Go the distance!You and your congregation could get together to set yourselves a target for how many steps for Fairtrade you hope to take in 2012. There are around 2,000 steps in every mile – could your church cover one mile on your journey this year? Or perhaps even two? You could get together with other churches in your area and aim even further! You can collect and record these steps any way you wish:

Perhaps you could make a big footpath showing all your steps and symbolising how your church has progressed on its journey of Fairtrade.

fairtrade ForTnight 2012

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Church action guide 2012

First Sunday of Fortnight4 MarchGenesis 17:1-7, 15 -16God promises the seemingly impossible to Abraham

Psalm 22:23- end Praise for the Lord who hears the cry of the poor

Romans 4:13- end Abraham’s faith: ‘Hoping against hope, he believed…’ (v18)

Mark 8:31- end Jesus’ way will challenge established powers

Following Jesus requires tough choices but is the way to life. ‘Faith is trusting in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change,’ writes Jim Wallis (Faith Works – Lessons on Spirituality and Social Action SPCK).Reversal of expectation, commitment, choice and the fact that faith and action go together are themes running through these readings. Following Jesus is costly, yet in God’s curious economy giving is receiving and blessing comes in the most unlikely circumstances.

The Fairtrade story can echo these themes: an alternative trading system which has the potential to help both producer and consumer, challenges the status quo and which has grown dramatically from the seed of an idea, a hope, to become an established, major reality – a growth achieved by individuals believing, making choices and taking action.

Second Sunday of Fortnight11 MarchExodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments Psalm 19 or 19:7-end: The law is meant to bless

1 Corinthians 1:18 -25 Christ turns everything upside down. God chooses ordinary people to change the world

John 2:13 -22 Jesus drives out the money changers who desecrate what is holy in exploitative control of the market and pursuit of profit

The commandments would be a source of blessing today if their call to respect life and personhood were taken seriously. Instead, economic dogma is pursued regardless of the consequences to poor people, seen in the forcing of free trade on poor countries as a condition of aid or debt relief. Unfair trade rules rob people of both dignity and livelihood and the earth is exploited and worked to exhaustion. But there is an alternative.

Fairtrade restores dignity and respects both people and the environment; the campaign for trade justice aims to enshrine these principles in new trade rules.

Anger is not often seen as a virtue, but it can signal that something is wrong and act as a spur to corrective action. In God’s upside down kingdom it is ordinary people who are the movers and shakers – our choices and our actions can change the world.

Elizabeth Perry

Lectionary Readings

Product code: CAG5

www.fairtrade.org.ukFairtrade Foundation, 3rd Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DYTel: 020 7405 5942 Fax: 020 7977 0101Registered Charity No. 1043886. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 2733136

Photography credits: Simon Rawles, Zed Nelson

You and your church can make a real step change in 2012 by joining the almost 7,000 churches who have already registered as Fairtrade Churches.

On becoming a Fairtrade Church, you will receive a certificate to display, letting your congregation know you have made a commitment to Fairtrade.

The three goals a Fairtrade Church must fulfil are:

• Use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and in all meetings for which they have responsibility

• Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit

• Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible

And if you’ve done that, check whether your denominational area has taken a step for Fairtrade.

1

3

2

Fairtrade denominational areasIn denominational areas like dioceses, churches are getting together to give their Fairtrade campaigns a louder voice and a bigger impact. Join them by working with other churches in your area to meet the following goals:

• To support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for

• Ensure that at least half of the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church

• Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products are used and served there

• Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to denominational area’s Fairtrade status on the relevant website

• Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for ensuring goals continue to be met and developed over time

To apply, simply complete an application form from www.fairtrade.org.uk/faiths and return it to us by email or post.

ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE CHURCH?

A reflection on Acts 16:6 -10A plea for helpIn the depths of night the dream comes – the outstretched hand beckoning; the earnest plea for help. Day breaks but the vision remains. The echo of the words ‘come and help us’ clearly resound. Paul’s response is immediate. The call of God is acknowledged, travelling plans are changed and a new journey lies ahead.

In the media, on our screens, in numerous ways the vision comes – those affected by unjust trade systems; their earnest pleas for help. The echoes of suffering and need clearly resound. How will we respond? Will we dismiss the sight and continue along our chosen path or do as Paul did, recognise God’s call and change direction?

Let us journey together towards social justice; fair trade for all; a better world. Step by step, gathering others along the way… In partnership with God, we can make a difference.

To considerPray for new and creative ways to spread this vision to others so that they may join us on the Fairtrade journey.

Consider your particular circumstances. Are there new steps that you can take this year along the journey towards a better world?

Shopping light Shopping is now a universal obsession. Yet while millions consume their lives away, millions more die daily of poverty and debt. How can we afford this global inequality?

So let’s rewrite our weekly shopping list for the wellbeing of the world:

Let’s start shopping lighter by,shopping light of excess, shopping light of instant demand,shopping light of commercialisation, shopping light of environmental waste,shopping light of non-seasonable produce,shopping light of bargains at other people’s expense.

Let’s start reducing our greed by:reducing poverty,reducing malnutrition,reducing unfit housing,reducing unclean water,reducing unfair trade rules,reducing employment exploitation.

Between the producer and the consumer hold the hands of wealth and the heart of greed. Between governments and nationshold the hands of economics and business profits.Yet together we can redistribute our resources and bring together the hands of justice and the heart of life.And that will be money well spent.

Catherine Kyte – Mothers’ Union. Fleur Dorrell – Mothers’ Union.

Fairtrade way!Organise a walk or take a journey linking one Fairtrade Church to another or even one Fairtrade denominational area to another! You could tell stories whilst on your walk to let other people in the community know about Fairtrade and the journey you have taken with some of the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries. You could even dress up for the walk – as bananas, chocolate, coffee beans or the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Showcase your journeyCreate a display in your church showing the journey your church has come on with Fairtrade – where it all started and where you are hoping to go. Tell your congregation about Fairtrade and why your church is supporting it – and invite them to join in and take their own steps for Fairtrade too.

Steps coffee morningAgree to make all your church coffee mornings Fairtrade in 2012! Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate. Hold debates, talks and quizzes on Fairtrade to raise awareness and get people talking.

27 February – 11 March 2012

• Complete a ‘Take a step’ postcard

from the Fairtrade Foundation

• Ask people in your congregation to

draw around their feet to symbolise

each step – cut them out and

decorate them

• Or make your positive footprint for

Fairtrade in paint

• Register your step at www.fairtrade.org/step

Fairtrade Fortnight is one of the highlights of the year, when thousands of people up and down the UK take action to raise awareness of Fairtrade and help others to understand that a small step change here can make a big difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

It is a fantastic opportunity for you, your church and your entire community to take a step for Fairtrade and we have lots of ideas to help you along the way.

Prayers and reflections

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Cocoa is the lifeblood of the Caribbean country known as the Dominican Republic. In fact, 40,000 growers rely on it for a living. One of those people is 64-year-old Mariano Manzuela. But unlike most of the other cocoa growers, Mariano is less vulnerable to the volatile nature of the cocoa market.

Mariano’s advantage is that he is a member of a democratically run co-operative called CONACADO, along with 10,000 others. He’s been running his half-hectare farm for 30 years, working from 6am until 3pm every day, tending his cocoa trees and other crops. With six sons and five daughters, his is one of the poorest families in the community and he’s often struggled to cover the cost of food and education for his children.

Being part of Fairtrade means he receives a fair and stable price for his cocoa – great news for planning ahead. His colleagues from other producer groups in the area have agreed to lend him money to help him rebuild his house.

The money from Fairtrade means Mariano can meet his needs, plus the co-operative receives the Fairtrade premium, an additional amount to invest in their business and the community. His children have benefitted from scholarships funded by this premium to pay for school expenses and exam fees, and a new classroom at the local primary school. Mariano is bursting with pride because two

of his children have now managed to win university places – helping to fulfil Mariano’s biggest hope that his children will get a good education.

Fairtrade is helping lots of farmers like Mariano to feel more secure in their future and their livelihoods. Santos Mendoza, President of the

CONACADO co-operative said, ‘The great thing about Fairtrade is that it enables cocoa farmers like me to have a say in shaping out future through talking and working directly with retailers and companies. Through the pricing structure and the Fairtrade premium we will be able to invest in both our business and our community to ensure a brighter future for our family, other farmers and our friends.’

