March 30, 2011

Living Oasis Harrow: Message to Churches: Please pray…

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Bookshops, Info | Tags: , , , , |
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IN MY LAST REPORT I mentioned that local church leaders had been notified of the closure of Living Oasis Harrow by email. This is that message, now also posted on facebook:

We’re Closing

Dear Friends

It is with heartfelt regret that I need to inform you that the Harrow branch of Living Oasis is closing. Our last trading day will be Saturday 2nd April. Please find attached a poster to display on your Church noticeboard.

We believe that the Lord had a purpose and a vision for the shop and we have tried to take this forward but, unfortunately, the number of customers coming through the doors since the closure of Wesley Owen has halved and there is simply not enough trade for us to be able to continue.

I know of at least 13 Christian bookshops that have closed since the beginning of the year. The Harrow branch is the 8th Living Oasis shop to close. Please pray for the future of Christian bookshops and the ministry they provide and, also, for the staff here as we begin to seek the Lord for our futures and try to secure new jobs. Please also remember our loyal volunteers who have given their time and talents to support this work.

We are very thankful for the support you have given us during a difficult time.

Blessings

Pauline

Pauline Banks, Manager
Moira Hornik, Senior Sales Assistant

 

March 26, 2011

Living Oasis Crisis Continues: Farewell to Harrow and Southampton

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Bookshops, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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ONLY TWO WEEKS after celebrating its first birthday, Living Oasis Harrow is closing down. The news emerged yesterday via facebook as staff and former staff posted status updates about becoming unemployed and expressing concern; local church leaders were notified by email. The branch ceases trading next weekend.

Living Oasis Locations as of 26 March 2011: only 12 stores will remain after next weekend

Living Oasis Locations as of 26 March 2011: only 12 stores will remain after next weekend

Living Oasis Southampton also appears to have closed down, having been quietly deleted from the official list of branches (screenshot opposite) which now shows only 13 stores, including Harrow, out of the original 20 (or 19, discounting Croydon)

No official public announcement appears to have been made about either branch by Nationwide Christian Trust, the company’s owners, and rather than respond to my enquiries, Andy Twilley has taken the interesting step of blocking me on facebook and has instructed staff not to speak to me and to restrict my access to their facebook pages. Comments I left on the Leeds and Liverpool pages requesting prayer for staff at the stores facing closure have been removed and I have been blocked from leaving further comments.

Please Pray…

Please continue to pray for the staff affected by this turmoil as those who remain face continuing uncertainty whilst those whose stores have been closed or are closing face unemployment.

Please also pray for Andy Twilley, Ray George and all others at Nationwide Christian Trust as they seek the best way forward for the organisation.

Finally, please pray for me as I seek wisdom and grace both for my reporting and in my response to the information restrictions currently imposed by Living Oasis.

Looking Back: Living Oasis Harrow's facebook photos - shop opening

Looking Back: Living Oasis Harrow's facebook photos - shop opening

 

March 12, 2011

News Roundup: Covenant Books, Preston, Reopens | J Marr Seafoods Sponsors Jacob’s Well | Living Oasis Prayer Line on facebook | Love Wins – or does it? | Small Publishers featured in STL Trade Emails

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Bookshops, News, STL | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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BBC News, Lancashire: Christian bookshop in Preston gets lifeline

BBC News, Lancashire: Christian bookshop in Preston gets lifeline

Covenant Books, Preston, Reopens

CONGRATULATIONS to all involved in the recent resurrection of Covenant Books, Preston!

The usual story of financial constraints ended with the shop’s closure on Christmas Eve last year, but the shop’s trustees have now agreed that the shop can reopen with volunteer help, subject to review after 6 months.

Describing the shop’s difficulties to BBC Lancashire, Annie Colbert, who founded and still runs the shop, explained the cashflow problems involved in having to stock up for Christmas as early as February but then having to pay for the stock in August, long before eventually selling the stock during the Christmas period. Suppliers, facing their own financial pressures, were largely unwilling or unable to wait until stock had sold through.

