Yesterday we had the Fair Trade Boutique Fair at Vintage Faith Church. It was a Trade As One gift fair that was set up all day in the church building.
You can read another article from the local newspaper that came out today about what happened yesterday here. It's been cool seeing the local newspaper interested and covering this event two times this past week. They have been wonderful too in covering the opening of our coffeehouse/music/art lounge The Abbey with a couple articles as well.
It was quite an event in terms of there being so many people crammed in the display rooms and people seemed quite enthusiastic about what was happening. It was put together and led by a team in the church and the Fair Trade staff. I was told that we had 70 volunteers from Vintage Faith Church helping out which was cool to hear all the involvement making it happen. So it was a thrill to see what they planned and did as I went to it in the morning with my daughter Claire. I heard it stayed busy all day which was encouraging to hear because it means that all the more lives are impacted and all the more the message goes out to people.
Nathan and Catherine George are the founders of Trade As One and you can read their story here and why they started Trade As One. They are part of Vintage Faith Church and Nathan will be speaking in January in our worship gatherings which I look forward to. So it is an honor having them part of the church and a total joy that our church got to participate in what happened today. If you are a church leader you may want to go to the Trade As One web site and explore what they are doing as many churches are now getting involved in this.
What was really great about the fair trade boutique, is as you browse through everything, Trade As One sets up the stories behind what is being sold. So this morning as my daughter Claire and I were looking through the various things available, we could read the stories of who made each item, where they live, their situation etc. Claire bought a couple of Christmas gifts for her cousins such as Little Travelers Pins which were made by women affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. And also some bracelets made by craftswomen in Guatemalan and Ghanian villages. All the products are fair trade products and you really have to read the vision of Trade As One and how this whole incredible effort is designed.
I also had another cool experience yesterday when I was talking to a 7 year old girl at our church. In the children's ministry they are raising money for mosquito nets for children in other countries - to help prevent malaria. This girl was given 10 dollars as a gift from her grandmother and instead of keeping it, she decided to give the entire 10 dollars to buy a mosquito net. So this morning she turned in the 10 dollars to where the children's ministry was collecting it.
So a fun day - I wasn't teaching, so I was able to just enjoy being around the church and hang out. We did have an all-day Church and Mission class on Saturday that Josh Fox and I taught. And had great conversations with people and talked to someone exploring Christianity. So the mission continues and is always an adventure. I am heading to Atlanta later this week to speak at Youth Specialties. I am still working on the book I am finishing up. Had a meeting with Zondervan a week ago and most likely going to re-title it since it has taken a different twist since I first started it. More on that later. Off to a creative planning meeting for our Christmas series I now go to.
