When

spiritual needs require something more tangible than a

prayer, Fayetteville has three stores supplying

everything from Bibles to baptismal cards.

Joining

Sonrise Christian Book Store on Glynn Street and Family

Christian Stores at the Pavilion is The Covenant Box at

Banks Station, specializing in Catholic books and gifts.

A first on

the south side of Atlanta, The Covenant Box is owned and

managed by Karen Crumley Grubb and her parents, Dennis

and Peggie Crumley of Fayetteville. Grubb's desire to

open a store showcasing quality religious art and

sacramentals like medals, rosaries and holy cards,

evolved from job dissatisfaction and a reflective period

spent recuperating from spinal surgery.

In August,

she resigned from her sports marketing position and began

researching the demographics for opening a store. Grubb

took classes in small business management at Clayton

College & State University, joined two professional

associations, Christian Booksellers and Catholic

Marketing Network, and compiled lists of vendors. A

blizzard in Baltimore, Md. nearly wiped out the big trade

show Grubb attended in January, but as luck would have

it, her main distributors made it in before the storm,

giving her an opportunity to order gifts face to face.

Book orders

were made with the help of the Rev. Tim Hepburn, pastor

of Catholic Church of St. Gabriel's, and two former nuns.

"I drew from the parish a lot," she said. Grubb

is still receiving orders and expects to have her music

section in place soon.

The

Covenant Box opened on Valentines Day, Feb. 14, and will

be blessed by Hepburn Sunday, March 19. Special features

include a children's book area where Grubb plans to have

story hour on Saturdays, a quiet garden corner complete

with fountain, and a full complement of icons, statues

and religious articles unique to Catholics.

Sonrise is

owned by Rick and Susan Harrell and has been a fixture

for Fayette County Christians for years. Harrell also

owns and operates The Olive Branch in Peachtree City and

The Ark in Newnan. Encompassing 8,000 square feet,

Sonrise is the largest Christian book and supply store in

the county. They are currently expanding their book line

and "resetting the store," according to

Harrell, giving the shop a face-lift.

The

inventory found at Sonrise gives testimony to the wide

range of products available to today's Christians.

The music

section includes everything from alternative and techno

to contemporary and gospel, all with the underlying theme

of praise for the Lord. Books run the gamut from Sunday

School and Vacation Bible School curriculums to Christian

fiction and humor. T-shirts and medallions bearing the

name or words of Jesus are outward signs of faith.

"People want ways to visibly show their

Christianity," Harrell said.

Family

Christian Stores will celebrate its first anniversary in

Fayetteville next month. Assistant manager Cherish Overby

has been with the company for two years and is part of

the 300-store chain which began 68 years ago as the

family-owned Zondervan book stores. Books and CD's

compose a large portion of the shop's inventory with the

"Left Behind" series currently topping the

charts.