CPH RELEASES FAMILY-FOCUSED LENT
AND EASTER RESOURCE

Saint Louis, MO—Concordia Publishing House announces a new program for congregations and their communities. Journey to the Cross is an activity and sensory-based program that presents the Biblical account of Passion Week and Easter morning through experience-focused activities appropriate for families and individual participants.

Full product information for the family focused program can be found online at cph.org. 

“Journey to the Cross is a family-focused event and also a perfect community outreach,” says Marketing Manager Keith Settle. “The story of the last week of Christ’s life and resurrection is moving, and connects people in new ways when it can be experienced with family and friends.”

The program is practical to implement at congregations of all sizes. “This program was developed in a Lutheran congregation, and its content and planning reflects a practical style. Those who participated in Journey to the Cross share that it is one of the most meaningful Easter experiences they’ve ever had,” says Settle.

Journey to the Cross is available on a reproducible CD-ROM that includes a complete planning guide, scripts, many customizable publicity pieces, and site posters. This program is appropriate for Easter, but can be used any time of year.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL STARTER KITS
FOR LARGE/SMALL GROUPS NOW AVAILABLE

Saint Louis, MO— Starter Kits for Gadget’s Garage, the 2009 Vacation Bible School from Concordia Publishing House, are now available. New for 2009, two kits “meet needs unique to groups of every size.” The traditional Starter Kit includes all leader resources—CDs, guides, and a Skit DVD. CPH’s new Small VBS Starter Kit is designed for Vacation Bible School programs with fewer than 50 students, fewer volunteers, or limited space. Starter Kits are available at www.cph.org/vbs.

“CPH recognized the need to tailor our kits, and we acted on that. Some congregations have the unique challenge of hundreds of participants, and others the unique challenge of smaller numbers, or limited volunteers,” shares Vacation Bible School Marketing Manager Keith Settle.”The new kits were developed to guide groups to experience success in a variety of settings.”

About the program, Vacation Bible School Editor Cindy Wheeler shares, “At Gadget’s Garage VBS, kids learn about Jesus, their Savior, and respond by putting their faith in motion, using their hands, minds, ears, eyes, and hearts to serve Jesus and live as His people.”

NEWS RELEASE

Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Ave.
St. Louis, Missouri 63118-3968
CONTACT: Gretchen M. Jameson, Corporate Communications
Phone: 314.268.1298
e-mail: gretchen.jameson@cph.org

For Immediate Release

Bruce Kintz, President and CEO with the Marine Toys for Tots representatives

CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSES DELIVERS CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS BOOKS TO TOYS FOR TOTS

Saint Louis, MO—Concordia Publishing House (CPH) donated 2600 children’s Christmas books to the St. Louis, Marine Toys for Tots annual drive as part of the company’s “Give a Gift, Share a Gift” campaign. The books were delivered on December 19 by CPH President and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce G. Kintz. Speaking on local St. Louis radio station, KYKY at the drop-off center, Kintz shared, “Our hope is that these books are a special item for young readers and their families, and that they provide a sense of peace and hope to those homes this Christmas through the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The campaign runs through the month of December and provides a free children’s book to local St. Louis charities for every children’s book purchased at the company Web site, http://www.cph.org or at any of its bookstores located in St. Louis, Chicago, Ann Arbor, MI, and Fort Wayne, IN.

 “People are thinking differently about their Christmas giving,” shares Joseph Snyder, CPH’s director of marketing. “We want to help our customers give gifts that share the real message of Christmas. Providing books to children is one way to do that.” The company encourages customers to visit the Web site and participate in the campaign before the end of December.

 “Christmas is about Jesus Christ. It’s a truth that every child needs to hear, and this program is one way that CPH, through the involvement of our customers, can help that happen,” says Gretchen Jameson, who handles public relations for the company.

Concordia Publishing House is a not-for-profit publishing company. The company offers more than 8,000 products for use in Christian congregations, schools, and homes.

NEWS RELEASE
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Ave.
St. Louis, Missouri 63118-3968
CONTACT: Gretchen M. Jameson, Corporate Communications
Phone: 800.774.0274
e-mail: gretchen.jameson@cph.org

For Immediate Release
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE 
REDUCES STAFF, BECOMES “LEANER” AS IT SERVES CHURCH

            December 5, 2008, St. Louis, MO—Concordia Publishing House (CPH) announced from its St. Louis headquarters a 13-person reduction in its workforce with staff positions eliminated across departments. Concordia, a part of the St. Louis business community for 140 years is the denominational publisher of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), also headquartered in St Louis.

