February 25, 2011

News Roundup: Celebrating 10 Years Online | Commentaries Sale at Wesley Owen | More Shops Seeking New Owners | More Than Another Day of Prayer | New Blog for Caritas Music

Posted by Phil Groom under Cardiff, Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops, Christian Music, Independent Booksellers, News, Wesley Owen | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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UK Christian Bookshops Directory: Discover your local Christian bookshop!

Celebrating 10 Years Online!

GOT NEWS? If you have news you’d like to share about your shop or staff, please leave a comment or contact me direct to be included in the next News Roundup…

Don’t want to comment here? Join the conversation on facebook instead…

Celebrating 10 Years Online

THIS YEAR sees both the UK Christian Bookshops Directory and The Good Bookstall celebrating our tenth anniversaries: UKCBD was launched 10 years ago this month, in February 2001, whilst TGB was launched 10 years ago next month, March 2001 — and what an amazing 10 years it’s been!

We’ve seen STL expand its territory, Prayer-of-Jabez style, only to see the whole edifice here in the UK come tumbling down when they did a builder-who-didn’t-count-the-cost routine; we’ve seen the destruction of the SPCK Bookshops chain in the hands of the gruesome twosome, Messrs Phil and Mark Brewer; we’ve seen dozens of independent bookshop closures; and we’ve seen Christian Marketplace go from being a monthly independent magazine to a bi-monthly, surviving only as a subsidiary of another giant, the Premier Christian media empire.

We’ve also seen the phenomenal rise of online Christian bookseller Eden.co.uk, the emergence of the ebook and yet — in the face of all these challenges — many shops rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes of those destructions, an important reminder if ever we needed one that God isn’t interested in our ambitions and empires, no matter how much we persuade ourselves that it’s God’s kingdom we’re building — because our God, the God we meet in Jesus, isn’t ultimately found in huge presences or high profiles but is revealed rather in small and hidden things, babies born in poverty, bookshops in backstreets and market halls, and bookstalls at the back of forgotten churches. We strive for ‘Mission on the High Street’ but God calls us to mission wherever we are, with whatever we have.

5 Quid for Life: A Mental Health Safety Net

5 Quid for Life

At UKCBD, I’m celebrating 10 years with a simple commitment: over the next year a minimum of 10% of all UKCBD income will be donated to the new up-and-coming charity 5 Quid for Life: A Mental Health Safety Net. It’s a project that I’ve been privileged to be part of from the outset, emerging out of a friend’s desperation as she poured out her heart over the disruption the current government’s changes to the UK benefits system would have on her. If you haven’t already done so, read about it here: Welcome to 5 Quid for Life; and if you’d like to make a donation, you can do so here: 5quidforlife.org.uk/#donate

For further reflections on the changes the last ten years have wrought, see Mary Bartholomew’s latest Good Bookstall editorial; and as we celebrate 10 years online, congratulations must also go to Luke Bunger and his team at one of those small independents, The Hub, Walsall, as they celebrate their first anniversary after surviving the collapse of Wesley Owen … talking of which…

Commentaries Sale at Wesley Owen

THANK YOU to Wesley Owen Birmingham for letting me know about their commentaries sale: 25% off all commentaries; but anyone wanting a slice of the cake needs to move fast — offer ends tomorrow, Saturday 26th February. Available from all branches and online too!

Meanwhile congratulations are due to the inimitable David Chant, former WO Birmingham branch manager, who has moved on into ‘semi-retirement’ from where he should be able to spend a little more time promoting Planet BB. Have you ordered your stock yet? David’s itching to hear from you…

More Shops Seeking New Owners

CHRISTIAN BOOKSHOPS seeking new owners seems to be a trending topic at the moment. This time around we have two, The Ark, Lymington, and Cardiff Christian Bookshop.

The Ark, Lymington

Shop For Sale: The Ark, Lymington

THE ARK is a Christian Bookshop and Café which opened its doors in 2004 and has gone on to serve the local community and churches ever since, but owner Ginny Ayling now wishes to retire and hand on the business to someone else: sale price £325,000, Freehold. Could that someone be you or someone you know?