CONACADO cocoa co-operative, Dominican Republic

Mariano’s story

Your small steps for Fairtrade can add up to big changes for farmers like Mariano, their families and communities. Buying Fairtrade already benefits millions, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

‘The great thing about Fairtrade is that it enables cocoa farmers like me to have a say in shaping our future’

Make it a small step, like swapping your church’s tea to Fairtrade, or a bigger step, like organising a fête for Fairtrade. Whatever step you take, you will be joining thousands of communities, faith groups and businesses all over the country, taking their next steps for Fairtrade.

Together, we hope to take 1.5 million steps for Fairtrade in 2012! That’s one for every single Fairtrade farmer and worker around the world. Each of these steps leads to a better deal from global trade that millions more farmers and workers so urgently need.This new Church Action Guide is packed full of ideas and activities for you and your church to get involved and take action for Fairtrade in the community during Fairtrade Fortnight, on World Fair Trade Day, in the Summer of Fairtrade and on lots of other dates in between!

There are so many opportunities to shout about Fairtrade that this year we have put together a guide for the whole of 2012!

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Throughout 2012, we are inviting churches across the UK to join the journey towards a better world for the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries by taking a step for Fairtrade. Churches have been involved in this journey since the very beginning – in 2012 what will your next step be?

Fairtrade is more than a certification mark – it is an inspiration to change. Confucius said: I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.

That is why Fairtrade works – as farmers start to export themselves, as people talk about Fairtrade in their places of worship or buy Fairtrade, as companies engage more with producers – everyone learns and understands, creating a basis for lasting change. Visiting producers in Africa, I am struck again and again by their strength and ambition which, coupled with the dedication and determination of campaigners here, can take Fairtrade further. So that boys like Alan, son of single mother Sarah who works on a flower farm in Kenya, can attend university, because his education has been paid for, right through secondary school, by the Fairtrade premium. So that Fairtrade smallholder enterprises can unleash the potential bubbling up. As one artisanal soap-maker in South Africa’s second largest township said to me: ‘Maybe one day we will get to wear suits and ties and go to present our business overseas’.

Working alone on a small plot, a farmer can change very little. Working with her neighbours, she has power. And so for us too – by taking more steps and continuing the journey together we are beginning to achieve transformative change for smallholders and workers across the developing world.

Harriet Lamb, Fairtrade Exectuive Director, Fairtrade Foundation

Every

step

counts

jun

e –

Se

pt

em

be

r

Join

the

Sum

mer

of F

airt

rade

!Fê

tes,

fairs

and

fest

ivals

are

tradi

tiona

l at

this

time

of y

ear,

and

thes

e pr

ovid

e lo

ads

of o

ppor

tuni

ties

for i

ncor

pora

ting

Fairt

rade

. Wha

teve

r you

are

doi

ng in

yo

ur c

hurc

h th

is su

mm

er, y

ou c

an ta

ke

step

s to

brin

g pe

ople

clo

ser t

o Fa

irtra

de.

Take

a s

tep

at y

our c

hurc

h fê

te b

y se

rvin

g Fa

irtra

de te

a an

d co

ffee,

pu

tting

up

Fairt

rade

cot

ton

bunt

ing

and

baki

ng c

akes

with

Fai

rtrad

e in

gred

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s. O

rgan

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gam

es a

nd

quizz

es a

bout

Fai

rtrad

e to

get

ev

eryo

ne in

volv

ed –

eve

r trie

d ba

nana

fis

hing

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cour

age

peop

le to

take

st

eps

for F

airtr

ade

by d

raw

ing

arou

nd

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r fee

t on

a gi

ant p

aper

foot

prin

t. Yo

u co

uld

ask

your

Sun

day

scho

ol

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ren

to d

ecor

ate

this

foot

prin

t and

th

en d

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ay it

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hurc

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e 20

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off

your

ste

ps fo

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vis

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Che

ck w

ww

.mor

etha

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g.uk

fo

r how

to in

volv

e yo

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hurc

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th

e G

ames

.

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

Find

out

how

you

and

you

r chu

rch

can

take

ste

ps fo

r Fai

rtra

de o

n ke

y da

tes

thro

ugho

ut 2

012.

You

cou

ld

disp

lay

this

cal

enda

r on

your

chu

rch

notic

e bo

ard

to re

min

d yo

u an

d yo

ur

cong

rega

tion

to in

clud

e Fa

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de

in y

our p

lans

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st

ep

in

20

12tak

e a

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th

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rest

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21 F

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ink

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whe

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o fo

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cla

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by

usin

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irtra

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mon

s an

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gar o

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adve

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try a

tast

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late

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ana

fillin

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de-th

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pan

cake

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ave

fun

whi

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ar

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ake

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aybe

this

cou

ld b

e th

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st o

f man

y cu

linar

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irtra

de s

teps

take

n by

you

and

you

r ch

urch

in 2

012!

Join

the

Wor

ld’s

Big

gest

Fai

r Tra

de

Brea

kfas

t on

Wor

ld F

air T

rade

Day

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orld

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ay is

the

annu

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cele

brat

ion

for t

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hole

fair

trade

m

ovem

ent i

nter

natio

nally

and

this

yea

r, w

e ar

e as

king

Fai

rtrad

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ppor

ters

ar

ound

the

wor

ld to

take

a b

ig s

tep

and

hold

a F

air T

rade

Bre

akfa

st.

You

and

your

chu

rch

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get

invo

lved

by

hold

ing

a br

eakf

ast

in y

our c

hurc

h ha

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fore

or

afte

r you

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Sund

ay –

se

rve

as m

any

Fairt

rade

pro

duct

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yo

u ca

n fin

d an

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t peo

ple

talk

ing

abou

t whe

re th

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fast

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from

. The

re’s

Fairt

rade

tea,

coff

ee,

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hoco

late

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it ju

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aked

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ngre

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avou

rite

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rade

bre

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st p

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ct fo

r ev

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orld

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r Tra

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ay fa

lls th

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ay

befo

re C

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Aid

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k st

arts

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for C

hris

tian

Aid

supp

orte

rs, w

hy

not u

se y

our F

air T

rade

Bre

akfa

st to

su

ppor

t Chr

istia

n Ai

d to

o? Y

ou c

ould

as

k pe

ople

to c

ontri

bute

a fe

w p

ound

s to

join

you

r bre

akfa

st o

r hol

d a

raffl

e fo

r a F

airtr

ade

brea

kfas

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per.

12 M

ay

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pr

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Putti

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to E

aste

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rate

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ter b

y bu

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en

joyi

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aste

r Egg

, the

fir

st a

nd o

nly

Fairt

rade

cho

cola

te

East

er e

gg to

exp

lain

the

Chr

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ders

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aste

r on

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box.

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e w

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ereg

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for

mor

e in

form

atio

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rade

cho

cola

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aste

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g hu

nt a

roun

d yo

ur c

hurc

h fo

r the

lo

cal S

unda

y sc

hool

chi

ldre

n us

ing

Fairt

rade

-them

ed c

lues

– it

’s a

grea

t w

ay to

hav

e fu

n w

hils

t lea

rnin

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out

the

diffe

renc

e Fa

irtra

de is

mak

ing

arou

nd th

e w

orld

.

Why

not

sta

rt yo

ur y

ear o

ff as

you

m

ean

to g

o on

and

mak

e a

Fairt

rade

re

solu

tion?

Afte

r all,

eve

ry jo

urne

y be

gins

with

a s

ingl

e st

ep!

Perh

aps

your

chu

rch

coul

d m

ake

a re

solu

tion

to o

nly

use

Fairt

rade

bis

cuits

at

coff

ee m

orni

ngs

or th

e w

hole

co

ngre

gatio

n co

uld

reso

lve

to a

lway

s ta

ke a

Fai

rtrad

e gi

ft w

hen

they

go

to

dinn

er p

artie

s –

how

abo

ut F

airtr

ade

win

e, fl

ower

s or

cho

cola

tes?