J Marr Seafoods Sponsors Jacob’s Well

Fish News: J Marr sponsors Jacob's Well

Fish News: J Marr sponsors Jacob's Well

CONGRATULATIONS to Jacob’s Well, Beverley, on receiving sponsorship from J Marr Seafoods for their next container’s shipping costs to Ghana:

J. Marr (Seafoods) has strong trading links with Africa and particularly Ghana where the Jacob’s Well Appeal is working with a Ghana-registered NGO called FREED. They have asked for help in sending medicines and equipment to the Upper North West part of the country; it is the poorest part of Ghana and subsequently sterilisers, dental equipment, anaesthetic equipment and many other useful items and medicines were sent. Books and sports equipment were also provided for local schools in the area.

Read the full story: J.Marr sponsors Jacob’s Well appeal

LivingOasis Prayerline

LivingOasis Prayerline

Living Oasis Prayer Line on facebook

LIVING OASIS have launched a new profile and page on facebook:

As I prepare this post, both are looking rather lonely with only 15 friends and 8 likes respectively, so head on over there, send your friend request and hit that like button: you know you want to!

Living Oasis prayer line

Living Oasis prayer line

Neither the profile nor the page give any indication of who in the organisation is behind them or whether these particular facebook presences are intended for mutual support within the organisation, to garner prayer support from outside or to offer prayer support for others. It may well be all three: all are certainly needed and to be warmly welcomed.

Most, possibly all, Living Oasis stores now have their own facebook pages, with Leeds and Liverpool both using the new company logo but still reporting delays to opening as their “Phase Two” development and refurbishment works continue.

Love Wins – or does it?

HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE AN EVANGELICAL SCORCHED, it seems, and John Piper, the USA’s guardian of evangelical orthodoxy, evidently felt the heat rising in his veins as he learnt about a video promoting Rob Bell’s forthcoming book from Zondervan/HarperCollins, Love Wins. Rob’s offence: to dare to suggest that God’s love might actually win out in the end, that God’s grace might reach further than Christian tradition would have us believe. Search Google for John Piper Rob Bell Love Wins and you’ll soon begin to feel the heat yourself as the message that emerges seems to be, “See how these Christians love to hate one another.”

Whether or not you believe Universalism to be a valid evangelical take on truth, the evangelical take on truth is far from universal in the Christian church. Only you, gentle bookseller, can decide whether or not to stock a book that has been so roundly condemned and yet which seems to hold out such an awesome message of hope for humanity. Personally speaking, I’d go for it and welcome the dialogue. To help you decide, however, some wise words from Krish Kandiah, a review by Greg Boyd, a suggestion for further reading, the video itself and, last but not least, full details of the book, due later this month:

Love Wins

Love Wins
Rob Bell

9780007420735
Zondervan/HarperCollins, March 2011
£14.99

Available to order from STL Distribution

Small Publishers featured in STL Trade Emails

Worth A Look: St Mark's Press

Worth A Look: St Mark's Press

AND FINALLY FOR THIS ROUNDUP, congratulations to St Mark’s Press, featured in a new section of STL’s weekly trade email, “Worth a Look!”

The section, which showcases some lesser known publishers, has been added to give retailers more information about the range of publishers STL carries. This time around the feature highlights Today’s Issues and Christian Beliefs by Simon and Christopher Danes: the original edition published by Lion sold over 100,000 copies; this new edition has been completely revised and updated to tie in with GCSE Religious Studies requirements.

Previous Reports (most recent first)

 

March 9, 2011

STL UK: Up to 30 staff face redundancy as first fiscal year yields poorer results than anticipated

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Suppliers, News, STL | Tags: , , , , , |
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Trade Announcement from John Ritchie Ltd 08/03/2011 (pdf, 53kb)

Trade Announcement from John Ritchie Ltd 08/03/2011 (pdf, 53kb)

STL DISTRIBUTION, CARLISLE, have entered another consultation period with staff, this time in which up to 30 — just under one quarter — of the 124-strong workforce face redundancy as the company comes to terms with poorer financial results than anticipated over the last year.

All Carlisle based staff have had face to face meetings with senior management and departmental representatives are being appointed for ongoing consultations. It is hoped that a significant proportion of the reductions will be achieved through voluntary redundancy, but approximately 15% of the workforce is likely to face compulsory redundancy once the consultation period ends in April. For all concerned, however, the situation marks yet another traumatic phase in the company’s recent history.

