Week 6: CLC Websites
Monday (1st) - Korea:
CLC Korea focuses mainly on publishing and distribution of their own titles which are predominantly theological and study books. In the last few years they have also had a small bookshop in their Headquarters exclusively for the sale of their books to the public. Now they are noticing that their sales through online transactions via their own website, and other affiliated online bookstores, are increasing – currently around 40% of total sales. Offline sales are noticeably decreasing. Pray for wisdom to know where to concentrate resources for distribution and which titles to publish and promote.
Tuesday (2nd) - Colombia:
As a result of the challenge regarding websites presented by the CLC International Office, changing customer habits and because CLC Colombia recognises the importance of the online store, the decision was taken recently to create a role for someone to oversee the whole process of online sales. Marcela Moncaleano will take on this responsibility with the support of two other team members, Daniel Hernandez and Rodney Tequia. Please pray for this newly formed team.
Wednesday (3rd) - Uruguay:
The CLC team in Uruguay have decided to change to the CLC IO website. They are keen to continue advancing in this area despite the fact that distribution through this channel is still relatively low. Please pray as they make this transition to the specifically designed CLC International website which will be adapted for use in Uruguay.
Thursday (4th) - Romania:
Romania was one of the first CLC countries to sell books through their website and over the years web sales grew very significantly. Recently, however, newer websites are attracting more people, including CLC customers. An upgrade, by changing over to the new CLC International website, is urgently needed and it is hoped this will happen in the first half of this year. It is a complicated situation for a number of reasons, including the fact that the website is still functioning efficiently in other areas (stock control, primary accounting etc.) and the team rely heavily on these features.
Friday (5th) - Philippines:
God is opening up more opportunities for CLC Philippines to sell their products online and these sales are increasing both within the Philippine islands and beyond. Customers are also actively ordering through CLC’s Facebook account and even via other e-marketing partners such as Lazada. Please pray for effective promotion of titles online and a good service to an increasing number of customers.
The Weekend (6th/7th) - Austria:
Sadly, the CLC bookshop in Graz had to close last October, as mentioned in Prayer Focus last week. We trust God will provide a way to re-open in a better location with additional staff. Meanwhile, sales continue through the website and online shop. Please pray that our customers in Graz, and beyond, will make good use of this facility, which has not closed down!
Week 7: CLC Connecting with Children
Monday (8th) - Russia:
In partnership with the Child Evangelism Fellowship, CLC in Moscow have started using their ground floor space (which is rented out as a café during the week) on Sundays for a special event for children. The first of these meetings took place last October with a dozen children and some CEF leaders from all over the country participating, along with the CLC Director helping out! The initial plan is to run this event on a monthly basis.
Tuesday (9th) - Netherlands:
The annual ‘Children’s Book Week’ is a national event encouraging children to read. Of course CLC is very happy to participate and, along with other Christian bookshops, they adapt the theme to focus more specifically on the Gospel message. The theme last year was ‘Do You Know’. In Christian bookshops, issues of science and faith were addressed and children were encouraged to ask questions. Please pray for CLC’s input at these times and during the whole year as children visit CLC.
Wednesday (10th) - India:
“Children love to spend time at the dedicated children’s books shelves when they come with their parents to the bookshops. In India we also get children from local schools, from a variety of faiths and backgrounds, visiting the bookshops. The children’s comics, published by CLC/ELS India, are a great attraction. In addition, we reach out to schools and colleges with book tables whenever we can. This gives an opportunity to introduce them to the Bible and we pray that God will open their hearts, and the hearts of their parents, to the truth.” Justin Chellapan, Director
Thursday (11th) - Colombia:
CLC Colombia is in a unique position in the CLC world as it is required, by law, to run a social foundation alongside their main ‘business’ of book publishing and distribution. This foundation has grown and developed over recent years and now makes a huge contribution to people in need and in poverty. Although they work with people of all ages, children are a major focus. Time and resources are given to their health, general wellbeing, education and spiritual needs.
Friday (12th) - Uruguay:
“As in many CLC bookshops around the world, there is a space in the bookshop that is allocated for children to play and read using a wide variety of resources for children. In addition, the team visit a number of schools and colleges with a display of books; CLC Uruguay has a well fitted-out mobile bookshop for this purpose. In one high school in particular we are invited to give a talk to each class on the importance of reading.” Humberto Urrutia, Director
The Weekend (13th/14th) - Sierra Leone:
On a continent where many people struggle financially, buying books for children is not always a priority – but this does not mean there are no opportunities for CLC to connect with children! CLC in Freetown has a lovely children’s corner. The CLC Sierra Leone/UK project “Give a book, Give a Future”, where Christian books and Bibles were donated to schools and libraries five years ago, is still bearing fruit. As Alfred Kaikai, CLC Freetown, said: “I am going to look for the fruit from this project 15 years from now!” Good seed sown in young lives can impact a whole nation!
