The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) has reported that sales were down $3.2 million for the first three months of the 2008 fiscal year.

The current economic climate has had a "detrimental impact" in the fiscal year beginning Aug. 1, said UMPH President and Publisher Neil Alexander, the United Methodist News Service reported.

When the UMPH board of directors met Oct. 27-29 in Nashville, Alexander expressed concerns about meeting budget targets in 2009. "Economists expect consumer spending to continue to fall at an accelerated rate, and early surveys of churches suggest both shortfalls in giving and cutbacks in spending," Alexander said.