In a trade announcement issued yesterday, CEO Ken Munro reviews some of the challenges faced by the company over the past year, noting that the trade overall is in a period of transition as it struggles with a continuing decline in high street sales combined with increased internet trading and the emergence of new technologies:

… the trade in which we operate is experiencing a period of very significant transition. A combination of a continued decline in overall High street sales, the proliferation of internet traders and the rapid evolution and implementation of new technologies have driven unprecedented change, challenges and opportunities within our sector.

In addition to the factors noted above the prevailing general economic climate combined with unusually harsh winter weather in December has exacerbated the many difficulties that the Trade was facing. STL distribution was not immune from these difficulties and as a result revenues for 2010 were less than planned. As a consequence we face important challenges as we enter the second fiscal year of ownership, challenges which will be addressed in order to secure the future success of the business.

In light of the issues outlined above we are throughout the month of March conducting a consultation with our staff to ensure that we effectively manage costs and importantly, align our business and competencies to a rapidly re-shaping industry landscape.

The company expects to emerge from the consultation in a strong enough position to rise to future opportunities with a clear focus on delivering the best possible customer service and supplier partnership.

The announcement closes with a call to prayer:

Please remember all staff within the group in your prayers as we move through this process.

  • My thanks to Pete Barnsley at STL for providing this information.
 

March 8, 2011

Living Oasis: Ray George speaks to the Bookseller

Posted by Phil Groom under News | Tags: , , , , |
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Don’t want to comment here? Join the conversation on facebook instead
(or as well…).

IN A REPORT POSTED YESTERDAY by the Bookseller, Ray George has spoken briefly about the current state of play at Living Oasis, dismissing concerns that staff were given little notice of the closures:

The Bookseller: Five Living Oasis stores to close

Five Living Oasis stores to close

Ray George, chairman of trustees for Living Oasis and head of the Nationwide Christian Trust, said that managers of the affected bookshops were warned in October that if trade didn’t pick up he would have no choice but to close them.

“We said the shops had to sustain themselves to be safe from closure, staff were well aware of that,” he told The Bookseller. “The shops that were closed were losing £40-50,000 each a year and we just cannot afford to keep sustaining that, we had to make that decision.”

Hope that trade would pick up in the weeks before Christmas was not borne out, he added.

The closures bring the number of Living Oasis stores nationwide from 19 to 14, with George adding that further closures would depend on the result of “dialogue” between Living Oasis and church leaders in the coming weeks.

The statement adds to the uncertainty hanging over the remaining shops apart from Leeds and Liverpool, where “Phase Two” developments are in progress.

Please pray:

  • For staff who have lost their jobs
  • For staff at the remaining shops as they face an uncertain future
  • For the churches which Living Oasis hopes to engage in “dialogue”
  • For increased transparency and clearer communications both within Living Oasis and in the company’s external relations
  • For suppliers to the shops facing loss of business
  • For Andy Twilley and Ray George…
 

March 1, 2011

Living Oasis: Meltdown continues as Sutton branch announces closure: call for prayer on facebook

Posted by Phil Groom under News | Tags: , , , , |
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(it’s mostly about hugs).

IN A BRIEF NOTE ON FACEBOOK, Living Oasis Sutton have announced their closure as of this weekend, Saturday 5th March:

I’m sad to announce that as of this Saturday 5th March, Living Oasis Sutton will be closing.
Thank you for your support and prayers over the last year and before hand.
Please pray for the staff team as we all look for new jobs and God’s directions. And also please pray for Sutton and the future of Christian bookshops, as more seem to be closing down all the time.
God bless,
Clarissa, Paul and the Sutton team

Living Oasis Sutton: Closing Down 5th March 2011

Living Oasis Sutton: Closing Down 5th March 2011

Following the recent closures of the Inverness and Aberdeen stores, this brings the number of branches lost by Living Oasis to three, and yet there has still been no official announcement from Nationwide Christian Trust, the company’s owners, about the current state of the company.

