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The Weekend (31st/1st) - Ecuador

CLC Ecuador was hoping to purchase a property in Quito for the HQ and warehouse. After a long time in negotiations, the property was taken off the market. The decision was taken to look for suitable premises in Guayaquil instead, as it is the largest city in Ecuador and the port where our supplies enter the country. A property was found close to our main bookshop in this city and at a price we could afford to buy it outright! In addition, there is enough available space for a good warehouse, offices and to relocate the main bookshop!  

Monday (2nd) – Christmas in the Shops

Pray for all the bookshops as they think of ways to draw customers’ attention to the bookshops over the Christmas season. We want our shops to look festive and inviting, but also to point people to the wonder and significance of Christ’s birth. In Papua New Guinea, for example, the team are planning a Nativity theme to run throughout the bookshop.

 

Tuesday (3rd) – USA

Christmas is our busiest time of the year as it is for nearly all CLC stores around the world.  As a result we have more challenges with theft and our team members have less time for doing direct ministry with customers. We could use prayer for diligence in observing potential theft, energy and stamina for daily interactions, and wisdom to balance customer service with the ministry opportunities that God will bring our way.” Dave Almack, Director

 

Wednesday (4th) – Russia

We hope to participate in at least one book table this Christmas and we are praying that the Lord would allow us to have a children’s Christmas event in the coffee shop area on the ground floor of the CLC bookshop. We would appreciate prayer for good sales at this time too, of course. Sales have been a little uncertain recently, but God has been faithful.” Nikita Sapunov, Director

 

Thursday (5th) – Portugal

This year, CLC Portugal launched a new initiative to hold ‘mini-concerts’ in the bookshop every three months. At the time of writing, a third concert of the year is planned as a special Christmas event. Pray for shop manager Carlos Cunha as he prepares these special events.

 

Friday (6th) – France

Every year, we send 175 boxes of books and other articles on sale-or-return to 175 churches before Christmas to allow some French regions, where there is no CLC bookshop, to access and buy our materials. Our selection is made up entirely of new titles, DVD’s, CD’s, cards and calendars etc. This generates sales and introduces people to new things we have on offer.” Herve Lessous, Director

 

The Weekend (7th/8th) – Cyprus

“We would value prayer for our Christmas Book Fairs in November. At the time of writing the planned dates are: Paphos (7th), Nicosia (11th), Limassol (14th) and Larnaca (21st). We thank the Lord for all the assistance we usually get at these events and we hope that it will be the same this year. Of course we hope for good contacts and sales too; these book fairs are essential for the upkeep of the bookshop.” Sotos and Eva Photiades

Monday (9th) – CLC 75th Anniversary

In 2016 CLC will celebrate 75 years of work and ministry.  In the years since Norman Grubb of WEC encouraged Ken and Bessie Adams to initiate a ministry focused on Christian literature, CLC has worked in over 75 countries! While bookshops are still the focus of the ministry, many other activities use the tools God has given us to reach people with the Gospel. Please pray for the preparations for the 75th anniversary celebration which will be centred around the International Council meetings in June.

 

Tuesday (10th) –– International Training Platform

During this year, an online training platform has been introduced to enable us to give training more effectively.  In time, we trust that this will be available in multiple languages. The set-up work was carried out by Lloyd Hodkinson but, following his retirement in September, we need someone to continue and develop this work. Please pray that we will be able to identify this person.

 

Wednesday (11th) –– Paraguay

This is not the first time we have asked you to pray for Paraguay. Please continue to persevere in prayer for this project which has been hindered by significant legal hurdles. At every step we need to refer back to a retired missionary in New Zealand, and then have everything translated and verified by Paraguayan Consulates. Pray, too, for Gerardo Scalante as he coordinates this together with the local Board.

 

Thursday (12th) – Publishing

Please pray for Gary Chamberlin as he works with numerous countries seeking to double our publishing output.  Around this time some of the translations of the Francis Chan book You and Me Forever should be going to print. We would like to be able to work with publishers in such a way that we can translate books into multiple languages quickly and efficiently. CLC is uniquely placed to be able to do this.

 

Friday (13th) – CLC eReader App

The Apple App was released in July making it possible for CLC to offer its own eBook platform for the very first time. There are now three significant areas in which we need to progress: a) the addition of more eBooks from publishers in multiple languages; b) the ability of CLC websites around the world to be able to sell the eBooks and connect to the App; and c) the development of the Android version of the App, which is already underway.  Please pray for this significant project and those involved.

 

The Weekend (14th/15th) – ‘Yes’ Evangelistic Booklets

At the time of writing we are preparing for the translation of six evangelistic booklets in a number of languages.  Please pray that these booklets will achieve their purpose of drawing people to Christ. 

