Church Periodical Club
The Church Periodical Club (CPC) is an independent, affiliated organization of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, dedicated to the worldwide Ministry of the Written Word and to the Promotion of Christian Mission. It is the only organization in The Episcopal Church dedicated solely to providing free literature and related materials, both religious and secular, to people all over the world who need and request them and who have no other source for obtaining them. Prayer Books, books for seminarians, educational materials, medical textbooks, agricultural manuals and books for those in local and global mission are some of the publications The Church Periodical Club supplies. The Church Periodical Club operates at all levels of the Church - national, provincial, diocesan and parish. The goal is to make the CPC program a concern of the whole Church. That goal includes having an active and enthusiastic CPC representative in every parish and diocese. The Church Periodical Club is funded by voluntary contributions from all levels of the Church by people in the pews. CPC is supported by the prayerful concern, time, talents, labor and money of those who believe in the Ministry of the Printed Word.
Have you read a book, a newspaper, a Bible, a prayer book, a magazine, a bill? Have you used a Kindle, CD, or DVD? Do you look up things on your computer or ask Google a question?
How fortunate you are, as many have limited or no access to these written words.
How about providing Bibles to Bible students? What about providing books for children coming to a food pantry? Children coming to a Peace Camp? Prayer books for campus ministry? Recovery (addiction help) for those in prison? The list continues.
Church Periodical Club (CPC) has funded those activities.
We are all familiar with the biblical quote “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” 1 Cor. 12:4. Church Periodical Club (CPC) is one of many ministries that seek to serve Christ in the world. We provide the written word that allows us to study, understand, communicate and, yes, have dreams.
The CPC has been a ministry in the Episcopal Church since 1888. The club was formed to send church periodicals—magazines and printed tracts as well as prayer books and Bibles via the Wells Fargo stagecoach line to western settlers. It was the support of Episcopal Church Women who assisted in CPC growth. CPC continues this relationship. In 1922, CPC started grants for adult materials needed by individuals, churches and organizations affiliated with the Anglican Communion, now known as National Book Fund (NBF). Seminarian grants were also started. Money is sent to Episcopal seminaries for each seminary to distribute. Currently 10 seminaries receive an amount that is dependent on the money collected in the previous year. Presiding Bishop Curry received a grant in 1974.
The need was seen that children and youth should have a separate fund, and Miles of Pennies began in 1989. Grants are up to $844.80, which is the number of pennies to make a mile. These grants are considered year-round.
One ministry has expanded and changed from printed periodicals on a stagecoach to the written word through all media, from books to Kindles, from CDs to DVDs sent throughout the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. This ministry exists and continues only with the support of you, your congregation and your diocese. CPC does not receive money from the Episcopal Church budget. Join us as we bring light into the world through the written word. Our website is under revision, but there is plenty of information there.
(Reprinted from the Summer 2020 edition of the Communique, the newsletter of the national ECW)