Julie Buesnel, of Christian Solutions, Jersey, has issued a call to prayer on Saturday:

As we hear the sad news that yet another Christian Bookshop Sutton Living Oasis will close it’s doors on Saturday. Please join me in an impromptu DAY OF PRAYER for all Christian Bookshops. Please can I ask you to try and understand where we are coming from and to stop buying Christian Books on the Internet. Let’s not just sit back and wait for another Bookshop to close it’s doors. We are more than a Bookshop. The internet cannot give a much needed HUG, or A LISTENING EAR or a MUCH NEEDED PRAYER. Please can I ask that you overlook that internet bargain and use your Local Christian Bookshops instead and support the very important work that we do in JESUS’ NAME.

Whilst the call to boycott online shopping is a contentious issue, the need for prayer and to support Christian retailers is undoubtedly urgent: please join in with this call for prayer wherever you are.

Thank you.

My thanks to Melanie Carroll for providing this information.

 

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…

 

February 12, 2011

A Christian Bookseller’s Prayer

Posted by Phil Groom under Bookshop Ramblings | Tags: , , , , |
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Adapted with kind permission from One Bookstore Owner’s Prayer:

Dear Lord,

When we started out it all seemed so easy. You opened doors and directed our paths. We saw your hand in everything in those early days. We have our victory stories.

But now it’s different. Changing market conditions and rising costs are closing in on us. We’re stretched in so many ways. We have to work so much harder for the same results. Like soldiers in a battle, we grow weary and discouraged as we watch fellow-soldiers falling all around us. We’re pained and hurting from those who were once closest to us — local church staff — who no longer support our stores with their church purchasing; bulk sales we really need to make everything else possible.

Yes, we’re still reaching people. There’s nothing like the feeling that comes with selling a child or a teenager their first Bible. Or a middle-aged person who is connecting with you for the first time. There’s nothing like being there for someone in the middle of a life crisis, to offer a resource, or just to say, “We’ll remember you in prayer.” (And then to remember!) There’s nothing like helping a young worship leader locate that song they heard on the radio, or having a greeting card that puts perfectly into words the hope and encouragement someone wishes to offer.

But it’s getting harder and harder. We keep saying, “The ministry side only happens when the business side is viable.” These days, the financial side of things just isn’t happening.

Lord, we need wisdom. Lots of it. Probably a lot more than other people in retail. We need a sense of your direction for our lives as we seek to respond to an ever-changing landscape. We also need assurance, encouragement, confirmation. We need to find favour with our suppliers, our landlords, various levels of government, local churches and parachurch organizations, and even a renewed sense of common purpose with our employees. We need opportunities to help out other bookshops who are struggling, and interactions with other stores who might be able to help us out.

We also need revival. As individuals. As local communities. As the Church as a whole in this land. We know that if people hunger and thirst after you, they will also hunger and thirst to read the Bible, to study the scriptures, to reach out to their friends and neighbours and co-workers, to fill their homes with Christian music and Christian literature.

So many Christian radio stations, television stations, websites, megachurches, books being published; so why do those of us who have taken Christian resources to the marketplace struggle so much right now?

We face a time when people are apathetic about reading which converges with a time when people are spiritually apathetic. We need people to once again learn to love the word and to love The Word.

Lord renew our passion for you first, and then, secondly for the things of you. Help us to find the means and the methods to lift your name in the middle of a hurting world. Keep us from buying products that do not truly exalt you. Keep us from being caught up in enthusiasm and emotion and purchasing things our local customers neither need nor want. Help us to have what it is that broken people are searching for at the time they most require it.

Help us to continue to show your love in the part of the world where you have placed us. Help us to be gracious when our closest friends and Church staff don’t support us. Help us to do our best to place the book and music items we have into homes and families.

Lord, we don’t deserve your blessing. But we humbly ask you to be merciful to us as we face unprecedented challenges.

For the honour of your name and the building of your kingdom, we pray;

Amen.

 

September 20, 2010

Rebuilding trust: STL UK announce exclusive trade distribution deal with Biblica

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Suppliers, News | Tags: , , , , , |
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LESS THAN A YEAR after the UK Christian book trade was plunged into turmoil by Biblica’s decision to pull the plug on its UK operations, STL UK’s new owners, who picked up the pieces in Carlisle in the wake of Biblica’s pull out, have announced an exclusive UK trade representation and distribution deal with Biblica Europe for the forthcoming 7th edition of Operation World alongside an exclusive UK distribution agreement for Biblica US titles.

