Clergy Stoles

No matter how many times I have heard the economists say, “The economy is turning back up!” or “In a few months things will be back to normal,” it is hard for me to see any hard evidence of change in my life. The same 10 houses that have been for sale on my street for the past 8 months still have their signs out. Many of my friends headed to Asia after college, hoping to find a job teaching English or some sort of experience that would allow them to be competitive when they do return to America. And I continue to see business offices and prime commercial real estate that has been vacant for over a year, with those numbers continually rising. So where is this upward growth I’m hearing all about?! I’m not seeing it.

In order to continue living a “normal” life (perhaps not to the extent we once were), we must cut costs and determine how to better balance our budgets. I, for one, was an avid fan of Starbucks. There is just something about that Pumpkin Spice latte! Even if it is still 105 degrees here in Phoenix when they release it (which it was this year), it feels like autumn has arrived once that first drop hits my mouth. However, this year I have cut my Pumpkin Spice consumption down drastically! I think I have only had 2 in the past two months. Instead I have been purchasing a Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee creamer for under $3 and brewing my own coffee instead. What are some ways that you have been cutting back your spending habits to counter the reduced amount of disposable income?

Autom knows that times are tough and instead of increasing our prices with rising costs like much of the competition, we continue to offer the lowest prices on the largest selection of affordable church supplies. Have you ever compared our clergy shirts and other clergy apparel to the competition? Why pay over $40 for a clergy shirt, when you can purchase a comparable shirt from us for under $20? Or purchase a stole for nearly 3x the price, when you can get it at Autom.com for $19.99? It just does not make sense to me! The list of items goes on and on…. Everything from Advent & Christmas supplies, to Baptismal & First Communion gifts, you can find it for less at Autom.com.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support and if you are new to Autom, please compare our prices to the competition. I know you will be pleasantly surprised at the savings you will gain from shopping with us. In this economy, we don’t need to stop shopping altogether, but rather become smarter shoppers! As mentioned earlier, please let us know how you are changing your spending/purchasing habits to adapt to the times in the comments below.

Each year we celebrate Clergy Appreciation Day on the second Sunday of October, but did you know the whole month is dedicated to clergy appreciation?

Seeing as yesterday was the second Sunday of the month, there may be a chance you are like me and probably forgot to pick up a gift for the clergy of your church. Don't worry; Autom is here to help you out. As our way of saying thank you to all the clergy serving our communities worldwide, please enjoy 10% off all orders placed this week when you click through this post.

We have the largest selection of affordable church supplies and apparel, including clergy shirts, stoles, chasubles and so much more. Whatever you church needs, Autom is sure to have it and at prices far below the competition. Visit our Clergy Appreciation section for more gift ideas!

Autom, your choice for affordable church supplies formally invites you to "Find Us on Facebook!"   

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Autom page on Facebook. Fans will be able to post pictures and comments, review products, receive the latest news, discuss religious topics, and most importantly, receive amazing deals on Catholic Church supplies! How do you receive amazing deals? Easy!

At Autom we are a family, and we want you to know that you are the heart of this family. Our customers are our glue that keeps this business together. And to show our appreciation, we will occasionally offer one-day only deals such as but not limited to, free shipping, a buy one get one free rosary sale, $25 off any order of $100 or more, or 10-25% off any order! You will be able to use these discounts towards the purchase of clergy shirts, a cord rosary, or a few copies of the New American Bible for your church. Anything you or your church may want or need in our ever growing selection of affordable church supplies will be available to you.

And the savings don't stop there! The more "likes" we receive the more often we will pass the savings to you. As more and more Facebook users "Like" the Autom page on Facebook, we are going to offer more and more savings opportunities. We will randomly advertise a special deal, such as a free glass rosary with any order, via our status update for only 24 hours.

In this 24 hour window, customers will receive the avertised savings on any order through our website. Depending on the season or time of year, you may want to purchase gifts for those special occasions. We have a great selection of First Holy Communion Gifts, Catholic Confirmation Gifts, and Catholic Baptism Gifts.

These exclusive specials on Facebook would also be the perfect opportunity for your church to stock up on clergy apparel, such as clergy shirts or clergy stoles, a Catholic chalice, or Catholic Prayer Books. Any way you look at it, following us on facebook is a great opportunity for you and your church to be included in the biggest and best Autom sales and discounts we have to offer.

We will be announcing the first promotion via our page on Facebook very soon. Visit Autom's page on Facebook and join today for amazing savings!

I should introduce myself.  My name is Paul Greene and I am the Sales Manager for the reseller division of Autom.  For years it has been my unique privilege to help make sure that your local Catholic Book Stores and Christian Suppliers have a quality selection of glass rosaries, saint bracelets, and First Holy Communion gifts available for your special occasion.  Over the years this has put me in contact with wonderful people from all around the globe who daily pour their love for Christ into everything they do.  It doesn't take long in this industry before you realize that what we do is about more than just the bottom line.  Whether that be helping a mother select a St. Benedict Crucifix for her daughter's first home, providing a Baptism gift for a new Christian, or even providing the altar candles that will light the altar as we mourn the passing of someone loved, each day we are blessed with the opportunity to play some small role in bringing God’s love to people’s lives.  This opportunity presented itself in a unique way when the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. 

Like many people around the world I was profoundly moved by the plight of the Haitian people.  In moments millions had lost all that they had.  While aid poured in to the Haitian people from around the world, we were looking for a way that we as a company could contribute.  The answer came in an appeal sent out from the National Church Goods Association.  The NCGA passed on a request from a small parish in Florida that was collecting donations for the churches of Haiti.  In the earthquake the churches also lost everything.  Church vestments, altar linens, chalices and ciboria, in short all the things needed to celebrate the sacraments for the people of Haiti.  For these churches such a loss was devastating.  International aid would help the Haitian people rebuild their lives, but even with the very humble nature of what they had before the earthquake, it could take decades for the churches to replace what they lost.   As one of top manufacturers of affordable church supplies in the world, we were in a unique position to make an impact in this area. 

We presented this opportunity to all of the employees of Autom asking if they would help us raise money for this cause.  Additionally the owners of the company agreed to match dollar for dollar all funds raised.  These funds could then be used to purchase the most needed items for the Haitian parishes.  We could buy many of the items at cost and stretch every dollar to its utmost. The response from the employees was overwhelming.  People dug deep and donated all that they could.  Many who had previously donated to other relief efforts made additional sacrifices to be able to contribute.  Employees who could not financially contribute offered up prayers for Haiti and even went to give blood on their own as a way to help the Haitian people, (as evidenced by Monday morning band-aids and some bruised arms).  We even had friends and family of employees who gave money to the effort.  It was wonderful to see the outpouring of support. It made me proud to be a part of this organization.   This is not an easy time financially for many, but they still reached out to help those in need. 

Using the funds raised, we focused on getting complete Catholic Chalice and Ciborium sets for the churches.  This had been identified as an area of special need due to the high cost and very limited number of manufacturers of these items.   We also sent sets of liturgical vestments for the priests, including chasubles and clergy stoles.  When all was gathered together we were able to donate over $18,000 worth of Catholic church supplies to the cause.  It is my prayer that through these items God may touch the lives of the Haitian people.  And for my part I find that through this experience I have found a renewed appreciation for my own blessings and for the group of people God has surrounded me with.