After 53 years of serving the Christian community in Southend and Essex, we believe that the Lord is calling time on Southend Christian Bookshop.
We are looking back with grateful hearts, rejoicing in the faithfulness of our Father God. Without His everlasting arms beneath us, we would have finished long ago.
Tom Tyer opened the bookshop in 1972, in Southchurch Road. A few years later it moved to the present premises in London Road. Paul and Margaret Slennett have owned and run the bookshop for 44 years, since 1981. Many faithful people have been working here over the years. Present staff, Michael and Penny have been working for over 20 years, Jan for 9 years, and Chloe nearly 2 years.
Apart from resourcing the local church and individual Christians with Bibles, Christian books, music, cards and gifts, the Lord has used our ministry to touch countless lives. He enabled us to help churches, schools and orphanages in a variety of different ways in a number of different countries around the world, equip over eighty prison chaplaincies in the United Kingdom with a substantial Christian library and Bibles, give advice to seekers and prodigals, help the homeless, be there for those who needed an open ear, and regularly witness how God changed people’s lives.
We realise that the digital world has pushed physical book sales to the margins, and that the development of the city of Southend is not enticing many people to visit. Seasons come and seasons go, and we believe that the season of God using our bookshop as a lighthouse in town is coming to an end. Therefore we will close our doors after 24th May. From Easter until the closing date we want to bless our customers with a closing down sale, where books, CDs and DVDs will be reduced by 75%, and Bibles, gifts and cards by 50%.
Please pray for churches and Christian ministries in our city centre to pick up the baton and find ways to be available during the week for those who need Christian direction. Would you also pray for us, as this is not an easy period of transition. We look forward to what the Lord has in store for us, but we need physical and emotional strength for the days ahead.
A big Thank You! to all our customers, not only for their loyal support, but also for the wonderful fellowship we have enjoyed with them throughout all these years.
May the Lord bless you!
Paul Slennett and Michael Fenske
Southend Christian Bookshop
57, London Road
Southend-on-Sea
Essex SS1 1PF
01702 344008
scbookshop@talktalk.net