The recent closures of Central Illinois' Berean Bookstores chain in Champaign, Peoria, Decatur, Bloomington-Normal and LaSalle/Peru has left a huge void in the area-giving church bookstores the opportunity to play a much more important role in the communities affected by the losses.

Our Harvest Bookstore at Eastview Christian Church in Normal, Ill., has been in operation since the early 1990s, and we have benefited from the competition and the wisdom of Dave Byrne's Berean stores. Recently, we have been able to share some of what we have learned with other congregations looking to develop their own bookstore operations.

Renee McElmore, manager of the bookstore at the Center for Hope Ministries in Bloomington, made some purchases from Harvest as we completed a remodeling project, which have enabled her to update fixtures and convert two former classrooms into a store to serve the needs of the congregation there.

Victory Christian Center, also in Bloomington, has a small resource center in its fairly new church and may now be able to expand as well. Meanwhile, the loss to the Peoria area has prompted Grace Apostolic Assembly Church there to contact us and seek some advice in developing something more than the sermon CDs service currently offered.

Northwoods Community Church in Peoria has probably felt the effects of the closure more than anyone, as Berean had leased space in its building. Beth Diaz, the store manager, and her assistant, Nancy Tobin, are working very hard to pick up the void in the building and establish a store that will meet the needs of the congregation. Beth and Nancy recently were at Harvest Bookstore and together we shared ideas and discussed features of our Booklog systems to accommodate the stores.

Lorena Allen, manager

Harvest Bookstore

Eastview Christian Church

Normal, Ill.