The shop is well loved and supported by the local people. Describing the shop, the Revd Peter Salisbury, Vicar of Lymington, said:

The Ark is an important part of the Christian outreach in Lymington and is an excellent central meeting place. All the volunteers are from the local churches and the bookshop gives advice and an ordering service, which we use for our personal and church orders. The Café, which is always buzzing at lunchtime, has a very high reputation and offers friendly and personal service plus gorgeous food – I’m usually in there about once a week!

Download the Particulars of Sale or an A4 Sale Poster (both pdfs) if you’d like to know more or would like to help promote the sale.

CARDIFF CHRISTIAN BOOKSHOP is currently owned and operated by the Evangelical Movement of Wales, who have reluctantly concluded that they can no longer support the shop. From the shop’s February Prayer Letter:

The Evangelical Movement of Wales has decided most reluctantly that it must bring its support of the Cardiff Christian Bookshop to an end. This is most regrettable since it has been such a witness in the heart of the city for almost 50 years. It is, however, very keen that the work and witness should continue and would actively invite Churches and other interested Christian groups to assume responsibility for it and to come forward with proposals for its future operation. The Movement is continuing to own and support the shop in the short term and the business will continue to function as usual.

The business costs around £55,000 per year to run in terms of staffing, rent and other expenses: download the February Prayer Letter (pdf) if you’d like to know more.

More Than Another Day of Prayer

8 Days of Prayer: Launching a Season of Prayer for Christian Retail in the UK

8 Days of Prayer: Launching a Season of Prayer for Christian Retail in the UK (pdf, 90kb)

JOY MCILROY of Ashburnham Books has been busy liaising with Clem Jackson at Christian Marketplace to draw up plans for another Day of Prayer for the trade — but this year it’s more than a day of prayer: the vision is for a season of prayer to run through Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday, 9th March. Announcement here: Day of Prayer for Christian Trade.

The announcement suggests sharing plans via the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group. Should you choose to do so, please note that that is a closed group, set up specifically to facilitate discussion within the trade away from the public eye — in other words, not the best forum to use if you wish to engage with others beyond the trade…

As with previous occasions I’ll be updating this site’s Day of Prayer page with news and updates as and when they emerge: please do feel free to post details of any plans there and to point members of the general public in that direction.

New Blog for Caritas Music

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, another birthday this month as Caritas Music turned 13 back on February 2nd and have now launched a brand new bright-and-shiny blog for Caritas Music / Eschenbach Editions, where you’ll soon find all the latest news appearing from these two independent music publishers.

Looking Back…

 

September 3, 2010

Day of Prayer #3

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Bookshops, People News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Praying HandsTODAY, Friday 3rd September 2010, is our third Day of Prayer for the Christian book and retail trade, and there’s lots to be thankful for as well as to pray for. For details of meetings at various venues around the country, please see the facebook event page; but regardless of where you are — whether on your own or with others — please take some time out today to remember Christian authors, agents, booksellers and publishers in your prayers.

  • May each of us, from our different vantage points, come to understand that we are all in this ministry together, serving the same Lord and working for God’s Kingdom. May we never seek to gain unfair competitive advantage over one another but may we instead seek opportunities to support one another in love.

Please continue to pray especially for Mike Norbury as he comes to terms with the recent loss of his wife, Jackie. Mike writes:

Will you please thank all the (literally) hundreds of people in this great trade of ours who sent messages of prayer and condolence by card, letter, Facebook and e-mail. It was like being carried on a wonderful bed of feathers lifting me above what could have easily been a bed of nails.

My request for prayer now is that:

  1. I will be able, eventually, be able to come to terms with her leaving me at such a young age – just 48. Even though I know she’s in the loving arms of our Saviour and rejoicing with Him for eternity It is so hard.
  2. That God will continue to put His loving arms around us all as we get used to life without Jackie, especially her family in Bolton (and a sister in the USA) who are heartbroken.
  3. That the good work He started through Jackie will continue – already her testimony is changing lives.