!

JAN

UA

RY

De

ce

mb

er

–

Ch

ris

tm

as

Cel

ebra

te a

n et

hica

l Chr

istm

as b

y us

ing

as m

any

Fairt

rade

and

loca

lly

sour

ced

prod

ucts

as

poss

ible

in y

our

Chr

istm

as m

eal.

Inco

rpor

ate

Fairt

rade

go

odie

s in

to y

our c

hurc

h ce

lebr

atio

ns

on C

hris

tmas

Eve

and

Chr

istm

as D

ay

– so

me

war

min

g m

ulle

d w

ine

mad

e w

ith F

airtr

ade

win

e an

d sp

ices

will

go

dow

n a

treat

. Yo

u co

uld

even

sho

w F

athe

r Chr

istm

as

how

goo

d yo

u ha

ve b

een

this

yea

r by

hang

ing

a Fa

irtra

de c

otto

n C

hris

tmas

st

ocki

ng o

n th

e fir

epla

ce! Y

ou c

an g

et

thes

e an

d ot

her F

airtr

ade

cotto

n to

ys

and

gifts

from

Bis

hops

ton

Trad

ing

Com

pany

ww

w.

bish

opst

ontr

adin

g.co

.uk

or m

ake

your

ow

n us

ing

Fairt

rade

cot

ton.

Se

pt

em

be

r

Giv

e th

anks

for t

he fr

uits

of a

Fa

irtra

de h

arve

stH

arve

st is

a ti

me

to g

ive

than

ks

and

to c

eleb

rate

the

bles

sing

s an

d pr

ovis

ion

that

God

has

giv

en to

us.

It

is a

lso

a tim

e to

thin

k ab

out w

here

ou

r foo

d co

mes

from

and

to s

how

our

su

ppor

t for

farm

ers

and

prod

ucer

s in

dev

elop

ing

coun

tries

who

ofte

n st

rugg

le to

mak

e a

dece

nt li

ving

from

th

eir w

ork.

It’s

the

perfe

ct ti

me

to m

ake

the

links

bet

wee

n Fa

irtra

de a

nd lo

cal

prod

uce

and

the

peop

le b

ehin

d al

l the

fo

ods

we

enjo

y. M

ake

this

a F

airtr

ade

harv

est t

ime

by

mak

ing

a st

ep c

hang

e in

you

r chu

rch.

• M

ake

Fairt

rade

and

loca

l har

vest

ba

sket

s in

clud

ing

as m

uch

Fairt

rade

cho

cola

te, n

uts,

frui

t and

ot

her i

tem

s as

pos

sibl

e –

it’s

a gr

eat w

ay to

get

you

r con

greg

atio

n to

thin

k m

ore

care

fully

abo

ut th

e pr

oduc

ts th

at th

ey b

uy.

• Pr

ay fo

r far

mer

s an

d th

eir f

amilie

s in

dev

elop

ing

coun

tries

who

are

of

ten

trapp

ed in

pov

erty

bec

ause

of

low

pric

es, u

nfai

r tra

de ru

les

and

the

effec

ts o

f clim

ate

chan

ge.

• O

rgan

ise

a Fa

irtra

de h

arve

st m

eal

in y

our l

ocal

com

mun

ity c

entre

or

chur

ch h

all a

nd a

sk e

very

one

to

brin

g a

dish

mad

e w

ith F

airtr

ade

and

loca

l ing

redi

ents

. Per

haps

th

ere

coul

d be

a p

rize

for t

he

best

one

?•

Use

the

pres

enta

tion

abou

t Fa

irtra

de a

nd c

limat

e ch

ange

on

the

Fairt

rade

Fou

ndat

ion

web

site

to

giv

e a

talk

abo

ut h

ow fa

rmer

s ar

e fe

elin

g th

e eff

ects

of c

limat

e ch

ange

now

. Fin

d it

at w

ww

.fa

irtra

de.o

rg.u

k/re

sour

ces

22 F

eb

ru

ar

y

– 5

Ap

ril

Hel

p th

ose

in p

over

ty th

is L

ent

Lent

is tr

aditi

onal

ly a

per

iod

of

peni

tenc

e an

d ab

stin

ence

. If y

ou a

re

givi

ng s

omet

hing

up

this

Len

t, w

hy

not u

se th

e m

oney

you

sav

e to

buy

a

Fairt

rade

cho

cola

te E

aste

r egg

or h

old

a Fa

irtra

de c

offee

mor

ning

on

East

er

Sund

ay?

You

coul

d ev

en g

o a

step

furth

er a

nd

give

up

non-

Fairt

rade

pro

duct

s fo

r th

e w

hole

40

days

. Wha

t a g

reat

way

to

hel

p th

ose

in p

over

ty a

nd p

rom

ote

just

ice

this

Len

t, th

ough

it w

ould

be

a re

al c

halle

nge!

2012

Fa

irt

ra

de

c

hu

rc

h

ca

le

nd

ar

27 F

eb

ru

ar

y

– 11

Ma

rc

h

fa

irt

ra

de

F

or

Tn

igh

t

Su

pp

or

te

d b

y

Cocoa is the lifeblood of the Caribbean country known as the Dominican Republic. In fact, 40,000 growers rely on it for a living. One of those people is 64-year-old Mariano Manzuela. But unlike most of the other cocoa growers, Mariano is less vulnerable to the volatile nature of the cocoa market.

Mariano’s advantage is that he is a member of a democratically run co-operative called CONACADO, along with 10,000 others. He’s been running his half-hectare farm for 30 years, working from 6am until 3pm every day, tending his cocoa trees and other crops. With six sons and five daughters, his is one of the poorest families in the community and he’s often struggled to cover the cost of food and education for his children.

Being part of Fairtrade means he receives a fair and stable price for his cocoa – great news for planning ahead. His colleagues from other producer groups in the area have agreed to lend him money to help him rebuild his house.

The money from Fairtrade means Mariano can meet his needs, plus the co-operative receives the Fairtrade premium, an additional amount to invest in their business and the community. His children have benefitted from scholarships funded by this premium to pay for school expenses and exam fees, and a new classroom at the local primary school. Mariano is bursting with pride because two

of his children have now managed to win university places – helping to fulfil Mariano’s biggest hope that his children will get a good education.

Fairtrade is helping lots of farmers like Mariano to feel more secure in their future and their livelihoods. Santos Mendoza, President of the

CONACADO co-operative said, ‘The great thing about Fairtrade is that it enables cocoa farmers like me to have a say in shaping out future through talking and working directly with retailers and companies. Through the pricing structure and the Fairtrade premium we will be able to invest in both our business and our community to ensure a brighter future for our family, other farmers and our friends.’

CONACADO cocoa co-operative, Dominican Republic

Mariano’s story

country known as the Dominican Republic. In fact, 40,000 growers rely on it for a living. One of those people is 64-year-old Mariano

cocoa growers, Mariano is less vulnerable to

CONACADO cocoa co-operative,

Your small steps for Fairtrade can add up to big changes for farmers like Mariano, their families and communities. Buying Fairtrade already benefits millions, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

‘The great thing about Fairtrade is that it enables cocoa farmers like me to have a say in shaping our future’

Make it a small step, like swapping your church’s tea to Fairtrade, or a bigger step, like organising a fête for Fairtrade. Whatever step you take, you will be joining thousands of communities, faith groups and businesses all over the country, taking their next steps for Fairtrade.

Together, we hope to take 1.5 million steps for Fairtrade in 2012! That’s one for every single Fairtrade farmer and worker around the world. Each of these steps leads to a better deal from global trade that millions more farmers and workers so urgently need.This new Church Action Guide is packed full of ideas and activities for you and your church to get involved and take action for Fairtrade in the community during Fairtrade Fortnight, on World Fair Trade Day, in the Summer of Fairtrade and on lots of other dates in between!

There are so many opportunities to shout about Fairtrade that this year we have put together a guide for the whole of 2012!

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Throughout 2012, we are inviting churches across the UK to join the journey towards a better world for the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries by taking a step for Fairtrade. Churches have been involved in this journey since the very beginning – in 2012 what will your next step be?

