Time again in the scriptures we find God pulling His people together. In the New Testament we first see a band of 12 men whom Jesus chose to teach for three years so that they, in turn, might go out into the greater world and teach others, both individually and in small and large groups.

We see this approach exemplified today in churches, Bible studies, ministries and industries of all sorts. In our Christian products world, we have many such gatherings, too. Once a year the trade organization for our industry, CBA, hosts the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). The Munce Marketing Group sponsors a show in Hershey, Pa., in January, and for five years now Strang Communications, publisher of The Church Bookstore, has hosted The Gathering.

Out of this last event has come even smaller, more focused regional group meetings for church bookstores. These groups are able to focus on the special needs of the church bookstores in their particular parts of the country. We take our example from Christ in choosing a small group of passionate church bookstore managers as regional directors, and they in turn bring together other church bookstore managers and workers in order to learn from and encourage one another.

You'll notice announcements of regional gatherings across the country in this newsletter. I encourage you to put the meeting that applies to your area on your calendar right away and plan to attend. When we go to these meetings, we meet other church bookstore managers who have the same problems, but maybe can offer new solutions.

We are able to have a time of worship together and refresh our spirits. We meet new vendors that bring fresh new products to our stores. We leave a little more rested, a little more encouraged and a lot blessed because we have been there. It is time well-invested.

One gathering I am particularly excited about will happen in just a few weeks at ICRS in Denver. Standard Publishing, a good friend of church bookstores, is hosting a great event on Sunday, July 12, at 4 p.m. at the Denver Marriott City Center.

There will be some great authors there, including Tony Jeary-one of the most popular speakers at The Gathering in Orlando, in January. Other authors you will be able to meet include former Orlando Magic coach Pat Williams, Mark Atteberry and Claudia Mitchell. You will be the first to see new materials Standard will be introducing at the show.

If you will be able to join Standard for this event, please drop an RSVP to Robb Faust at rfaust@standardpub.com.

Part of the reason for my excitement about this event is that immediately following the Standard party, at 5:30 p.m., church bookstores will have a party of their own celebrating the beginning of the fifth year of the publication of The Church Bookstore.

Those of you who receive the publication know what a valuable training tool it is. So I hope that you will be able to come help us celebrate. We'll be cutting the cake shortly after 5:30 p.m. If you are able to be there, please let me know at geni.hulsey@gmail.com.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ... " (Heb. 10:25, NIV).