Independent Booksellers Week (IBW) will take place for the first time from 1-8 July 2008. Independent Booksellers Week is a celebration of independent bookselling, and has been organized by the Small Business Forum of the BA.

Independent Booksellers Week will create a week in the year where independent booksellers can shout about what they do best and get noticed for doing it!

Independent Booksellers Week is part of the Love Your Local Bookshop Campaign, celebrating independent bookselling - more details >>

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The winners were announced at the National Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park on 14th May 2008:-

Christian Living: Prayer, Does it Make Any Difference - Philip Yancey
Hodder & Stoughton - £9.99 - ISBN: 9780340909089
A personal search for answers on the how, what and why of prayer.

Biography: To Catch a Thief - Richard Taylor
New Wine - £6.99 - ISBN: 9781903725573
How God set Richard free from a life of crime & drug addiction to be a Church minister.

Children's/Youth: yp's Guide to Knowing God - Jonathan Brant
CWR - £4.99 - ISBN: 9781853454073
Facts a teenager needs to know about God, faith and Christian living.

The shortlist is still available below.

For further information on the UK Christian Book Awards, visit the website: www.christianbookawards.org or contact Paula Renouf, CEO of Speaking Volumes on 07941 370844 or email info@speakingvolumes.org.uk

Gareth Squire from The Christain Enquiry Agency is offering you a free copy of the book "How To Be Evangelistic Without Being Religious" by Graham Horsley, as part of its commitment to promoting best practice in mission and to helping churches to connect effectively with the millions of people interested in questions of faith, spirituality and meaning, but who do not automatically see church as a place to find answers to their questions.

A survey suggests that 76% of the population report having spiritual experiences, yet only 6.3% currently attends church. Why? More Details from the CEA Blog.

You can declare you would like a copy of the book and discover other resources on the CEA website: www.christianity.org.uk/contact_cea.html.

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Fresh Expressions have launched a new six-week course taking us on a journey looking at the ever-changing nature of our social communities and why the church needs to rethink its approach to those communities in meaningful and relevant ways.

It is an ideal Lent course for congregations and groups, though it can be used anytime, and is useful both for groups and individuals. You can download the material free of charge. More details at www.freshexpressions.org.uk.

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YTC Press is a UK-based company publishing in the fields of Youth Ministry, Theology & Culture and associated disciplines.

YTC Press is a new Christian publishing house and has released the 156-page book 'Fresh Expressions in the Urban Context' by Dr Eleanor Williams. More details are on the website: www.ytcpress.com.

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Scripture Union have a new resource called WordLive. A FREE to use multi-media Bible reading & experience website.

The site is a recen tly-launched intiative aiming to to reach out to as many people as possible. Details are on the Scripture Union website www.scriptureunion.org.uk.

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Prior to the Christian Resources Exhibiition in Telford, the Christian Research Association organised a study by "mystery worshippers" into local church services.

The "mystery worshippers" were not Christians and were normally paid to inspect stores. They were asked to report on issues such as sermons, music and the warmth of welcome.

They came back very positive about what they found, full story from BBC News Online.

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Here are TWO main ways we can support you by providing information free of charge and in confidence to anyone interested in Christian faith, be they:

• casual enquirers
• those actively looking for answers
• or those simply interested in finding out why your church is active in the community, whether under the Hope'08 umbrella or otherwise.

FREEPOST CONTACT ADDRESS

There is a wide range of materials available from our partners, for the most part with a tear-off FREEPOST response to the Christian Enquiry Agency or details of how to contact us. A selection of CEA Partners are stocking and other evangelistic contact materials: Lifewords, Scripture Union, New Life Newspaper. Among new materials for Hope'08 is a new special outreach booklet from Verite, written by Jeff Lucas, on the theme of Hope - 'Infinite Hope' is available from CPO (CPO stock a wide range of Hope'08 resources, many of which give details for CEA - which means that if you use those materials, all those that come across them will have a clear route to more information about Jesus).

ON THE WEB

Hope 2008 is an initiative which is helping to demonstrate Christian faith in action and to explain the meaning of that faith in villages, towns and cities throughout the UK.

hopeinfo.co.uk is The Public Face of Hope 2008, established by the Christian Enquiry Agency in partnership with Church Army and Deo Gloria.

The hopeinfo.co.uk website has been launched as a focus for a year long conversation with the public about what it means to live hopefully. Members of the public will be able to text, email and submit their own messages and images of hope and inspiration as well as having the chance to sign up for weekly email reflections.

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Mission in Hounslow Trust are planning a 'Journey of Faith' to take place in June/July 2008, starting in the Outer Hebrides and working their way across the United Kingdom, ending in London.

The Journey will pass through your area on one designated day during the whole event: if you would like to know more and/or become involved, please see their website for more details:

Christian Living

The Highway Code for Parenting - Michael & Hilary Perrott
CWR - £6.99 - ISBN: 9781853454196
Practical bite-sized advice for confident parenting and raising children well.

Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell
Zondervan - £8.99 - ISBN: 9780310273080
Encouraging Christians to constantly challenge and update their faith.

Prayer, Does it Make Any Difference - Philip Yancey
Hodder & Stoughton - £9.99 - ISBN: 9780340909089
A personal search for answers on the how, what and why of prayer.

Totally Forgiving Ourselves - R T Kendall
Hodder & Stoughton - £9.99 - ISBN: 9780340943649
Shows us our need to forgive ourselves in order to be useful to God and not damage ourselves.

Biography

Baroness Cox - Lela Gilbert
Monarch - £9.99 - ISBN: 9781854248169
A privileged Baroness, yet a tireless campaigner for human rights whose passion is gained from first hand experience.

Harvest from Heartache - Gail Chamberlain
Kingsway - £6.99 - ISBN: 9781842912584
A mother's perspective on her spiritual journey as her child loses his battle for life to Leukaemia.

To Catch a Thief - Richard Taylor
New Wine - £6.99 - ISBN: 9781903725573
How God set Richard free from a life of crime & drug addiction to be a Church minister.

My Story - Selwyn Hughes
CWR - £10.99 - ISBN: 9781853454172
Selwyn's 78 years of life from humble Welsh roots to internationally renowned evangelist.

Journey Into God's Heart - Jennifer Rees Larcombe
Hodder & Stoughton - £7.99 - ISBN: 9780340861578
Jennifer's account of the many tragedies that have gained her a closer relationship with God.

Children's/Youth

The Barnabas Children's Bible - Rhona Davies
Barnabas - £12.99 - ISBN: 9781841015262
A story for every day told with a continuous thread and accompanied by bible quotations.

Baby Bible - Sarah Toulmin
Lion Children’s - £9.99 - ISBN: 9780745949949
A first Bible with simple bold text and illustrations.

yp's Guide to Knowing God - Jonathan Brant
CWR - £4.99 - ISBN: 9781853454073
Facts a teenager needs to know about God, faith and Christian living.

The Big Bible Storybook - Maggie Bartleld
Scripture Union - £12.99 - ISBN: 9781844272280
188 short bible stories illustrated with puppets and models.

The Strong Tower - Robert Harrison & Roger Langton
Scripture Union - £7.99 - ISBN: 9781844271221
Stories about children in the Bible who faced tough times but still did amazing things.

Further information:

For further information on the UK Christian Book Awards, visit the website: www.christianbookawards.org or contact Paula Renouf, CEO of Speaking Volumes on 07941 370844 or email info@speakingvolumes.org.uk

Public voting for the shortlist will start in January 2008 until the end of March 2008.
The UK Christian Books Awards 2008 will be held at the National Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park on 14th May 2008.

St Andrew's Bookshop and Speaking Volumes announced a new partnership recently which will end the backlog of supply of books by Speaking Volumes - the charity helping churches donate books to libraries.

Since the launch of Speaking Volumes new booklist in May this year requests for book sets have quadrupled, due mainly to the extension of sets available. "The set for under 5's has really set the imagination of our donors going and we are now seeing books in toddler groups and play groups for the first time", said Paula Renouf CEO of Speaking Volumes. Speaking Volumes is also working with the Prison Fellowship and The Mission to Seafarers to place books in prisons and hostels in addition to more popular places like public libraries and schools.

Supply of book sets was impossible to maintain under current conditions which is where St Andrew's have stepped into the breach. Their new warehouse in High Wycombe is ideally set up to dispatch books quickly and efficiently and still with all the 'trimmings' such as book protectors and bookplates which make a donation of books via Speaking Volumes so attractive.

Ed Olhausen, St Andrew's Supply Chain Director said "It's a privilege to work in partnership with Speaking Volumes to make life-changing books available to many groups of people who may never choose to visit a Christian bookshop."

Paula added "It is a relief knowing the distribution is in safe hands, Speaking Volumes can now concentrate on encouraging Churches and individuals to donate more books. As we still offer to fund 50% of a bookset placement (making a donation to a Senior School or Care Home just £75) demand is likely to increase further."

more details at www.speakingvolumes.org.uk

May I call you friend?
	May I call you friend? is a group resource suitable for Lent and other times, produced by the Evangelism and Church Planting Department  of the Methodist Church and only available from www.mph.org.uk Ref.PA179, £3.50. The following review is by TGBS reviewer Jim Currin.
In these days when so much is in the media about religion and identity, community and cohesion, the Methodist Church have boldly stepped in with a remarkable study guide. It will not satisfy all faith positions but it certainly helps small groups raise the questions about how we live alongside and share our faith with people of other faiths with dignity and discretion. The sections look at various difficult and sometimes contentious aspects in a positive way, with clear guidance, but leaving the group members to come to their own conclusions. This is not just a book for Christians with Muslim neighbours in the Inner City: this is for all Christians everywhere to think, discuss and pray through.

Resourcing the church across the UK.

• National Christian Resources Exhibition 2008
  13th-16th May 2008,
  Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey
• Northern Christian Resources Exhibition 2008
  24th-26th September 2008,