Week 8: CLC UK Developments
Monday (15th) - New Warehouse and Computer System:
With the new Chester warehouse now operating please continue to pray for the team there as they continue to learn to work together and become more efficient. Praise God that the new computer system was started with no major problems and that the distribution of Bibles and books got going quite quickly, enabling CLC to meet the needs of the UK Christian book trade during the busy Christmas period.
Tuesday (16th) - Chreos for the Bookshops:
Pray for David Scouler and for Stephen Wilde, plus his team at Chreos (Chreos is the new software system), as they configure and prepare the system to be installed in the CLC shops over the next few months. There is great potential for this to be disruptive to our shops’ trade, so pray that, like the warehouse, this may be a smooth transition with no major problems.
Wednesday (17th) - Changes in Publishing and Distribution:
The UK trade continues to go through times of great change with a major publisher and distributor coming under new ownership. Operations and distribution will be consolidated with some job losses. Pray for those faced with an uncertain future. Also pray for the CLC leadership as they consider what effect these further changes may have on our ministry.
Thursday (18th) - Property for Sale:
With the move to Chester, the previous warehouse at Alresford will no longer be needed and will be sold. Pray for Mick Goodman, the operations manager, and Jenny Byrne, our properties advisor, as they consider the best time to put it on the market. It would be good to raise the maximum value from the sale to help finance other present and future developments.
Friday (19th) - Leadership Team:
Pray for the UK leadership team consisting of heads of departments and elected members. This team meets monthly to pray, consider, advise and decide on the day-to -day direction of the work, current topics and developments. Between meetings a lot of work is done by e-mail and phone calls. The members need Godly wisdom and clear insights.
The Weekend (20th/21st) - Behind the Scenes:
A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to inform the public of CLC’s work and the products we sell. Pray for Amanda Lutes as she prepares and publishes CLC World four times a year. Pray for the Wholesale team and Pete Barnsley as they are responsible for the book trade promotional magazine, Take Note, also four times a year. Pete Barnsley also prepares the e-mails which are sent from the shops and website each week and selects which products to promote.
Week 9: CLC Africa
Information from Liz Patten, Regional Director for Africa
Monday (22nd) - Mozambique: Promoting Children’s materials
The Bible Society in Mozambique supplies CLC with a wonderful full-colour children’s story Bible. It is a best seller for us and I (Liz) keep a copy on display at the Christian guest house where I live in Maputo as we have contact there with missionaries from all over Mozambique and many are looking for children’s resources. We now have some stock from the Mozambican branch of the Children’s Evangelism Fellowship, APEC. This is thanks to the initiative of our young bookshop worker, Abel Chau. Abel is a trained APEC worker.
Tuesday (23rd) - Kenya: Testimony
The team in Kenya were informed last year that they had to re-locate the warehouse as the landlord was selling it. They searched, and found somewhere that seemed suitable. Then, just before signing the lease, the new landlord made some changes in the arrangements. Our team did not feel that this was a good indication for the future and so decided not to sign. By then the situation was even more urgent, but they continued to pray and God answered by showing them a good place where they have now settled in and are making an impact in their new community.
Wednesday (24th) - Liberia & Mozambique: Good Landlords!
CLC Liberia is located in the famous Provident Baptist Church in Monrovia, a great location which everyone knows! CLC Mozambique has two bookshops located in Bible Colleges, in Maputo and Beira. We cannot
afford the expensive commercial rents and are very grateful for such partnerships with our Christian landlords! Our prayer and our hope is that we might also bring blessing for them by our presence.
Thursday (25th) - Kenya: POD Update:
Last year, CLC Kenya started a new project of Print-on-Demand, thanks in part to some generous fund-raising by CLC USA. There have already been some exciting developments. For example, 1,200 workbooks were required urgently, just a very short time after the project launch! Our team was able to deliver the whole quantity in just two batches! Pray for Patrick (Director) and Vincent (POD manager) as they market the project and work hard to meet customer demands with quality, on-time service.
Friday (26th) - Benin: Thompson Bible
CLC Benin is rejoicing that a pastor came and purchased 40 copies of the Thompson Bible. It was a big blessing that our bookshop in Cotonou had that quantity in stock and could supply them straight away! Praise the Lord, and please pray for the spiritual and physical protection of our team, led by Emmanuel. (The state religion of Benin is voodoo.)
The Weekend (27th/28th) - Africa: Prayer for Payment Problems
A major issue for CLC in Africa is that of stock supply, payments and cash flow. 90% of stock has to be brought in from other continents. With few exceptions, there is no credit facility offered by publishers when dealing with Africa. Whilst this is good on one hand as it helps to avoid debt situations, it also slows down the release of stock from suppliers whilst international bank transfers are taking place. Please pray that we can find efficient and faster ways of dealing with this challenge. Empty shelves are a sad thing in any bookshop!
Week 10: Encouraging Stories
Monday (29th) - Chile:
We have a customer in Chile who has been buying Bibles since 1959 to share as gifts and a means to spread the Gospel. She is now bedbound but she still contacts CLC for her regular order of Bibles and we deliver them personally. She is a tremendous example of a faithful and generous witness.
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.