Let’s also pray for:

  • Living Oasis Croydon seeking suitable premises after losing the lease on the former Wesley Owen store to another company.
  • Shops and other businesses struggling to make ends meet. In particular, please pray for LST Books & Resources and my colleague Nick Aston as he prepares to take on responsibility for the shop after my departure on 16th Sept; and for me as I focus on developing UKCBD and this blog post-LST; and the poor unfortunates at Sainsbury’s, Biggleswade, who will be contending with my presence on a part-time basis as I seek financial stability.
  • Durham Cathedral Shop: the story is far from over as staff adjust to new working relationships. Please pray for the Cathedral authorities as they struggle to come to terms with their complicity in staff mistreatment; the tribunal process seeking justice and compensation; and the Brewer brothers as they continue to evade justice: may there be a fair outcome for all.
  • STL UK as they continue to rebuild trust with their trading partners at both ends of the supply chain: publishers, other suppliers and retailers alike; the former STL staff whose roles were made redundant, and the staff now working under a new regime.
  • All other businesses and individuals still struggling in the aftermath of Biblica’s withdrawal from the UK Christian trade last year; for Biblica themselves as they have yet to acknowledge or show signs of repentance for the damage done.
  • Eden.co.uk as their business continues to grow and they explore ideas for working creatively alongside the rest of us.
  • Hymns Ancient & Modern and St Andrew Press seeking a way forward for Church of Scotland publishing.

For more prayer points and a good overview of the current state of play in the Christian book trade, please see GLO Bookshop’s note, Day of Prayer for UK Christian Bookshops Friday 3rd September 2010

Let’s be thankful for:

There’s much more we could be offering prayer and praise for, of course: these are just a few things off the top of my head as I write this post: thank you for reading and thank you for praying.

Looking back:

 

August 9, 2010

Day of Prayer Update and Reminder

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings | Tags: , , , , |
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Praying HandsTHANKS to Andrew Lacey of GLO Bookshop, Motherwell, for his timely reminder over the weekend that our next Day of Prayer is looming closer: Friday 3rd September 2010.

I’ve updated the page logo with the date (hi-res version here) and following Joy McIlroy’s example from last time, have set up a facebook event page: please feel free to post details of events and/or points for praise or prayer here, on the Day of Prayer page, or there as appropriate.

If you and/or your shop are not on facebook yet, why not take this opportunity to join or create a page, use it to connect with your customers and help spread the word? There are several Christian book trade groups you can get involved with:

twitter On twitter? Tweet it out!

Shout Out to Christian Authors

Are you a Christian author who has written about prayer? Then why not seize this opportunity to liaise with your local Christian bookshop, to support the shop and promote your book at the same time by offering to lead or co-ordinate a Day of Prayer event — to make it more than a prayer meeting by spending some time exploring and reflecting upon what prayer is all about?

A Personal Request

Thank you to everyone who has expressed concern over the current situation at LST as well as for my assistant, Nick, and myself as we face an uncertain future. Please continue to pray:

  • for us, for grace as we feel our way forward, both for ourselves and the shop;
  • for those at LST who have the unenviable task of implementing staff cuts;
  • for me, for wisdom as I seek the way forward for UKCBD and this blog.
 

July 15, 2010

Day of Prayer, 3rd Sept 2010

Posted by Phil Groom under Announcements, Info | Tags: , |
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Praying HandsANOTHER Day of Prayer has been called for across the Christian retail trade, date agreed Friday 3rd September 2010 as announced at the Retailers and Suppliers Retreat held in May.

As with the last two Days of Prayer, the Day of Prayer page here will be updated nearer the time and available for specific prayer requests and notices to be posted. The focus of the day is intended to be on local issues, providing an ideal opportunity to liaise with local churches for mutual support.

As noted in Christian Marketplace, details of proposed meetings may also be posted via the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group, but please note that is a private group: information posted there will not be available to non-members.

 

March 26, 2010

Day of Prayer for the Christian Book Trade #dayofprayer

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings | Tags: |
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Praying HandsTODAY, Friday 26th March 2010, is our second national Day of Prayer for the Christian book trade.

