St. Olav’s Bookshop in Chichester, West Sussex, is the first book retailer in the United Kingdom to join the Prayer Book Society.
The bookshop is based in a church built 20 years after the Norwegian King Olaf was martyred in 1030. The church is closed for normal worship but remains consecrated and hosts an annual Holy Eucharist on July 29, the late king’s feast day.
The Book of Common Prayer “is central to our mission to provide books and resources for Christians of all backgrounds and traditions,” said Bradley Smith, the bookshop’s manager. “As we keep a full range of BCPs in stock — as well as PBS materials, including CDs — we felt that signing up for corporate membership was a natural step.”
The bookshop becomes the second business to join the PBS as a corporate member. Gresham Books, which creates bespoke books of hymns and prayers for schools, colleges, and churches, was the first corporate member. The Prayer Book Society sells books, musics, and other items through its online shop.
“We have launched a drive to increase interest in the Book of Common Prayer beyond Anglican churches and their worshipers,” said John Service, the society’s clergy and churches coordinator. “In the past seven years our corporate membership has grown by more than 40 percent and includes 100 churches as well as several schools. Now we are keen to expand our membership to include other organizations which are supportive of our work.”
Adapted from ACNS
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