Although Biblica’s international leaders have yet to publicly acknowledge or show any signs of repentance for the damage they caused not only to the UK trade but, more importantly, to individual lives and livelihoods, this new trading relationship must surely be good news and a sign of hope as trust is slowly rebuilt in the trade: congratulations to all involved at STL UK on showing sufficient grace to broker this deal. May it open the door to a new era for the entire trade.

From the official press release, issued Friday 17 Sept 2010:

Press Release, 17 Sept 2010: STL Distribution to Distribute New Edition of Operation world to UK Trade

STL Distribution to Distribute New Edition of Operation world to UK Trade (pdf, 635kb)

STL Distribution to Distribute New Edition of Operation world to UK Trade

STL Distribution and Biblica Europe have signed a new agreement which will see STL Distribution acting as the exclusive sales representative and distributor to the UK trade for the new edition of Operation World.

With over 1 million copies of past versions sold, this fully updated and revised 7th edition is the must-have definite [sic] guide to praying for the people and nations of the world. Featuring a daily prayer calendar, maps, political, economic and religious information on each county, along with answers to prayer, this eagerly anticipated resource will be published 15th October 2010.

Graham Sopp, Executive Director of Biblica Europe, said “Operation World is widely regarded as the definitive source of prayer information about every country in the world. Our hope is that Operation World will encourage many more Christians to pray for the nations of the world. We are very pleased to be working with STL Distribution on this project.”

Operation World 2010Operation World
The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation

Jason Mandryk (Ed)
Biblica, October 2010
HB: 9781850788614, £19.99
PB: 9781850788621, £12.99 (introductory price)
PB + CD ROM: 9781850788751, £24.99

At the time of going to press, this edition of Operation World was not listed at stldistribution.co.uk

Update 22/09/2010: More info now available from STL

 

September 7, 2010

Day of Prayer #3: Reflections from Jersey: “We must never underestimate the power of prayer”

Posted by Phil Groom under Christian Bookshops, Independent Booksellers | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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Praying HandsHow was it for you? For me, last week’s Day of Prayer was wonderfully encouraging and I’d like to offer my personal thanks to everyone who took part. Whereas this time last year most of the online activity seemed to be via twitter, this year facebook took the lead: almost every time I logged on to facebook, someone within our trade had posted an update to say that they were praying or somebody else was. I invited Julie Buesnel to offer us some reflections from her perspective at one of our more far-flung outposts, Christian Solutions, Jersey:

Julie Buesnell, Christian Solutions, Jersey

Julie Buesnell, Christian Solutions, Jersey

Julie writes: We must never underestimate the power of prayer.

On Friday we had many people emailing in their support, not only for Christian Solutions; but also for the whole of the Industry. Customers came in and out throughout the day. Some prayed downstairs (one lady was here for her lunch hour) others walked around the shop quietly praying by themselves. Many of us across the Island of Jersey were united in Prayer for the whole of the industry. This shows the level of support that we have.

At one point the shop was so full of praying and buying Customers that I couldn’t get from one side of the shop to the other. We were greatly encouraged at the support that we received. We are indeed the Light in the Market Place and the day of prayer is so important. People are beginning to catch our vision, and realise that they don’t have to buy on Amazon to get a quick delivery. Deliveries to Jersey from our Suppliers are fantastic at the moment.

People are also realising that if they do buy from us instead of online and maybe, yes, pay a little more, what they are actually doing is supporting the mission side. We must be thankful to God for those people who are supporting us, and keep praying for those who don’t.

I was also contacted by the local Radio Station to give an interview at the most popular time of day 5.45pm, yes pm, not the usual 6.45 or 7.45am on a Sunday morning. It was a very short interview and I did feel cut off in my prime; but those who listened said I got the message across: praise God for that.

These days of prayer are so very important. Many people come into our shop searching for something, not always knowing what, but we can point them in the right direction and help them to find Jesus. Through the shop only last week, I met three people plus a mum who are searching for something, this has resulted in me taking them along to the local Christianity Explored course starting on 27th September at Pizza Express. It is for these people that we continue to put in all the hours, and it is all for the love of Jesus.

I look forward to the next day of prayer.

From the other end of the country…

 

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