Meetings and prayer times — detailed on the Day of Prayer page — are taking place in Christian bookshops and other venues all around the country, with facebook event pages set up by some of the shops involved:

Please pray for:

  • STL’s IT team as they complete preparations to switch back from SAP to Informix
  • Ray George, Andy Twilley and everyone involved in the Living Oasis project
  • Steve Briars and the Christian Resources Together team as they finalise plans for the High Leigh Retreat and the Retailers Day at CRE, Sandown Park
  • Independent booksellers, especially those just starting up after the collapse of Wesley Owen: The Hub, Walsall, and Falkirk Christian Bookshop
  • Staff with CLC and Koorong adjusting to being under new management and ownership
  • People who have lost their jobs in the recent chaos
  • Clem Jackson and the team at Christian Marketplace
  • Publishers seeking wisdom as they decide what to publish
  • Authors and other writers seeking inspiration
  • Agents as they work with authors and publishers
  • Book reviewers seeking to give fair and honest appraisals

Those are just a few points off the top of my head: comments are open as always for you to post your own specific prayer requests along with points for praise and thanksgiving.

On a personal note, I’d be grateful for your prayers, please, as I continue spring cleaning the Directory and working my way through a veritable avalanche of update requests. By the time it’s over more than 300 entries will have been updated. If you haven’t checked your shop’s entry yet, please do so and let me know if any changes are needed. If there’s no date against your entry, it hasn’t been updated since 2008, possibly earlier…

As with last year, if you’re tweeting the Day of Prayer, please use the hashtag #dayofprayer

twitter Tweet this page

 

February 8, 2010

Day of Prayer: 26th March 2010

Posted by Phil Groom under Announcements, Christian Bookshops, News | Tags: , , , |
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Praying HandsCross-posted from Christian Marketplace:

Following the success of the first Day of Prayer last September, it is proposed to hold a second Day of Prayer for the UK Christian trade on Friday 26th March 2010.

The plan is for all parts of the Christian media industry, retailers, suppliers, distributors and customers, to gather together on that day to pray for our trade at a time, and in places, to suit as many people as possible.

Joy McIlroy, from Ashburnham bookshop, who started the ball rolling last year over the internet said, “Further to the recent Christian Resources Together Consultation Day and the break-up of IBS-STL UK, we felt it was right to come together once again in prayer to thank God for his provision and to seek his guidance as we move forward together.”

The suggestion is that the focus of prayer should be for all aspects of the trade as we seek to move forward post-Biblica – but with a special focus on the local Christian bookshop.

Clem Jackson, editor of ‘Christian Marketplace’, said, “At the Consultation Day we were challenged to pray for our trade, more regularly, and to listen to what God is saying to us. The Day of Prayer last September caught the imagination and attention of people in a way which I know surprised us all and is something which I believe we must continue with.”

In addition to the Day of Prayer for the trade, by the trade, it is hoped to open this up to the church at large by asking local churches to pray for the trade and particularly their local Christian bookshop, during their services on 28th March (Palm Sunday).

“The issue of local Christian bookshop has been the subject of articles in many local publications and even ‘The Times’ (‘The call goes out to keep Jesus on the High Street’ – Timesonline 17th January),” said Jackson. “We need to tap into, and develop, this increased awareness and get local congregations ‘on board’.”

This initiative provides another opportunity for bookshop managers to make contact with local church leaders and seek their support. “We suggest that bookshop managers contact their local church leaders with prayer pointers etc. to help this process,” said Jackson. “But equally, church leaders who are readers of this magazine are urged to take this initiative on themselves.”

Those who are able to host prayer events on 26th March are asked to contact the UK Christian Bookshops blog (http://christianbookshopsblog.org.uk/) to communicate their plans and also use Facebook and Twitter to get the message out.

As with last year’s Day of Prayer, a dedicated page has been set up for discussions relating to the day. If you plan to host an event, at your bookshop or elsewhere, please leave details in the comments on that page.

