Church Publishing has announced some changes to its operations. As reported by Publishers Weekly,
the publishing arm of the U.S. Episcopal Church, says it is “suspending” acquisitions of new trade books because of the current market decline in general trade publishing. CPI will scale back activity at its trade imprint Seabury Books and implement a 30% staff reduction [9 persons]. Spokesperson Nancy Fisher … said that books currently under contract would be produced, and that backlist titles would continue to be supported and promoted; more books had been made available for Amazon’s Kindle reader.
The Morehouse and Church Publishing imprints will concentrate on producing material and supplies for worship and church life, including e-products.
ENS has a longer article.
Jan Nunley compares the layoffs with the report that UMC bishops voted themselves a pay cut. But do note that bishops’ salaries in The Episcopal Church are set by dioceses. And the bishops of many dioceses have taken a pay freeze in response to the recession’s effect on church income.