Seven moves, one management change and an existing familiar face from when it all began have been instrumental in the characterisation of the Mudgee Christian Bookshop as it celebrates 40 years in operation.
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From humble beginnings when a small group of people in Mudgee from various Christian churches discovered a need for a Christian bookshop in 1980, to now in 2020, the shop, while having faced its share of challenges, exists to be a guide for many within the local community.
When she was in her early 20s, Judith Plummer decided to take a leap of faith and put her name forth for the bookshop's manager position some 36 years ago, and till this very day it is a position she still occupies and loves each day.
"I remember working in the shop where it originally was where the saddlery is now. Initially when the position was vacant I thought 'gee, I would like to do that' not really knowing what was involved but they accepted me as a manager and I've been doing it ever since, I love it," she said.
"Over the 40 years, we've seen quite a few different volunteers come and go. We've also had seven moves, one management change, and our chairman who was one of the ones to begin it all is still very much a part of the bookshop.
"The fact that we're from the different Christian denominations, we all sort of have the same vision so we feel very much a part of the Christian community."
For the entirety of the not-for-profit bookshop's existence, each individual who delegates some of their time is a volunteer.
And when asked why become a part of it, Judith said "we just love God's Word and helping the community".
We strive to be a place that is a delight to browse and explore, but mostly to provide the item that is sought by our customer for whoever it is intended to bless.
- Mudgee Christian Bookshop manager, Judith Plummer
"We have a lot of variety of books, there's really something for everyone, you can't help but look on the shelf and discover something you may not have thought was available.
"It's not just the religious occasions, but it's more life in general, we have something to meet all needs."
While Judith admits the next 40 years may encourage further challenges in regards to technology, she said the Mudgee Christian Bookshop will strive to be around for many years to come.
"It's tricky to see what the future holds because technology has changed everything, it's difficult as a volunteering thing because it's very time consuming, but I can see it getting more difficult for all shops competing with the online platforms," she said.
"But, I still think people like to come and see things so I'm really hoping that spiritually, people will become more aware and keep on visiting us."
Jay-Anna Sleeman
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
Reporter for the Western Advocate. First began as a sports journalist with ACM in 2018 before moving on to cover news and court.