Concordia Publishing House employs approximately 250 people. Severance, outplacement support, and extended health care coverage were offered to employees as part of the announcement. Prior to the cut, CPH worked to reduce its workforce, offering what the company describes as a “robust and complete” voluntary early retirement package. Many employees who took the offer had been with the company more than 15 years. Concordia’s cuts come alongside recent news from other large Christian and secular publishers forced to scale back operations as the economy worsens.

News of the layoffs was shared with employees by CPH President and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce G. Kintz at a town hall meeting today. “The shift to a leaner team is a difficult, but necessary result of the economy,” Kintz stated. “As a not-for-profit that serves the LCMS, we must take responsible action to remain financially healthy as we serve the congregations that support us, but there is nothing more important to me than our employee-family.”

“We did not take action lightly,” says Kintz, who shared news of the layoff with LCMS President Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick prior to the announcement. “Every CEO will say that these are difficult choices, but the truth for CPH, as a church-based company, is that our employees truly are a family. These decisions cut very deep.”

“As the economy slows, church giving is impacted. This requires us to make difficult decisions to protect the future. We know that doesn’t make this any easier for our outstanding team and will work hard to support them through this transition.” Kintz, who also serves as President of the Protestant Church Owned Publishers Association, was appointed as CPH President and Chief Executive Officer in 2006. He has been an executive with the company since 1999.

“CPH is driven to share the message of Jesus Christ with the world. We are passionate about that mission, and that dedication will not change even as we overcome times such as these,” Kintz concludes.

Concordia Publishing House is a not-for-profit publishing company. The company offers more than 8,000 products for use in Christian congregations, schools, and homes.

Read a letter from President and CEO, Bruce G. Kintz about this situation (PDF)

CPH in the News

President & Chief Executive Officer Bruce Kintz provides thoughtful commentary on the hot topic of online media and Christian publishing for a feature story in the current issue of The Lutheran, a magazine published by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. How best to use current-state technology to deliver the Gospel message is the focus of the article, “From Guttenberg to Google.” Click here to read the full-story.

CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE ENCOURAGES CUSTOMERS TO “SHARE THE REAL MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS”

Saint Louis, MO—Concordia Publishing House (CPH) announces the launch of cph.org/wonder for the Christmas season and urges customers to “give gifts with a message and a meaning” this year.

CPH will offer competitive prices online throughout the month of December. Sale items will include CPH professional and consumer books, children’s books, and its collection of Inspire Christian gifts. Customers can sign up for CPH’s “E-news” for updates about special promotions, incentives, and sale announcements.

“People are thinking differently about their Christmas giving,” shares Joseph Snyder, CPH’s director of marketing. “We want to help our customers give gifts that share the real message of Christmas.”

CPH will share that message with St. Louis children through a special Christmas offer. Throughout December, for every children’s Christmas book purchased online or at a CPH bookstore, the company will donate a Christmas book to local children’s charities. “Christmas is about Jesus Christ. It’s a truth that every child needs to hear, and this program is one way that CPH, through the involvement of our customers, can help that happen,” says Gretchen Jameson, who handles public relations for the company.

CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE LAUNCHES WEB SITE FOR THE LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE

Saint Louis, MO—Concordia Publishing House (CPH) announces the launch of its promotional Web site for The Lutheran Study Bible at www.cph.org/lutheranbible. Pre-order sales begin online in March, 2009.

The product is the first study Bible in English to be developed from the ground-up with notes that are “exclusively and distinctively Lutheran.” It contains more than 26,500 study notes, prepared by Lutheran theologians, scholars, and pastors representing more than 20 Lutheran church bodies.

The Lutheran Study Bible uses the English Standard Version® translation, one of the fastest-growing translations worldwide and considered one of the most precise English translations available. At the Web site, CPH describes its offering into the market as “truly unique,” and “not to be confused” with the recent ESV Study Bible from Crossways, or the Lutheran Study Bible from Augsburg Fortress (NRSV).

“We are excited to offer all English-speaking Christians a study Bible that offers such a comforting and powerful Christ-centered understanding of the Scriptures,” shares Rev. Paul T. McCain, Publisher and Executive Director of Editorial for CPH. The Lutheran Study Bible invites Lutheran Christians to, “engage in a conversation that has been unfolding within and around God’s Word throughout the centuries,” according to the Web site.

Gretchen Jameson, CPH’s corporate communications manager, shares “The Lutheran Study Bible combines a personal, devotional, and practical-application approach to Bible reading, alongside solid, scholarly study notes. There is, quite simply, nothing else like it available today.”

Information including the features of The Lutheran Study Bible, the product Foreword, and FAQs is located online at cph.org/lutheranbible.