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ADVENTIST BOOK CENTER

from Texas Conference Biennial Constituency 2019 - 2020 | Spring 2021

by THE FLAME | Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

from Texas Conference Biennial Constituency 2019 - 2020 | Spring 2021, page 4

Article from: Texas Conference Biennial Constituency 2019 - 2020 | Spring 2021

PRESIDENTIAL

Adventist Book Center

By Mickey Johnson, ABC Store Manager

Your Texas Adventist Book Center (ABC) is the only ABC in the Southwestern Union Conference and serves Texas, Southwestern Union and beyond through its in-store customer service, “Direct to You” (D2U) delivery program and online ordering options.

Texas ABC is the primary source of distribution for Seventh-day Adventist books, music, sharing literature, Bibles and vegetarian food. Products are sold to conferences, churches, schools, institutions, members and community friends.

Those in the Southwestern Union territory can order books and food through the D2U program and have them delivered on a scheduled basis to a closer location than the store in Keene, Texas.

Those not able to wait for the D2U scheduled delivery can order food as well as anything else offered in the store through the Texas ABC websites and have it delivered within days (based on your choice of delivery service).

In addition, we offer a mail-order service to all customers and special orders for items not stocked locally.

When COVID-19 canceled many events as well as the camp meetings we serve, we had to adjust and adopt new methods to take care of our customers.

Considered an essential service, we were thankful that we did not have to shut down during the crisis.

Like most businesses, though, we had to cut expenses and labor with the decrease in sales due to event cancellations.

Texas ABC currently has two fulltime staff with the rest serving part time in various positions.

We are thankful God is in control, and we have been blessed. Being able to serve is a privilege we cherish when we learn of sister ABCs having to close—one in 2019 and two in 2020.

Even though sales were down in 2020, we are thankful for the nearly $2.3 million earned annually in sales through our constituency.

We are grateful for the support of the conference administration and members of the conference Executive Committee.

If you appreciate the continued service provided by the Texas ABC, please continue to purchase your books and food through us. As the saying goes, “Use it or lose it.”

We pray if it is God’s will that we will serve Texas, the Southwestern Union and beyond for many years to come.

Services

Maintains an inventory of books and other materials in both English and Spanish.

Supports a significant display at all annual conference and locally sponsored major events like English and Hispanic camp meetings.

Provides, when possible, displays for special weekend events such as marriage retreats, prayer retreats, family camps, English and Hispanic women’s retreats, VBS workshops and Pathfinder camporees.

Participates in large outreach evangelism and sharing programs sponsored by the conference, such as “Your Best Pathway to Health.”

Coordinates the billing and distribution of Sabbath School and other church materials for local conference churches, schools and institutions.

Provides a “Direct to You” (D2U) delivery program where preordered food and other materials will be delivered on a predetermined schedule, based on the response of members, to churches, schools and members throughout the Southwestern Union for a nominal delivery charge of $5. We currently operate nine routes across the five states in the Southwestern Union territory.