More than 50 attendees representing industry leadership and retailers packed the presentation room in the ICRS Town Center last night to pray for the state of the Christian products industry, including CBA's new leader.

Prayer was held specifically for CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey, with several individuals gathering around him. Brian Banashak, owner of Evergreen Press, who organized the event for the second year in a row, praised Riskey for someone "who courageously stepped up to the plate." Riskey took on the leadership of CBA after longtime association President Bill Anderson resigned last October.

"We need a CBA with good leadership," Banashak said. "I know we have a man of God leading us. We need to hold his hands up (in prayer)."

Jack Savage and his wife, Ruth Ann-owners for more than 50 years of Jack's Religious Gift Shop in Salisbury, Md., which now only carries church supplies-attended the hour-long prayer meeting.

"I feel it's very important for the industry to gather and pray," said Savage, a former CBA president. "We used to have prayer for years, but they stopped. I'm glad they brought it back last year."

Ruth Ann added: "If there was a time that we needed to pray, it's now. Prayer changes things."

Teresia Osborne, assistant manager of Salt Cellar in Lawton, Okla., said she felt compelled to attend her first Industry Prayer Meeting, which also featured a number of industry leaders and retailers leading the crowd in prayer for eight segments of the Christian retail channel.

"We came together here to pray with those who have the same needs as we do-especially praying God's blessings for all of the businesses," she said.

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