by Terri Wettle

If you are looking for an idea that can enhance the sales of your church bookstore while enriching the lives of some in your congregation, consider hosting a Secret Sisters program for the ladies of your church.

Popular in many churches for building relationships, the Secret Sisters program involves women who want to participate by drawing the name of another lady within the church, committing to pray for her and anonymously blessing her with small gift items for a specified amount of time. The exchanged names of each are kept confidential until a special get-together formally closes the program and participants get to meet their new friends.

It's that simple. Each participant decides on the type of gift to give to her secret sister, the number of times that gifts are given, the method of getting the gift to the secret sister and the amount of money that is spent. It becomes a very personal matter, one that the women take seriously and spend time in prayer to hear from God about for their sisters.

The benefits to the church bookstore are many. Not only do women come in to utilize the store as a registration and drop-off site, but they also find it very convenient to shop for their sisters.

We have made it a point to carry lovely greeting cards, gift bags and gift items that would appeal to a broad range of ladies. We also offer free gift bags for any purchase of more than $20 as an encouragement to perhaps spend a little bit extra.

In addition, by hosting the Secret Sisters program, the church bookstore becomes more noticeable and valuable in the eyes of the ladies of the church. It comes up on their "radar."

-Terri Wettle is manager of Agape Bookstore at Agape Faith Church in Clemmons, N.C.

To read the complete article go to http://www.thechurchbookstore.com/a.php?ArticleID=14065.

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