One of the country's top church bookstores is to host the next national event for managers and staff of congregation-based stores.

The fourth annual Gathering of Church Bookstores will be held at Lakewood Church in Houston, March 26-28, 2008. The church is home to best-selling author and pastor Joel Osteen and Lakewood Bookstore, the 2007 Church Bookstore of the Year.

Sponsored by the Church Bookstore Network and Strang Communications, publisher of The Church Bookstore magazine, the gathering is expected to draw several hundred attendees, making it the largest event to date.

The church bookstore movement continues to grow, with representation of church stores increasing 16% at CBA's International Christian Retail Show in Atlanta, this month, over attendance in 2006.

The 2008 Gathering of Church Bookstores will be hosted by network President Geni Hulsey, Lakewood Bookstore manager Ted Terry and assistant manager Janet McKinley. The event will feature training, fellowship and a trade show expo all tailored to the needs of church bookstores.

Lakewood Bookstore was named Church Bookstore of the Year at the 2007 Gathering annual awards, sponsored by The Church Bookstore, in April. With a 10,000-square-foot sales floor featuring reading areas and an aquarium, the store generates around $3 million in annual sales, serving the church's 38,000 weekly attendees.

"We are very pleased to be hosting the next gathering at Lakewood," said Dave Condiff, associate publisher of The Church Bookstore. "The church facilities will meet all our needs, and we know that seeing the church's bookstore up close will be an inspiration and encouragement to others."

The Church Bookstore magazine, a supplement to Christian Retailing magazine, is published eight times a year.

For more information about The Gathering of Church Bookstores, visit www.thechurchbookstore.com.

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