Fairtrade is more than a certification mark – it is an inspiration to change. Confucius said: I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.

That is why Fairtrade works – as farmers start to export themselves, as people talk about Fairtrade in their places of worship or buy Fairtrade, as companies engage more with producers – everyone learns and understands, creating a basis for lasting change. Visiting producers in Africa, I am struck again and again by their strength and ambition which, coupled with the dedication and determination of campaigners here, can take Fairtrade further. So that boys like Alan, son of single mother Sarah who works on a flower farm in Kenya, can attend university, because his education has been paid for, right through secondary school, by the Fairtrade premium. So that Fairtrade smallholder enterprises can unleash the potential bubbling up. As one artisanal soap-maker in South Africa’s second largest township said to me: ‘Maybe one day we will get to wear suits and ties and go to present our business overseas’.

Working alone on a small plot, a farmer can change very little. Working with her neighbours, she has power. And so for us too – by taking more steps and continuing the journey together we are beginning to achieve transformative change for smallholders and workers across the developing world.

Harriet Lamb, Fairtrade Exectuive Director, Fairtrade Foundation

Every

step

counts

jun

e –

Se

pt

em

be

r

Join

the

Sum

mer

of F

airt

rade

!Fê

tes,

fairs

and

fest

ivals

are

tradi

tiona

l at

this

time

of y

ear,

and

thes

e pr

ovid

e lo

ads

of o

ppor

tuni

ties

for i

ncor

pora

ting

Fairt

rade

. Wha

teve

r you

are

doi

ng in

yo

ur c

hurc

h th

is su

mm

er, y

ou c

an ta

ke

step

s to

brin

g pe

ople

clo

ser t

o Fa

irtra

de.

Take

a s

tep

at y

our c

hurc

h fê

te b

y se

rvin

g Fa

irtra

de te

a an

d co

ffee,

pu

tting

up

Fairt

rade

cot

ton

bunt

ing

and

baki

ng c

akes

with

Fai

rtrad

e in

gred

ient

s. O

rgan

ise

gam

es a

nd

quizz

es a

bout

Fai

rtrad

e to

get

ev

eryo

ne in

volv

ed –

eve

r trie

d ba

nana

fis

hing

? En

cour

age

peop

le to

take

st

eps

for F

airtr

ade

by d

raw

ing

arou

nd

thei

r fee

t on

a gi

ant p

aper

foot

prin

t. Yo

u co

uld

ask

your

Sun

day

scho

ol

child

ren

to d

ecor

ate

this

foot

prin

t and

th

en d

ispl

ay it

in c

hurc

h.Th

e 20

12 O

lym

pic

and

Para

lym

pic

Gam

es ta

ke p

lace

in A

ugus

t and

Se

ptem

ber.

Show

off

your

ste

ps fo

r Fa

irtra

de to

vis

itors

to y

our c

hurc

h.

Che

ck w

ww

.mor

etha

ngol

d.or

g.uk

fo

r how

to in

volv

e yo

ur c

hurc

h in

th

e G

ames

.

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

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Find out how you and your church can take steps for Fairtrade on key dates throughout 2012. You could display this calendar on your church notice board to remind you and your congregation to include Fairtrade in your plans!

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

6 April

Make it a Fairtrade Good FridayMake hot cross buns with Fairtrade ingredients on Good Friday and serve them to the rest of the congregation after your service.

in your plans!

21 February

Make it a Fairtrade Shrove TuesdayThink Fairtrade when buying your pancake ingredients. Go for the classic recipe by using Fairtrade lemons and sugar or be adventurous and try a tasty Fairtrade chocolate and banana filling.Organise a Fairtrade-themed pancake party and have fun whilst remembering all those farmers and producers who are struggling to make ends meet.

Maybe this could be the first of many culinary Fairtrade steps taken by you and your church in 2012!

Maybe this could be the first of many culinary Fairtrade steps taken by you and your church in 2012!

Join the World’s Biggest Fair Trade Breakfast on World Fair Trade Day!World Fair Trade Day is the annual celebration for the whole fair trade movement internationally and this year, we are asking Fairtrade supporters around the world to take a big step and hold a Fair Trade Breakfast. You and your church can get involved by holding a breakfast in your church hall before or after your service on Sunday – serve as many Fairtrade products as you can find and get people talking about where their breakfast comes from. There’s Fairtrade tea, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit juices, fruit salad, muesli, honey, dried fruits and baked goods made with Fairtrade ingredients. Why not ask each member of your congregation to bring their favourite Fairtrade breakfast product for everyone else to try?World Fair Trade Day falls the Saturday before Christian Aid Week starts. So for Christian Aid supporters, why not use your Fair Trade Breakfast to support Christian Aid too? You could ask people to contribute a few pounds to join your breakfast or hold a raffle for a Fairtrade breakfast hamper.

12 May

around the world to take a big step and hold a Fair Trade Breakfast.

involved by holding a breakfast

8 April

Putting Jesus back into EasterCelebrate Easter by buying (and enjoying!) a REAL Easter Egg, the first and only Fairtrade chocolate Easter egg to explain the Christian understanding of Easter on the box. See www.realeasteregg.co.uk for more information. Organise a Fairtrade chocolate Easter egg hunt around your church for the local Sunday school children using Fairtrade-themed clues – it’s a great way to have fun whilst learning about the difference Fairtrade is making around the world.

Putting Jesus back into EasterWhy not start your year off as you mean to go on and make a Fairtrade resolution? After all, every journey begins with a single step! Perhaps your church could make a resolution to only use Fairtrade biscuits at coffee mornings or the whole congregation could resolve to always take a Fairtrade gift when they go to dinner parties – how about Fairtrade wine, flowers or chocolates?!

JANUARY

December – Christmas

Celebrate an ethical Christmas by using as many Fairtrade and locally sourced products as possible in your Christmas meal. Incorporate Fairtrade goodies into your church celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – some warming mulled wine made with Fairtrade wine and spices will go down a treat. You could even show Father Christmas how good you have been this year by hanging a Fairtrade cotton Christmas stocking on the fireplace! You can get these and other Fairtrade cotton toys and gifts from Bishopston Trading Company www.bishopstontrading.co.uk or make your own using Fairtrade cotton.

September

Give thanks for the fruits of a Fairtrade harvestHarvest is a time to give thanks and to celebrate the blessings and provision that God has given to us. It is also a time to think about where our food comes from and to show our support for farmers and producers in developing countries who often struggle to make a decent living from their work. It’s the perfect time to make the links between Fairtrade and local produce and the people behind all the foods we enjoy. Make this a Fairtrade harvest time by making a step change in your church.

• Make Fairtrade and local harvest baskets including as much Fairtrade chocolate, nuts, fruit and other items as possible – it’s a great way to get your congregation to think more carefully about the products that they buy.

• Pray for farmers and their families in developing countries who are often trapped in poverty because of low prices, unfair trade rules and the effects of climate change.

• Organise a Fairtrade harvest meal in your local community centre or church hall and ask everyone to bring a dish made with Fairtrade and local ingredients. Perhaps there could be a prize for the best one?

• Use the presentation about Fairtrade and climate change on the Fairtrade Foundation website to give a talk about how farmers are feeling the effects of climate change now. Find it at www.fairtrade.org.uk/resources

22 February – 5 April

Help those in poverty this LentLent is traditionally a period of penitence and abstinence. If you are giving something up this Lent, why not use the money you save to buy a Fairtrade chocolate Easter egg or hold a Fairtrade coffee morning on Easter Sunday?You could even go a step further and give up non-Fairtrade products for the whole 40 days. What a great way to help those in poverty and promote justice this Lent, though it would be a real challenge!

2012 Fairtrade

church calendar

27 February – 11 March

fairtrade ForTnight

Supported by

Cocoa is the lifeblood of the C

aribbean country know

n as the Dominican Republic.

In fact, 40,000 growers rely on it for a living.

One of those people is 64-year-old M

ariano M

anzuela. But unlike most of the other

cocoa growers, M

ariano is less vulnerable to the volatile nature of the cocoa m

arket.

