REV ANDY’S NEWS
OCTOBER 2018
www.bibleinbrief.com / aoroland@gmail.com
Report on CRE 
Last week I spent three days at Sandown Park Racecourse, trying to raise the profile of my books, specially Bible in Brief. I had a nice stand in a goodish position, next to a coffee bar, and I had three friends help me, Aylin, David and Gordon, one on each of the three days of the event. We were opposite a stand publicising the needs of those with a disability, including Downs 
Syndrome. The comedy actor Sally Phillips (in ‘Miranda’) came to support her charity there. I enjoyed it, sold £110 worth of books, and gave away lots of business cards. Still a bit hard to justify the £1,000 cost.
But it did get me thinking about marketing in a much more focussed way. On the last morning a man on an adjoining stand advised me to go round the Exhibition finding groups I could partner with, such as “Parish Pump”. They provide material for churches to put in their parish magazines. I hope they will review my books. I also made contact with “Preacher”, a monthly magazine for church leaders.
Marketing (i.e. meeting people)
So this week I came back to the workaday world determined to be a bit more of a marketeer – with some success. On Monday a bookshop in Streatham took another copy of ‘Bible in Brief’ and will use a flyer advertising it . And I left three copies of ‘Bible in Brief’ at an open-air coffee stand outside St Bride’s Church off Fleet Street!
At the end of this Newsletter there is a first draft of the flyer. Do email me and tell me what you think.
Stuck for Christmas?
Opposite my stand at CRE was a group called ‘Church for All’, advocating ways 
for churches to be disability-friendly. Lydia from t
here bought a copy of ‘A Week of Prayer in Jerusalem’ to give to her mother-in-law for Christmas. It struck me what a great Christmas present for anyone who has either been to Jerusalem or would like to go. Lots of fascinating history, politics and religion! And loads of colour photos of my Jerusalem experiences. People particularly liked the one of the slimline rubbish cart (for the narrow bazaars) which can go up and down steps! So with that thought I am offering through my website “A Week of Prayer in Jerusalem” for only £12, p&p free,
Offer to come and speak
Two years ago my publisher Chris Day said I should go out there and make myself known. Give talks, do podcasts, etc. I feel the time has come for me to bite the bullet. I hope shortly to give monthly talks in my parish church, St Cuthbert’s, Philbeach Gardens SW5 – possibly with wine and cheese after to get discussion going. I could do a Saturday at St Michael’s Convent Gerrards Cross. And there is nothing to stop me getting on Youtube. Here are some of the topics I could offer. What do you think of them?
My 65-year journey with the Bible from Ladybird book via university and South India to published author
Can we trust the gospels? Are some more trustworthy than others?
The unknown Old Testament or Stuff that nobody tells you. e.g. Did you know that Goliath never stood a chance?
Christmas – what’s the evidence? We can know more as well as less than you suppose.
The three dimensions of Jerusalem Historical, religious, political. “All of human life is there”.
Do email me what you think of them, plus any others that come to mind
Bible Blogs
Since May I have been writing a series of a dozen Bible Blogs on St Paul. They are listed in my August Newsletter. This week I hope to complete my blog on Paul and the Spirit, and after that will take a look at Paul’s attitude to morality. As always with Paul, there are some surprises!
The question now is what would YOU like me to blog about? Send me an email!
Bible in Brief Flyer Here is my proposed flyer. Do tell me what you think.
(Greyed-out colour photo of front cover with text on top)
“I don’t read the Bible
because it is too long
and too complicated.”
Is there a solution?YES!
Turn over ➔
”This book does what few others do – it offers a very helpful guide for those looking for a brief overview of the Bible and its story.” Rt Revd Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington
Check it out on bibleinbrief.org
‘Bible in Brief’ is for you if –
you are looking for an understandable way into the Bible with six months of daily readings;
you want a clear structure arranged in six monthly topics:
- Creation to Commandments
- History of Israel and Judah
- Prophets
- Law, Psalms and Wisdom
- Jesus
- Apostles and their Letters
you want to choose for yourself what to read and when;
you want questions to focus your responses to the readings and create your own Bible commentary in the book or online;
you are curious about what other cultures of the time were saying, e.g. the Babylonian Creation myth and a prayer of king Nebuchadnezzar.
you like maps and archaeological illustrations and timelines;
you have questions like: “What does ‘Word of God’ mean?” and “Which Bible?” and “What are the best Bible films?”
you want to use the Bible as a group study;
you want to end up seriously informed.
only £9.99!
