Each week I wonder what you need to hear from me-should it be a word of encouragement, more training and education, or something informational about the industry?

What I really would like to be doing is sitting around a rather large table with you, drinking iced tea or coffee (with maybe a few cookies, too) and sharing ideas. I would love to hear how you have solved your space problem, how you deal with church staff, or how you recruit enough volunteers to get the work done in a timely fashion.

There was a time, less than five years ago, that I could only dream of being able to do something like that. But now, thanks to the Strang Media Group, we have several ways to sit around a virtual or actual table and share with one another.

The first method of sharing they gave us was The Church Bookstore magazine. Through articles written by store managers, vendors and service providers, letters to the editor, and profiles of some individual stores' operations we were able to learn from one another (just no cookies).

Next was the inauguration of The Gathering of Church Bookstores. Now there were cookies-and so much more. There were times of fellowship, education and doing business-seeing, learning about and buying all of the wonderful products available from the vendors who sponsored the event.

I'm excited to be able to tell you that the next Gathering will be April 21-23, 2010, at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky. More details will follow soon so that you can make your plans, but mark your calendars now.

Out of the early Gatherings came the Church Bookstore Network, including the wonderful regional directors who work with and encourage stores in smaller groups across the country. Now, somewhere within a four-state area you can periodically gather with other church stores for that cup of coffee or glass of tea.

Along with the network came the Web site, www.thechurchbookstore.com. This is a place where you can find news of recent events, archives of past issues of the magazine and contact details for your regional director.

Now the digital age provides further opportunities for sharing. I recently sat in on the first-of what I am sure will be many-Webinar hosted by Christian Retailing and The Church Bookstore. I was able to listen to the marketing team from Carpentree, using their products as examples, teach us some great marketing and merchandising strategies that will work for almost any line of products in your store. Through a real-time chat line, we were able to share ideas, ask questions and encourage one another.

I even sat and ate cookies and drank tea while I listened.

This Webinar format will soon feature workshops and artist and author release parties, when we will get to learn more about key new titles and the people behind them. And we will be able to enjoy the same kind of real-time chat sharing that we had with the Carpentree staff.

If you, or any church stores you know, are not taking advantage of any or all of these ways of being a part of the greater body of church bookstores, I encourage you to join us. We need to hear from you, your struggles, your ideas and your successes. Please join us-and I'll bring the cookies!