Mariano’s advantage is that he is a m

ember

of a democratically run co-operative called

CO

NAC

ADO, along w

ith 10,000 others. H

e’s been running his half-hectare farm

for 30 years, working from

6am until 3pm

every day, tending his cocoa trees and other crops. W

ith six sons and five daughters, his is one of the poorest fam

ilies in the com

munity and he’s often struggled to

cover the cost of food and education for his children.

Being part of Fairtrade means he receives

a fair and stable price for his cocoa – great new

s for planning ahead. His colleagues

from other producer groups in the area

have agreed to lend him m

oney to help him

rebuild his house.

The money from

Fairtrade means M

ariano can m

eet his needs, plus the co-operative receives the Fairtrade prem

ium, an additional

amount to invest in their business and the

comm

unity. His children have benefitted

from scholarships funded by this prem

ium to

pay for school expenses and exam fees, and

a new classroom

at the local primary school.

Mariano is bursting w

ith pride because two

of his children have now m

anaged to win

university places – helping to fulfil Mariano’s

biggest hope that his children will get a good

education.

Fairtrade is helping lots of farm

ers like Mariano to feel

more secure in their future

and their livelihoods. Santos M

endoza, President of the C

ON

ACADO

co-operative said, ‘The great thing about Fairtrade is that it enables cocoa farm

ers like me to have

a say in shaping out future through talking and w

orking directly with retailers and

companies. Through the pricing structure

and the Fairtrade premium

we w

ill be able to invest in both our business and our com

munity to ensure a brighter future for

our family, other farm

ers and our friends.’

CO

NA

CA

DO

cocoa co-op

erative,

Dom

inica

n R

epu

blic

Ma

riano’s story

Your small steps for Fairtrade can add up to big changes for farm

ers like M

ariano, their families and com

munities. Buying Fairtrade already

benefits millions, but w

e’ve still got a long way to go.

‘The grea

t thing a

bout

Fairtra

de is tha

t it enab

les cocoa

farm

ers like me to ha

ve a

say in sha

ping

our future’M

ake it a small step, like sw

apping your church’s tea to Fairtrade, or a bigger step, like organising a fête for Fairtrade. W

hatever step you take, you w

ill be joining thousands of com

munities, faith groups and businesses

all over the country, taking their next steps for Fairtrade.

Together, we hope to take 1.5 m

illion steps for Fairtrade in 2012! That’s one for every single Fairtrade farm

er and worker around

the world. Each of these steps leads to a

better deal from global trade that m

illions m

ore farmers and w

orkers so urgently need.This new

Church Action G

uide is packed full of ideas and activities for you and your church to get involved and take action for Fairtrade in the com

munity during Fairtrade

Fortnight, on World Fair Trade Day, in the

Summ

er of Fairtrade and on lots of other dates in betw

een!

There are so many opportunities to

shout about Fairtrade that this year w

e have put together a guide for the w

hole of 2012! s

te

p

in 20

12 tak

e a

Reg

ister your step

atfairtrad

e.org.uk/step

Throughout 2012, w

e are inviting

churches a

cross the UK

to join the journey tow

ard

s a b

etter world

for the p

oorest farm

ers and

workers in

develop

ing countries b

y taking

a

step for Fa

irtrad

e. Churches ha

ve b

een involved in this journey since

the very beg

inning – in 2012 w

hat

will your next step

be?

Fairtrade is more than a certification

mark – it is an inspiration to change.

Confucius said: I hear and I forget; I see

and I remem

ber; I do and I understand.

That is why Fairtrade w

orks – as farmers

start to export themselves, as people

talk about Fairtrade in their places of w

orship or buy Fairtrade, as companies

engage more w

ith producers – everyone learns and understands, creating a basis for lasting change. Visiting producers in Africa, I am

struck again and again by their strength and am

bition which,

coupled with the dedication and

determination of cam

paigners here, can take Fairtrade further. So that boys like Alan, son of single m

other Sarah who

works on a flow

er farm in Kenya, can

attend university, because his education has been paid for, right through secondary school, by the Fairtrade prem

ium. So that Fairtrade sm

allholder enterprises can unleash the potential bubbling up. As one artisanal soap-m

aker in South Africa’s second largest tow

nship said to me: ‘M

aybe one day we

will get to w

ear suits and ties and go to present our business overseas’.

Working alone on a sm

all plot, a farmer

can change very little. Working w

ith her neighbours, she has pow

er. And so for us too – by taking m

ore steps and continuing the journey together w

e are beginning to achieve transform

ative change for sm

allholders and workers

across the developing world.

Harriet Lam

b, Fairtrade Exectuive Director, Fairtrade Foundation

Ev

er

y

st

ep

co

un

ts

june – September

Join the Summer of Fairtrade!Fêtes, fairs and festivals are traditional at this time of year, and these provide loads of opportunities for incorporating Fairtrade. Whatever you are doing in your church this summer, you can take steps to bring people closer to Fairtrade.Take a step at your church fête by serving Fairtrade tea and coffee, putting up Fairtrade cotton bunting and baking cakes with Fairtrade ingredients. Organise games and quizzes about Fairtrade to get everyone involved – ever tried banana fishing? Encourage people to take steps for Fairtrade by drawing around their feet on a giant paper footprint. You could ask your Sunday school children to decorate this footprint and then display it in church.The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in August and September. Show off your steps for Fairtrade to visitors to your church. Check www.morethangold.org.uk for how to involve your church in the Games.

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Go the distance!You and your congregation could get together to set yourselves a target for how many steps for Fairtrade you hope to take in 2012. There are around 2,000 steps in every mile – could your church cover one mile on your journey this year? Or perhaps even two? You could get together with other churches in your area and aim even further! You can collect and record these steps any way you wish:

Perhaps you could make a big footpath showing all your steps and symbolising how your church has progressed on its journey of Fairtrade.

fairtrade ForTnight 2012

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Church action guide 2012

First Sunday of Fortnight4 MarchGenesis 17:1-7, 15 -16God promises the seemingly impossible to Abraham

Psalm 22:23- end Praise for the Lord who hears the cry of the poor

Romans 4:13- end Abraham’s faith: ‘Hoping against hope, he believed…’ (v18)

Mark 8:31- end Jesus’ way will challenge established powers

Following Jesus requires tough choices but is the way to life. ‘Faith is trusting in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change,’ writes Jim Wallis (Faith Works – Lessons on Spirituality and Social Action SPCK).Reversal of expectation, commitment, choice and the fact that faith and action go together are themes running through these readings. Following Jesus is costly, yet in God’s curious economy giving is receiving and blessing comes in the most unlikely circumstances.

The Fairtrade story can echo these themes: an alternative trading system which has the potential to help both producer and consumer, challenges the status quo and which has grown dramatically from the seed of an idea, a hope, to become an established, major reality – a growth achieved by individuals believing, making choices and taking action.

Second Sunday of Fortnight11 MarchExodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments Psalm 19 or 19:7-end: The law is meant to bless

1 Corinthians 1:18 -25 Christ turns everything upside down. God chooses ordinary people to change the world

John 2:13 -22 Jesus drives out the money changers who desecrate what is holy in exploitative control of the market and pursuit of profit

The commandments would be a source of blessing today if their call to respect life and personhood were taken seriously. Instead, economic dogma is pursued regardless of the consequences to poor people, seen in the forcing of free trade on poor countries as a condition of aid or debt relief. Unfair trade rules rob people of both dignity and livelihood and the earth is exploited and worked to exhaustion. But there is an alternative.

Fairtrade restores dignity and respects both people and the environment; the campaign for trade justice aims to enshrine these principles in new trade rules.

Anger is not often seen as a virtue, but it can signal that something is wrong and act as a spur to corrective action. In God’s upside down kingdom it is ordinary people who are the movers and shakers – our choices and our actions can change the world.

Elizabeth Perry

Lectionary Readings

Product code: CAG5

www.fairtrade.org.ukFairtrade Foundation, 3rd Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DYTel: 020 7405 5942 Fax: 020 7977 0101Registered Charity No. 1043886. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 2733136

Photography credits: Simon Rawles, Zed Nelson

You and your church can make a real step change in 2012 by joining the almost 7,000 churches who have already registered as Fairtrade Churches.