Information from Ronela Micula, CLC Romania Director

Monday (16th) – Publishing (Romania)

We praise God for His help concerning our publishing activity.  Although we started out hesitant, and not very confident in our own expertise and understanding in this area, God helped us to develop the abilities required for this specific activity. All the books chosen for our 2015 publishing plan are already translated and, at the time of writing, are waiting for printing. In addition, we have already started to translate books that are in next year’s plan!

 

Tuesday (17th) – Provision (Romania)

We praise God for His provision concerning the finances for publishing, from different sources: CLC resources, a special project with OM, special projects with OMF and our own savings. We praise God for all the opportunities that He miraculously opens up for us.

 

Wednesday (18th) – Personnel (Romania)

We praise God for His provision of new staff after an 18 month personnel crisis. Andreea recently joined the team and we thank God for her ability to learn quickly and adapt to many different tasks: serving customers, preparing internet orders for dispatch, maintaining the new products on the website etc. This is particularly vital as Tabita, another staff member, has recently married and will leave CLC Romania before the end of the year.

 

Information from Nikita Sapunov, CLC Director for Russia

Thursday (19th) – Growth (Russia)
We are calculating the cost, and ramifications, of expanding the second floor of the shop. We are in need of more space, especially considering the new publishing activity we will be involved in. Please pray for wisdom in planning, and in dealing with the inevitable rules and regulations for this new venture.

 

Friday (20th) – Events for Children (Russia)

During a CLC conference in Poland, we established connections with the Russian branch of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Besides arranging to have their materials in the shop, we are praying and planning to start events for children in the coffee shop on the first floor of our shop. Please pray for this project.

 

The Weekend (21st/22nd) – New Systems (Russia)

Our new automatic ordering system for the shop's new POS software is fine-tuned now. Please pray for wisdom and creativity for the programmer involved in this, that the system would work effectively, we would be getting best prices and that customers would be served well and quickly.

Monday (23rd) – Christmas Bookstalls

During December many churches ask our shops to provide bookstalls. Some are run by CLC staff while others are run by the churches themselves. Pray that shops will have sufficient stock to meet the needs without being overstocked. Pray also for wisdom to know what Bibles, books and gifts to supply to each stall and give thanks that these bookstalls take our ministry to a wider customer base.

 

Tuesday (24th) – Welling

Praise the Lord for the new workers we have in Welling. This now enables Luke, a staff member, to spend more time communicating with churches and Christian organisations and running bookstalls. Pray that these contacts will be fruitful especially in the build-up towards Christmas.

 

Wednesday (25th) – Inverness

October and November have been an important two months for the mobile work of the Inverness shop. Leslie and Esther Dowey have been visiting some of the more remote towns and villages of the Highland region of Scotland with the CLC van, setting up pre-Christmas bookstalls. Praise the Lord for these opportunities and pray that the materials sold during this time will be a blessing to many people. Pray for strength and stamina for the whole team at this busy period - remembering Pam, the shop manager, and the volunteers who have been staffing the shop during Les and Esther’s absence.

 

Thursday (26th) – Newcastle

In September, CLC Newcastle underwent a partial refit. This involved some new shelf units and island display stands, a new counter, new carpet and some electrical work. Due to the CLC UK warehouse move, it was not possible to do this work in August as originally planned. Pray that the two-week closure so near to a key time of the year did not cause too many problems and that customers will use and appreciate the “new look” shop.

 

Friday (27th) – Strength for the Season

Pray for the spiritual and physical health of the UK staff. Having moved the warehouse, adapted to new systems, run event bookstalls, many face the busy Christmas period already tired and in some cases in less than perfect health. Pray against spiritual attack in whatever form it may take, and that God is glorified by all CLC does, says and sells as we approach Christmas.

 

The Weekend (28th/29th) – Coventry

CLC Coventry has developed their upstairs floor as a bargain book centre. Pray for them as they source cheap end of lines, remainders etc. to sell there and that they can effectively publicise this section. Pray that this development will help the shop’s viability, bring in new customers and enhance the shop’s ministry.

Monday (30th) – Personnel Needed (Mexico)

The distribution work is growing and there is a need for more personnel on our team in Mexico City. Please help us by praying for more nationals with the desire to serve the Lord and with a vision for this type of ministry. Mexico is a big country and the opportunities we have are enormous.

 

 

Thank you for praying for our teams and projects around the CLC World - you are vital to our ministry!

Please note that there may be slight differences between these online CLC prayer/praise topics and what is available in printed form as we are able to add updates online after our publication has been released.