Bible. Is this too daunting? Does the mere thought of such a high ideal scare you to death?
I only have to look at a car engine to feel scared. Why? Because I don’t understand how it works. Is this how you feel about theology? If so, you might find help in my book In Pursuit of the Truth. This spells out how theology works in practice. Using down-to-earth language, it brings into play the insights of two disciplines: Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology. What do they tell us?
Think of an oak tree. This starts life as an acorn and gradually grows to maturity. Similarly, the Bible “grows” little by little from its roots in Genesis to the full splendour of Revelation. The trunk of the biblical tree is the kingdom of God. This is the theme which binds the whole of Scripture together in organic unity. New boughs and branches continually appear, all revealing in some way the progress of God’s kingdom in the world. This is a picture of Biblical Theology. Systematic Theology studies the fully grown tree, classifies by subject-matter what it finds in the trunk, boughs and branches, then arranges these findings to construct a system of Christian doctrine.
The bulk of the book’s first chapter explains and illustrates six principles of Biblical Theology. This section is crucial because it shows how the different parts of Scripture fit together and relate to each other. A sound Systematic Theology operates within this framework. When the two disciplines are working well in tandem, their relevance to everyday life becomes immediately apparent.
In Pursuit of the Truth brings both aspects of theology to bear on five key themes: guidance, the law, the Ten Commandments, work and money. Theology really does contribute significantly to our understanding of such matters. Do you want to know how? Try reading the book. It could make you a better disciple of Jesus Christ…
In Pursuit of the Truth
Learning to Think Biblically: Its Principles and Practice
Derek Bigg
9781873166345 (1873166346)
Dewcroft Publications, 2003
£5.00
Supplied post-free to booksellers, to retail at £5 each, the bookseller to retain £2 per copy.
Available direct for £6 including postage and packing (cheques made payable to D. Bigg) from 41 Barnmead, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1UY (email derekbigg AT hotmail.co.uk).
October 11, 2010
Pauline Books & Media on Songs of Praise, BBC1, 10 October 2010
CONGRATULATIONS to Pauline Books & Media on being featured on BBC Songs of Praise on Sunday 10th October. They appear approximately 21 minutes into the programme, introduced by Pam Rhodes, as part of the episode’s focus on St Paul.
The programme also features the Rt Revd Tom Wright, former Bishop of Durham and, as most readers are no doubt aware, author of many books on Paul and early Christianity.
Watch and enjoy the reminder that ours is a faith of the book, spread by the written word: despite all the challenges faced by the trade right now, Christian bookselling is still alive and well.
October 8, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS to Christian Book Centre, Preston, on becoming the first winner of STL’s Golden Ticket:
CBC Preston win the first Golden Ticket from STL
Nigel from CBC Preston said:
We were overwhelmed with the generous gift that the Gold Envelope represented for us as a business, we offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to STL for this gift.
It is great that we still sell many Bibles from both our shops, so we decided to use the gift to buy in Bibles. The gift of the Gold Award has allowed us to stock up with a broader range of Bibles that can be offered to our customers.
Further congratulations to the runners up:
If you’d like your store to be in with a winning chance, simply keep those orders rolling in to STL. The rules are simple: to be in with a chance for the Golden Ticket, worth £500, place an order for £250 or more; for the Silver Ticket, worth £300, place an order for £150 or more; and for the Bronze, worth £150, place an order for at least £75, the old carriage-free minimum.
Remember, all orders remain carriage-free until further notice from STL.
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