The online Covenant Bookstore, makes available all of the Covenant publications such as the Covenant hymnal and Covenant Book of Worship, books by Covenant authors, curriculum such as the Journey discipleship/confirmation materials, and a wide range of church supplies and other resources, books and music.
The online bookstore payment system has used a credit card as the method of payment. However, some churches noted they do not have a credit card issued in the name of the church, and some expressed reluctance to ask individuals in the church to use their personal cards and seek reimbursement.
In response to those churches that prefer to pay with checking account funds instead of a credit card, a new arrangement has been established with PayPal, a well-known third-party payment vendor and a certified participant in the Better Business Bureaus’ BBBOnLine privacy program. A local church can set up its own free online account with PayPal, using the church’s checking account as the method of payment – no credit card is required, although that method of payment continues as an option.
The process is simple. Local churches should visit PayPal. There they can set up their free account by supplying the local church checking account number as the payment source – that information remains confidential. Authorized individuals, using the church’s unique password, can place an online order and designate the church’s PayPal account as the method of payment. The order is transmitted and the cost of the order is then deducted from the church checking account and payment transferred to the online Covenant Bookstore.
“We have tried to be responsive to our churches and make the transition as easy for them as possible,” says Don Meyer, executive minister of Covenant Communications, who facilitated the transition team. “Obviously, some may prefer no change – that the church could be billed and send in a check as before,” he notes. “However, as we examined this from a stewardship perspective, we found it difficult to justify adding another payroll position that would prepare invoices, receive and deposit payments, and track overdue accounts, not to mention the postage expenses involved, especially when there are reasonable alternatives available. Authorizing the payment directly from the checking account – which is much the same as writing a check – seemed to strike a good balance between customer convenience and stewardship of limited resources.”
The online store offers a number of benefits, Zerfas notes, including a quick response time. “We try to process orders the day they are received,” Zerfas says, noting it takes no longer than one to two business days even during the busiest of seasons. “We are especially interested in receiving recommendations for products that churches and individuals would like to see added to the online store,” Zerfas says. Suggestions, as well as questions, can be emailed to the Covenant Bookstore. Questions about orders may also be directed to the toll-free bookstore number at 800-621-1290 or at 773-907-3305.
The retail store, located at Foster and Kedzie Avenues, closed at the end of June after 96 years of service in different locations. Some staff remained to clear merchandise and sell store fixtures through the end of September. Bookstore staff, under the leadership of manager Jeff Lennard, continued to service major Covenant events during that time, including an onsite bookstore at the June Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids and another onsite bookstore for CHIC in Knoxville, Tennessee.
All seven full-time staff members have secured new employment, including Lennard’s just-announced appointment as director of sales and marketing for Brethren Press, which is part of the Church of the Brethren with denominational offices in Elgin, Illinois. Another long-time member of the team, Mary Kainovic, had 23 years of service with Covenant Bookstore and served as assistant manager at the time of its closing. She was selected to manage the new on-campus store for North Park University, located in the lower level of the gymnasium building across from the former bookstore building.
To check out the offerings of the online store, please visit Covenant Bookstore.
