A message from Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network:

Have you made your reservations for Retailing ReBoot 2011? The event, to be held April 26-28 in Orlando, Fla., gives church stores and others the opportunity to come together for fellowship, worship, education and an opportunity to buy from some of the greatest vendors ever.

I am so excited to see all of you and hear about your Christmas sales, your first quarter and all of the ministry opportunities you have had so far this year. But the thing I enjoy most about our yearly “get together” is the sharing of ideas.

A great example of this came through a conversation I had recently with Terri Williams, manager of the bookstore at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. She told me that she and her staff were due to take a “field trip,” something she organizes once or twice each year.

Before they visit other church stores in the area, Terri gives assignments to everyone. When they get to the store, they have particular areas to pay close attention to. One may be assigned to check out the merchandising, another the cash wrap area, another the children’s department.

Terri said they never fail to learn from this exercise and that it is well worth the time—and the lunch she provides for those who go. On the ride back to the church, they discuss what they have learned and report on their assignments.

This is but one idea, and when you multiply that by other attendees at Retailing ReBoot, you can come up with hundreds of ideas to be shared and much to be learned, just from each other. But the learning does not stop there.

The vendors are a great source of knowledge and wisdom about this industry. One vendor with whom I met this past week shared with me a great chart he has devised that can help you plan for sales events in each of your departments for each season of the year. It could be put on your computer and reminders set so that you don’t forget what you have planned.

While there will be seminars, roundtables and panel discussions on the subjects that you deal with every day, our spirits need teaching and refreshing, too, and so there will be time at Retailing ReBoot for corporate worship and Bible Study along with quiet devotional time. Each of these times will give the Holy Spirit opportunity to teach and encourage us in the ministry to which we have been called.

The whole event has been planned so you spend as little time as possible away from your store. We start after lunch Tuesday, which makes it possible for you to drive in that morning—saving a night’s lodging—and finish at 2:30 p.m. Thursday so that you can fly or drive out that afternoon—once again saving a night’s lodging.

You can find out more and register by going to retailing-reboot.christianretailing.com.

Please make every effort to be there—I know you will not be disappointed. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail either Dave Condiff at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I look forward to seeing you there!

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