On becoming a Fairtrade Church, you will receive a certificate to display, letting your congregation know you have made a commitment to Fairtrade.

The three goals a Fairtrade Church must fulfil are:

• Use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and in all meetings for which they have responsibility

• Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit

• Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible

And if you’ve done that, check whether your denominational area has taken a step for Fairtrade.

1

3

2

Fairtrade denominational areasIn denominational areas like dioceses, churches are getting together to give their Fairtrade campaigns a louder voice and a bigger impact. Join them by working with other churches in your area to meet the following goals:

• To support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for

• Ensure that at least half of the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church

• Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products are used and served there

• Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to denominational area’s Fairtrade status on the relevant website

• Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for ensuring goals continue to be met and developed over time

To apply, simply complete an application form from www.fairtrade.org.uk/faiths and return it to us by email or post.

ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE CHURCH?

A reflection on Acts 16:6 -10A plea for helpIn the depths of night the dream comes – the outstretched hand beckoning; the earnest plea for help. Day breaks but the vision remains. The echo of the words ‘come and help us’ clearly resound. Paul’s response is immediate. The call of God is acknowledged, travelling plans are changed and a new journey lies ahead.

In the media, on our screens, in numerous ways the vision comes – those affected by unjust trade systems; their earnest pleas for help. The echoes of suffering and need clearly resound. How will we respond? Will we dismiss the sight and continue along our chosen path or do as Paul did, recognise God’s call and change direction?

Let us journey together towards social justice; fair trade for all; a better world. Step by step, gathering others along the way… In partnership with God, we can make a difference.

To considerPray for new and creative ways to spread this vision to others so that they may join us on the Fairtrade journey.

Consider your particular circumstances. Are there new steps that you can take this year along the journey towards a better world?

Shopping light Shopping is now a universal obsession. Yet while millions consume their lives away, millions more die daily of poverty and debt. How can we afford this global inequality?

So let’s rewrite our weekly shopping list for the wellbeing of the world:

Let’s start shopping lighter by,shopping light of excess, shopping light of instant demand,shopping light of commercialisation, shopping light of environmental waste,shopping light of non-seasonable produce,shopping light of bargains at other people’s expense.

Let’s start reducing our greed by:reducing poverty,reducing malnutrition,reducing unfit housing,reducing unclean water,reducing unfair trade rules,reducing employment exploitation.

Between the producer and the consumer hold the hands of wealth and the heart of greed. Between governments and nationshold the hands of economics and business profits.Yet together we can redistribute our resources and bring together the hands of justice and the heart of life.And that will be money well spent.

Catherine Kyte – Mothers’ Union. Fleur Dorrell – Mothers’ Union.

Fairtrade way!Organise a walk or take a journey linking one Fairtrade Church to another or even one Fairtrade denominational area to another! You could tell stories whilst on your walk to let other people in the community know about Fairtrade and the journey you have taken with some of the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries. You could even dress up for the walk – as bananas, chocolate, coffee beans or the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Showcase your journeyCreate a display in your church showing the journey your church has come on with Fairtrade – where it all started and where you are hoping to go. Tell your congregation about Fairtrade and why your church is supporting it – and invite them to join in and take their own steps for Fairtrade too.

Steps coffee morningAgree to make all your church coffee mornings Fairtrade in 2012! Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate. Hold debates, talks and quizzes on Fairtrade to raise awareness and get people talking.

27 February – 11 March 2012

• Complete a ‘Take a step’ postcard

from the Fairtrade Foundation

• Ask people in your congregation to

draw around their feet to symbolise

each step – cut them out and

decorate them

• Or make your positive footprint for

Fairtrade in paint

• Register your step at www.fairtrade.org/step

Fairtrade Fortnight is one of the highlights of the year, when thousands of people up and down the UK take action to raise awareness of Fairtrade and help others to understand that a small step change here can make a big difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

It is a fantastic opportunity for you, your church and your entire community to take a step for Fairtrade and we have lots of ideas to help you along the way.

Prayers and reflections

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FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

Go the distance!You and your congregation could get together to set yourselves a target for how many steps for Fairtrade you hope to take in 2012. There are around 2,000 steps in every mile – could your church cover one mile on your journey this year? Or perhaps even two? You could get together with other churches in your area and aim even further! You can collect and record these steps any way you wish:

Perhaps you could make a big footpath showing all your steps and symbolising how your church has progressed on its journey of Fairtrade.

fairtrade ForTnight 2012

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Church action guide 2012

First Sunday of Fortnight4 MarchGenesis 17:1-7, 15 -16God promises the seemingly impossible to Abraham

Psalm 22:23- end Praise for the Lord who hears the cry of the poor

Romans 4:13- end Abraham’s faith: ‘Hoping against hope, he believed…’ (v18)

Mark 8:31- end Jesus’ way will challenge established powers

Following Jesus requires tough choices but is the way to life. ‘Faith is trusting in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change,’ writes Jim Wallis (Faith Works – Lessons on Spirituality and Social Action SPCK).Reversal of expectation, commitment, choice and the fact that faith and action go together are themes running through these readings. Following Jesus is costly, yet in God’s curious economy giving is receiving and blessing comes in the most unlikely circumstances.

The Fairtrade story can echo these themes: an alternative trading system which has the potential to help both producer and consumer, challenges the status quo and which has grown dramatically from the seed of an idea, a hope, to become an established, major reality – a growth achieved by individuals believing, making choices and taking action.

Second Sunday of Fortnight11 MarchExodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments Psalm 19 or 19:7-end: The law is meant to bless

1 Corinthians 1:18 -25 Christ turns everything upside down. God chooses ordinary people to change the world

John 2:13 -22 Jesus drives out the money changers who desecrate what is holy in exploitative control of the market and pursuit of profit

The commandments would be a source of blessing today if their call to respect life and personhood were taken seriously. Instead, economic dogma is pursued regardless of the consequences to poor people, seen in the forcing of free trade on poor countries as a condition of aid or debt relief. Unfair trade rules rob people of both dignity and livelihood and the earth is exploited and worked to exhaustion. But there is an alternative.

Fairtrade restores dignity and respects both people and the environment; the campaign for trade justice aims to enshrine these principles in new trade rules.

Anger is not often seen as a virtue, but it can signal that something is wrong and act as a spur to corrective action. In God’s upside down kingdom it is ordinary people who are the movers and shakers – our choices and our actions can change the world.

Elizabeth Perry

Lectionary Readings

Product code: CAG5

www.fairtrade.org.ukFairtrade Foundation, 3rd Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DYTel: 020 7405 5942 Fax: 020 7977 0101Registered Charity No. 1043886. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 2733136

Photography credits: Simon Rawles, Zed Nelson

You and your church can make a real step change in 2012 by joining the almost 7,000 churches who have already registered as Fairtrade Churches.

On becoming a Fairtrade Church, you will receive a certificate to display, letting your congregation know you have made a commitment to Fairtrade.

The three goals a Fairtrade Church must fulfil are:

• Use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and in all meetings for which they have responsibility

• Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit

• Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible

And if you’ve done that, check whether your denominational area has taken a step for Fairtrade.

1

3

2

Fairtrade denominational areasIn denominational areas like dioceses, churches are getting together to give their Fairtrade campaigns a louder voice and a bigger impact. Join them by working with other churches in your area to meet the following goals:

• To support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for

• Ensure that at least half of the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church

• Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products are used and served there

• Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to denominational area’s Fairtrade status on the relevant website

• Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for ensuring goals continue to be met and developed over time

To apply, simply complete an application form from www.fairtrade.org.uk/faiths and return it to us by email or post.

ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE CHURCH?

A reflection on Acts 16:6 -10A plea for helpIn the depths of night the dream comes – the outstretched hand beckoning; the earnest plea for help. Day breaks but the vision remains. The echo of the words ‘come and help us’ clearly resound. Paul’s response is immediate. The call of God is acknowledged, travelling plans are changed and a new journey lies ahead.

In the media, on our screens, in numerous ways the vision comes – those affected by unjust trade systems; their earnest pleas for help. The echoes of suffering and need clearly resound. How will we respond? Will we dismiss the sight and continue along our chosen path or do as Paul did, recognise God’s call and change direction?

