Amazon is creating a buzz yet again, only this time the buzz is also literal. The online retail giant has invented a drone mini-helicopter specifically designed to carry and drop off packages to customers in a matter of minutes.

The octocopters—so called for their eight miniature rotary blades—will be programmed with the recipients address and use GPS data to autonomously deliver the package within 30 minutes of purchase. This service, which is currently being billed as Amazon Prime Air, will provide near-instant home delivery to many customers who live near one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers. No pricing information for this premium service has yet been revealed.

Major motion picture Son of God (Twentieth Century Fox) will release in theaters nationwide Feb. 28.

Producer and actress Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel, The Bible) and producer Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, The Bible) brought the The Bible miniseries to television with their company LightWorkers Media.  The series became the No. 1 cable entertainment telecast of the year, one of the fastest-selling TV-to-disc titles ever and received three Emmy Award nominations.

Zondervan has launched “A Year of Weddings,” a collection of contemporary wedding stories releasing monthly as digital novellas from best-selling romance novelists. The series kicked off Nov. 26 with the release of author Denise Hunter’s A December Bride, and also includes titles from authors Beth Vogt, Deborah Raney and Rachel Hauck, among others.

“I’m so excited to be kicking off the ‘Year of Weddings’ novellas and am honored to be included among such noted authors,” said Hunter. “Romance readers are going to flip for these short, sweet tales of wedded bliss!”

Schaumburg, Ill.-based Lighthouse Christian Products Co. has moved its entire operation into one new facility, as of Dec. 1. The new location is just a few miles from its previous site.

“After several years of using multiple locations, God brought one location to house everybody—an efficient move for the company,” said Ed Nizynski, vice president of sales. “With good leadership and oversight by the companies operations and warehouse managers, Lighthouse was able to continue to serve their retailers during the move.”

The company’s new address is 2401 Palmer Dr., Unit C., Schaumburg, IL 60173. Phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses remain the same.

Learn more about Lighthouse Christian Products Co. at www.lcpgifts.com.

The U.S. Greeting Card Association (GCA) is predicting that shoppers will purchase some 1.6 billion Christmas cards this year, making Christmas the largest card-sending holiday in the country. That figure includes boxed cards, but does not include photo and other personalized cards sold online.

Nearly three-fourths of consumers who send holiday cards do so because they know how good it feels when they receive a holiday greeting, according to research findings from GCA member Hallmark Cards. The company’s 2013 holiday designs include cards featuring embellishments such as removable ornaments; designs with simple photography; laser-cut holiday cards; and cards incorporating rich colors and short, powerful sentiments.

Thom S. Rainer’s I Am a Church Member (B&H Publishing Group) has topped the CBA best-sellers list for three non-consecutive months: September, October and December.

Published in May, I Am a Church Member has started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members rather than the functional and theological issues. The book was written after Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership on his blog in January 2012.

Christian retail stores featured specials and reported healthy sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The Mardel chain offered free standard shipping for Cyber Monday, while LifeWay Christian Stores encouraged customers to “tote the savings.” Customers that purchased a special, names-of-Christ tote bag for $1.99 and filled it with products totaling $40 or more, including the price of the tote, received 20% off of their total purchase. LifeWay’s offer extends from Cyber Monday to Dec. 7. LifeWay customers also received $5 in free bonus bucks with the purchase of a $25 gift card.