 

December 23, 2009

Tidying Up: Jobs page added; Day of Prayer page archived

Posted by Phil Groom under Announcements, Info | Tags: , , , |
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Jobs Page Added

Given recent developments, it’s inevitable that some people will be seeking new jobs. With those people in mind, I’ve added a new page: Jobs. It’s open to all Christian employers and prospective employees to exchange details subject to acceptance of the following terms, cited on the page:

Please note that no endorsement of any person or organisation is implied. Any relationship or transaction established between you and any other party exists only between you and that party: it is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that the other party meets your requirements. By posting here, you agree that you accept these terms and that you accept full responsibility and liability for any information that you provide.

The page’s usefulness is entirely your call. It is offered free of charge, but donations towards the costs of running UKCBD are always welcome: please get in touch if you’d like to contribute.

Day of Prayer Page Archived

We still need to keep one another in prayer, of course, and I hope that the new year will present us with new opportunities for co-ordinated prayer, but for now I’ve archived the Day of Prayer page under What’s On > Day of Prayer

 

September 5, 2009

Day of Prayer: Thank you – please continue to pray #dayofprayer

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings | Tags: , , |
[2] Comments 

Thank you to everyone who took part in Friday’s Day of Prayer.

This facebook note from GLO Bookshop seems, to me, to capture the spirit of the day:

Thanks to those who joined us during our morning prayer time, and also at the ‘Blokes Tour’ event in the evening, where we spent a time praying for the present difficult position for the Uk Christian Book Trade. We were also encouraged to give thanks for the current positive trading position at the Bookshop in Motherwell, and thanks is due to all the staff & volunteers who work so hard to put us in that postio. [sic]

Please keep praying for us, and other Bookshops up & down the country!

I was encouraged throughout the day by the #dayofprayer twitter stream, some of which I’ve copied below: my personal thanks to everyone who tweeted it out; and in response to Eddie Olliffe’s question in the stream I’d say, it doesn’t take a crisis to persuade us to pray (most of us, I suspect, are praying most of the time), but it does seem to take a crisis to bring us together!

Please feel free to leave feedback on how the day went for you either on this thread or on the Day of Prayer page; and please be sure to send your comments to Joy McIlroy, the Day of Prayer co-ordinator (dayofprayer AT christianbookshops.org.uk) and/or to Amy Boucher Pye (boucherpye AT ntlworld.com).


  1. 075_normal    eddieolliffe Today’s #dayofprayer for the Christian retail trade was worthwhile and well supported. So why does it take a crisis to persuade us to pray?about 13 hours ago from web
  2. Authmed_normalauthenticmedia Christian shops are an extension of the church, not just another retail outlet. #dayofprayerabout 20 hours ago from Seesmic
  3. Wesleyowen-1_normalwowalsall It has been suggested that we will take some time to pray at about 3:00 PM. Please feel free to join us in about an hour. #dayofprayerabout 20 hours ago from web
  4. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks @Christian_Life #Dayofprayer for the UK Christian Book Trade – please pass this info on and join with us in this. http://bit.ly/aj8C5about 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
  5. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks @Christian_Life #dayofprayer for the UK Christian Book Trade – please let others know and join with usabout 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
  6. Patriotic_normalgarethwrussell “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” Saint Augustine #dayofprayerabout 22 hours ago from web
  7. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks #FollowFriday this one is not a tweep but still worth the follow – its a hash! - #dayofprayerabout 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
  8. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks Actaully very likely #dayofprayer in one way at the least as they are all people I’d emailed and FB the day before to remind them of today!about 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
  9. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks Have arranged a bookstall for 13th October! have had someone come in to talk about an article in Methodist linc-it, could it be #dayofprayerabout 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
  10. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks #dayofprayer must be working: 10am when I was set to join 2gether in prayer the counter was surrounded with people & had to wait till 10.30!about 23 hours ago from TweetDeck
  11. Utb_gen_normalunicorntreebks #dayofprayer for the Uk Christian Book Trade today – please join with us.about 23 hours ago from TweetDeck
  12. Green_6357_dscf0889e_normalcornerstonebks 7 of us began the day with prayer. Felt healthy and positive. #dayofprayerabout 23 hours ago from web
  13. Default_profile_normalperivalebooks rt @LSTBookshop Today’s the Day! The UK Christian Retail Day of Prayer: please pray with us!http://bit.ly/aj8C5 #dayofprayerabout 23 hours ago from web
  14. Martin_2_normalmdeadman rt @LSTBookshop Today’s the Day! The UK Christian Retail Day of Prayer: please pray with us!http://bit.ly/aj8C5 #dayofprayerabout 23 hours ago from web
  15. Wo-twitter_normalwesleyowen Today in the UK people are gathering for a#dayofprayer for the Christian book trade,please remember this important ministry in your prayersabout 23 hours ago from web
  16. Lstbookshop_normalLSTBookshop Today’s the Day! The UK Christian Retail Day of Prayer: please pray with us! http://bit.ly/aj8C5#dayofprayerabout 24 hours ago from web
  17. Patriotic_normalgarethwrussell “anything is possible”, “equal & opposite”, “we’re in this together”, I’m inspired by this track todayhttp://tiny.cc/TlZFB #dayofprayerabout 24 hours ago from web
  18. Philgreen_normalnotbovvered If you tweet today’s Day of Prayer, please use the hashtag #dayofprayer – thank you! h/t@garethwrussell http://bit.ly/aj8C5 #fb1 day ago from web
  19. Patriotic_normalgarethwrussell praying for the industry as a part of the national day of prayer #dayofprayer1 day ago from web
  20. Patriotic_normalgarethwrussell listening Imogen Heap song with the lyrics, “We’re In This Together”…appropriate considering tomorrows industry Day of Prayer #dayofprayer1 day ago from Seesmic
 