Let us journey together towards social justice; fair trade for all; a better world. Step by step, gathering others along the way… In partnership with God, we can make a difference.

To considerPray for new and creative ways to spread this vision to others so that they may join us on the Fairtrade journey.

Consider your particular circumstances. Are there new steps that you can take this year along the journey towards a better world?

Shopping light Shopping is now a universal obsession. Yet while millions consume their lives away, millions more die daily of poverty and debt. How can we afford this global inequality?

So let’s rewrite our weekly shopping list for the wellbeing of the world:

Let’s start shopping lighter by,shopping light of excess, shopping light of instant demand,shopping light of commercialisation, shopping light of environmental waste,shopping light of non-seasonable produce,shopping light of bargains at other people’s expense.

Let’s start reducing our greed by:reducing poverty,reducing malnutrition,reducing unfit housing,reducing unclean water,reducing unfair trade rules,reducing employment exploitation.

Between the producer and the consumer hold the hands of wealth and the heart of greed. Between governments and nationshold the hands of economics and business profits.Yet together we can redistribute our resources and bring together the hands of justice and the heart of life.And that will be money well spent.

Catherine Kyte – Mothers’ Union. Fleur Dorrell – Mothers’ Union.

Fairtrade way!Organise a walk or take a journey linking one Fairtrade Church to another or even one Fairtrade denominational area to another! You could tell stories whilst on your walk to let other people in the community know about Fairtrade and the journey you have taken with some of the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries. You could even dress up for the walk – as bananas, chocolate, coffee beans or the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Showcase your journeyCreate a display in your church showing the journey your church has come on with Fairtrade – where it all started and where you are hoping to go. Tell your congregation about Fairtrade and why your church is supporting it – and invite them to join in and take their own steps for Fairtrade too.

Steps coffee morningAgree to make all your church coffee mornings Fairtrade in 2012! Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate. Hold debates, talks and quizzes on Fairtrade to raise awareness and get people talking.

27 February – 11 March 2012

• Complete a ‘Take a step’ postcard

from the Fairtrade Foundation

• Ask people in your congregation to

draw around their feet to symbolise

each step – cut them out and

decorate them

• Or make your positive footprint for

Fairtrade in paint

• Register your step at www.fairtrade.org/step

Fairtrade Fortnight is one of the highlights of the year, when thousands of people up and down the UK take action to raise awareness of Fairtrade and help others to understand that a small step change here can make a big difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

It is a fantastic opportunity for you, your church and your entire community to take a step for Fairtrade and we have lots of ideas to help you along the way.

Prayers and reflections

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

FOLD

Go the distance!You and your congregation could get together to set yourselves a target for how many steps for Fairtrade you hope to take in 2012. There are around 2,000 steps in every mile – could your church cover one mile on your journey this year? Or perhaps even two? You could get together with other churches in your area and aim even further! You can collect and record these steps any way you wish:

Perhaps you could make a big footpath showing all your steps and symbolising how your church has progressed on its journey of Fairtrade.

fairtrade ForTnight 2012

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Church action guide 2012

First Sunday of Fortnight4 MarchGenesis 17:1-7, 15 -16God promises the seemingly impossible to Abraham

Psalm 22:23- end Praise for the Lord who hears the cry of the poor

Romans 4:13- end Abraham’s faith: ‘Hoping against hope, he believed…’ (v18)

Mark 8:31- end Jesus’ way will challenge established powers

Following Jesus requires tough choices but is the way to life. ‘Faith is trusting in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change,’ writes Jim Wallis (Faith Works – Lessons on Spirituality and Social Action SPCK).Reversal of expectation, commitment, choice and the fact that faith and action go together are themes running through these readings. Following Jesus is costly, yet in God’s curious economy giving is receiving and blessing comes in the most unlikely circumstances.

The Fairtrade story can echo these themes: an alternative trading system which has the potential to help both producer and consumer, challenges the status quo and which has grown dramatically from the seed of an idea, a hope, to become an established, major reality – a growth achieved by individuals believing, making choices and taking action.

Second Sunday of Fortnight11 MarchExodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments Psalm 19 or 19:7-end: The law is meant to bless

1 Corinthians 1:18 -25 Christ turns everything upside down. God chooses ordinary people to change the world

John 2:13 -22 Jesus drives out the money changers who desecrate what is holy in exploitative control of the market and pursuit of profit

The commandments would be a source of blessing today if their call to respect life and personhood were taken seriously. Instead, economic dogma is pursued regardless of the consequences to poor people, seen in the forcing of free trade on poor countries as a condition of aid or debt relief. Unfair trade rules rob people of both dignity and livelihood and the earth is exploited and worked to exhaustion. But there is an alternative.

Fairtrade restores dignity and respects both people and the environment; the campaign for trade justice aims to enshrine these principles in new trade rules.

Anger is not often seen as a virtue, but it can signal that something is wrong and act as a spur to corrective action. In God’s upside down kingdom it is ordinary people who are the movers and shakers – our choices and our actions can change the world.

Elizabeth Perry

Lectionary Readings

Product code: CAG5

www.fairtrade.org.ukFairtrade Foundation, 3rd Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DYTel: 020 7405 5942 Fax: 020 7977 0101Registered Charity No. 1043886. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 2733136

Photography credits: Simon Rawles, Zed Nelson

You and your church can make a real step change in 2012 by joining the almost 7,000 churches who have already registered as Fairtrade Churches.

On becoming a Fairtrade Church, you will receive a certificate to display, letting your congregation know you have made a commitment to Fairtrade.

The three goals a Fairtrade Church must fulfil are:

• Use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and in all meetings for which they have responsibility

• Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit

• Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible

And if you’ve done that, check whether your denominational area has taken a step for Fairtrade.

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Fairtrade denominational areasIn denominational areas like dioceses, churches are getting together to give their Fairtrade campaigns a louder voice and a bigger impact. Join them by working with other churches in your area to meet the following goals:

• To support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for

• Ensure that at least half of the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church

• Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products are used and served there

• Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to denominational area’s Fairtrade status on the relevant website

• Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for ensuring goals continue to be met and developed over time

To apply, simply complete an application form from www.fairtrade.org.uk/faiths and return it to us by email or post.

ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE CHURCH?

A reflection on Acts 16:6 -10A plea for helpIn the depths of night the dream comes – the outstretched hand beckoning; the earnest plea for help. Day breaks but the vision remains. The echo of the words ‘come and help us’ clearly resound. Paul’s response is immediate. The call of God is acknowledged, travelling plans are changed and a new journey lies ahead.

In the media, on our screens, in numerous ways the vision comes – those affected by unjust trade systems; their earnest pleas for help. The echoes of suffering and need clearly resound. How will we respond? Will we dismiss the sight and continue along our chosen path or do as Paul did, recognise God’s call and change direction?

Let us journey together towards social justice; fair trade for all; a better world. Step by step, gathering others along the way… In partnership with God, we can make a difference.

To considerPray for new and creative ways to spread this vision to others so that they may join us on the Fairtrade journey.

Consider your particular circumstances. Are there new steps that you can take this year along the journey towards a better world?

Shopping light Shopping is now a universal obsession. Yet while millions consume their lives away, millions more die daily of poverty and debt. How can we afford this global inequality?

So let’s rewrite our weekly shopping list for the wellbeing of the world:

Let’s start shopping lighter by,shopping light of excess, shopping light of instant demand,shopping light of commercialisation, shopping light of environmental waste,shopping light of non-seasonable produce,shopping light of bargains at other people’s expense.

Let’s start reducing our greed by:reducing poverty,reducing malnutrition,reducing unfit housing,reducing unclean water,reducing unfair trade rules,reducing employment exploitation.

Between the producer and the consumer hold the hands of wealth and the heart of greed. Between governments and nationshold the hands of economics and business profits.Yet together we can redistribute our resources and bring together the hands of justice and the heart of life.And that will be money well spent.

Catherine Kyte – Mothers’ Union. Fleur Dorrell – Mothers’ Union.

