Parish Pump turns 25!
With this issue, Parish Pump has reached a significant anniversary. We have now completed a full 25 years of production! That is every single month since the July 1999 issue.
Premier Christian Radio in London has done a seven-minute live interview with us, and a news story about us has gone out to the Christian press. It was written by the Revd Peter Crumpler, a former communications director for the C of E.
Peter writes:
Archbishop of York praises church magazines
The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has praised the work of church magazine editors, as a service providing them with news, features and illustrations celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Parish Pump has supplied up to 3,000 publications each month since its launch at the Christian Resources Exhibition in May 1999. The online resource regularly reaches many tens of thousands of readers in the UK and overseas.
Journalist Anne Coomes has edited the subscription service throughout the quarter century from her home near Macclesfield.
In a message to celebrate the anniversary, Archbishop Cottrell said, “Well-produced magazines can play a vital role in helping churches reach out into their local communities, and to bring the Christian gospel into many people’s homes. Even in a digital world, paper-based communications can help build bridges for local churches.
“I’m deeply appreciative of the effort put in by numerous church magazine editors, and of the important, creative support that Parish Pump has provided over the past 25 years. I congratulate its editor, Anne Coomes, on her commitment to first-class communications through those years.”
Looking back, Anne says: “It has been a real labour of love to edit and produce Parish Pump over all those years. I have a wonderful group of contributors who write on a wide range of subjects, and we receive so many grateful messages from magazine editors.
“Parish Pump is a key part of my vocation to serve the Church. I feel passionate about church magazines, as they may be the only Christian literature that many people ever see, and so they are a wonderful way in which local churches can communicate the gospel to their communities.”
The increase in online communications and the difficulty in recruiting editors has led many churches to stop producing a printed magazine. That, and along with the effects of Covid, means that the number of Parish Pump’s subscribers has now dropped to below 1,400.
Anne said: “Each month, I receive news of magazines closing down – but also of new ones opening up. Overall, the trend is downwards, and that’s a shame as not everyone is able to go online. Magazines can reach people who would never search out a church website.
“The suspension of printed magazines during Covid was very difficult for many churches and editors. Many began posting their magazine online and that trend has continued.”
Anne, who co-founded and owns Parish Pump, intends to celebrate the Silver Anniversary with friends and contributors.
ends
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25 years is a long time – Parish Pump has been around for an entire generation!
And though I doubt PP will last another 25 years (I certainly won’t!) we have no plans to close at present. We are very happy to simply carry on as usual. And we hope that you are, too!
Warm wishes
Anne Coomes and the Parish Pump Team
PS. How many of you have edited your magazine since July 1999? Since 2004? Since 2009? Since 2014? Since 2019? If you have, please do let us know – we would love to hear from you! Contact me at anne@parishpump.co.uk