September 4, 2009

Day of Prayer: Today’s the Day!

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings | Tags: , |
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Day of Prayer Suggestions (pdf, 98kb)

Day of Prayer Suggestions (pdf, 98kb)

Today, Friday 4th September 2009, is the UK Christian Retail Day of Prayer.

Please see Day of Prayer Gathers Momentum and the Day of Prayer Worksheet (pdf, 98kb) for specific prayer points.

Please send feedback and reflections from the day to Joy McIlroy, the Day of Prayer co-ordinator (dayofprayer AT christianbookshops.org.uk) and/or to Amy Boucher Pye (boucherpye AT ntlworld.com), who is compiling an article about the day for Christian Marketplace magazine.

  • If you tweet about the Day of Prayer, please use the hashtag #dayofprayer to help track the conversation. Thank you, and thanks to @garethwrussell for starting that ball rolling.
 

September 3, 2009

Day of Prayer: One day to go!

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Bookshops, Guest Posts | Tags: , |
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The message below was sent out by Joy McIlroy yesterday afternoon, Wednesday 2nd September. My apologies for the delay in posting it here: two days are, of course, now down to one.

Day of Prayer Suggestions (pdf, 98kb)

Day of Prayer Suggestions (pdf, 98kb)

2 days to go!

This is just a reminder that there are just 2 days until our Day of Prayer for UK Christian Retail. I am encouraged to know that there are many of you meeting throughout the country (and beyond!) to spend time committing our work to God and asking for his help in our difficult situations and to provide us with fresh vision going forward.

Attached is a document that may help you as you gather to pray, it is just a collection of thoughts to get you going!

I would encourage you to continue to keep an eye on http://christianbookshopsblog.org.uk/day-of-prayer, in particular there is a list of venues that are hosting prayer meetings. It is not too late to add your venue to the list so get in touch!

I have noted at the bottom of the document that any feedback you can give us would be gratefully received so that we can report back on the day. Please email with details of who met, where you met, how you chose to express your prayers and also any words that you would like to share with the rest of us. I am believing that God will choose this time to speak to us, so any of your with prophetic giftings get your ears ready!

I would also like to reiterate that any who can join us at Ashburnham Place between 5-7pm in the prayer centre for prayer and worship would be most welcome. There is a little crowd of us already but it would be great to see many more!

We come with great expectations…

Joy McIlroy
Ashburnham Bookshop
Day of Prayer Coordinator

 

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