Fairtrade way!Organise a walk or take a journey linking one Fairtrade Church to another or even one Fairtrade denominational area to another! You could tell stories whilst on your walk to let other people in the community know about Fairtrade and the journey you have taken with some of the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries. You could even dress up for the walk – as bananas, chocolate, coffee beans or the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Showcase your journeyCreate a display in your church showing the journey your church has come on with Fairtrade – where it all started and where you are hoping to go. Tell your congregation about Fairtrade and why your church is supporting it – and invite them to join in and take their own steps for Fairtrade too.

Steps coffee morningAgree to make all your church coffee mornings Fairtrade in 2012! Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate. Hold debates, talks and quizzes on Fairtrade to raise awareness and get people talking.

27 February – 11 March 2012

• Complete a ‘Take a step’ postcard

from the Fairtrade Foundation

• Ask people in your congregation to

draw around their feet to symbolise

each step – cut them out and

decorate them

• Or make your positive footprint for

Fairtrade in paint

• Register your step at www.fairtrade.org/step

Fairtrade Fortnight is one of the highlights of the year, when thousands of people up and down the UK take action to raise awareness of Fairtrade and help others to understand that a small step change here can make a big difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

It is a fantastic opportunity for you, your church and your entire community to take a step for Fairtrade and we have lots of ideas to help you along the way.

Prayers and reflections

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Go the distance!You and your congregation could get together to set yourselves a target for how many steps for Fairtrade you hope to take in 2012. There are around 2,000 steps in every mile – could your church cover one mile on your journey this year? Or perhaps even two? You could get together with other churches in your area and aim even further! You can collect and record these steps any way you wish:

Perhaps you could make a big footpath showing all your steps and symbolising how your church has progressed on its journey of Fairtrade.

fairtrade ForTnight 2012

step in 2012

take a

Register your step atfairtrade.org.uk/step

Church action guide 2012

First Sunday of Fortnight4 MarchGenesis 17:1-7, 15 -16God promises the seemingly impossible to Abraham

Psalm 22:23- end Praise for the Lord who hears the cry of the poor

Romans 4:13- end Abraham’s faith: ‘Hoping against hope, he believed…’ (v18)

Mark 8:31- end Jesus’ way will challenge established powers

Following Jesus requires tough choices but is the way to life. ‘Faith is trusting in spite of the evidence and then watching the evidence change,’ writes Jim Wallis (Faith Works – Lessons on Spirituality and Social Action SPCK).Reversal of expectation, commitment, choice and the fact that faith and action go together are themes running through these readings. Following Jesus is costly, yet in God’s curious economy giving is receiving and blessing comes in the most unlikely circumstances.

The Fairtrade story can echo these themes: an alternative trading system which has the potential to help both producer and consumer, challenges the status quo and which has grown dramatically from the seed of an idea, a hope, to become an established, major reality – a growth achieved by individuals believing, making choices and taking action.

Second Sunday of Fortnight11 MarchExodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments Psalm 19 or 19:7-end: The law is meant to bless

1 Corinthians 1:18 -25 Christ turns everything upside down. God chooses ordinary people to change the world

John 2:13 -22 Jesus drives out the money changers who desecrate what is holy in exploitative control of the market and pursuit of profit

The commandments would be a source of blessing today if their call to respect life and personhood were taken seriously. Instead, economic dogma is pursued regardless of the consequences to poor people, seen in the forcing of free trade on poor countries as a condition of aid or debt relief. Unfair trade rules rob people of both dignity and livelihood and the earth is exploited and worked to exhaustion. But there is an alternative.

Fairtrade restores dignity and respects both people and the environment; the campaign for trade justice aims to enshrine these principles in new trade rules.

Anger is not often seen as a virtue, but it can signal that something is wrong and act as a spur to corrective action. In God’s upside down kingdom it is ordinary people who are the movers and shakers – our choices and our actions can change the world.

Elizabeth Perry

Lectionary Readings

Product code: CAG5

www.fairtrade.org.ukFairtrade Foundation, 3rd Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DYTel: 020 7405 5942 Fax: 020 7977 0101Registered Charity No. 1043886. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 2733136

Photography credits: Simon Rawles, Zed Nelson

www.fairtrade.org.ukPhotography credits:

You and your church can make a real step change in 2012 by joining the almost 7,000 churches who have already registered as Fairtrade Churches.

On becoming a Fairtrade Church, you will receive a certificate to display, letting your congregation know you have made a commitment to Fairtrade.

The three goals a Fairtrade Church must fulfil are:

• Use Fairtrade tea and coffee after services and in all meetings for which they have responsibility

• Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit

• Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible

And if you’ve done that, check whether your denominational area has taken a step for Fairtrade.

•1

•3

•2

Fairtrade denominational areasIn denominational areas like dioceses, churches are getting together to give their Fairtrade campaigns a louder voice and a bigger impact. Join them by working with other churches in your area to meet the following goals:

• To support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for

• Ensure that at least half of the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church

• Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products are used and served there

• Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to denominational area’s Fairtrade status on the relevant website

• Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for ensuring goals continue to be met and developed over time

To apply, simply complete an application form from www.fairtrade.org.uk/faiths and return it to us by email or post.

ARE YOU A FAIRTRADE CHURCH?

A reflection on Acts 16:6 -10A plea for helpIn the depths of night the dream comes – the outstretched hand beckoning; the earnest plea for help. Day breaks but the vision remains. The echo of the words ‘come and help us’ clearly resound. Paul’s response is immediate. The call of God is acknowledged, travelling plans are changed and a new journey lies ahead.

In the media, on our screens, in numerous ways the vision comes – those affected by unjust trade systems; their earnest pleas for help. The echoes of suffering and need clearly resound. How will we respond? Will we dismiss the sight and continue along our chosen path or do as Paul did, recognise God’s call and change direction?

Let us journey together towards social justice; fair trade for all; a better world. Step by step, gathering others along the way… In partnership with God, we can make a difference.

To considerPray for new and creative ways to spread this vision to others so that they may join us on the Fairtrade journey.

Consider your particular circumstances. Are there new steps that you can take this year along the journey towards a better world?

Shopping light Shopping is now a universal obsession. Yet while millions consume their lives away, millions more die daily of poverty and debt. How can we afford this global inequality?

So let’s rewrite our weekly shopping list for the wellbeing of the world:

Let’s start shopping lighter by,shopping light of excess, shopping light of instant demand,shopping light of commercialisation, shopping light of environmental waste,shopping light of non-seasonable produce,shopping light of bargains at other people’s expense.

Let’s start reducing our greed by:reducing poverty,reducing malnutrition,reducing unfit housing,reducing unclean water,reducing unfair trade rules,reducing employment exploitation.

Between the producer and the consumer hold the hands of wealth and the heart of greed. Between governments and nationshold the hands of economics and business profits.Yet together we can redistribute our resources and bring together the hands of justice and the heart of life.And that will be money well spent.

Catherine Kyte – Mothers’ Union. Fleur Dorrell – Mothers’ Union.

Fairtrade way!Organise a walk or take a journey linking one Fairtrade Church to another or even one Fairtrade denominational area to another! You could tell stories whilst on your walk to let other people in the community know about Fairtrade and the journey you have taken with some of the poorest farmers and workers in developing countries. You could even dress up for the walk – as bananas, chocolate, coffee beans or the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Showcase your journeyCreate a display in your church showing the journey your church has come on with Fairtrade – where it all started and where you are hoping to go. Tell your congregation about Fairtrade and why your church is supporting it – and invite them to join in and take their own steps for Fairtrade too.

Steps coffee morningAgree to make all your church coffee mornings Fairtrade in 2012! Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate. Hold debates, talks and quizzes on Fairtrade to raise awareness and get people talking.

27 February – 11 March 2012

• Complete a ‘Take a step’ postcard

from the Fairtrade Foundation

• Ask people in your congregation to

draw around their feet to symbolise

each step – cut them out and

decorate them

• Or make your positive footprint for

Fairtrade in paint

• Register your step at www.fairtrade.org/step

Fairtrade Fortnight is one of the highlights of the year, when thousands of people up and down the UK take action to raise awareness of Fairtrade and help others to understand that a small step change here can make a big difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

It is a fantastic opportunity for you, your church and your entire community to take a step for Fairtrade and we have lots of ideas to help you along the way.

Prayers and reflections

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