First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville

FPC has a long history of participating in Fair Trade through the Christmas SERRV sale organized by Anne Hart-Murrian. In recent years, the Christmas Alternative Market has expanded to include Partners for Just Trade (Peru) as well as Heifer International for “honorary” gifts of animals and the “Keep Hope Alive” olive tree campaign. In 2007, Christmas sales included; SERRV - $3500, Partners for Just Trade (PJT) - $2370, Heifer - $1180, “Keep Hope Alive” -$630, Olive Oil - $900. During the Mission Festival in April ‘08, products from the Presbyterian Coffee Project (Equal Exchange) were added to the sale: SERRV - $740, PJT – $753, Equal Exchange - $774. During a third sale following the Presbytery meeting in May, members purchased items totaling $1652.95 (SERRV), $517.60 (PJT) and $325 (EE). To increase understanding of fair trade, FPC was one of three congregations in the PC(USA) taking part (during Lent) in a pilot study of a soon-to-be-released Bible Study entitled “Fair Trade: Using Our Purchasing Power for Justice and Hope.” Interest in fair trade and popularity of the coffee and chocolate products has resulted in a plan for regular biweekly sales and discussion of broader use of fair trade products by the church.

In the Fellowship Hall, the Market features gifts from SERRV and Partners for Just Trade (Peru). By cultivating partnerships between impoverished artisans and conscientious consumers, these organizations help address the root causes of poverty through education and fair trade practices. New this year will be Olive Branch Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees along with new Christmas items, clothing, jewelry, gifts, and decorative items from global artisans.

. . . and for those who have enough, consider a gift in their name for those who have so little:

Heifer International: By choosing a symbolic gift of an animal for a loved one, donors help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. A broad range of gifts for any budget includes a hive of bees, flocks of chickens, ducks or geese, goats, heifers and other animals up to bundles of “critters” as large as a full Ark.

“Keep Hope Alive” is a project of the East Jerusalem YMCA to plant 50,000 olive trees. Since 2000, nearly half a million olive trees have been uprooted in Palestine for the expansion of Israeli settlements, bypass roads, and the separation barrier. A donation of twenty dollars covers all the costs to plant and grow a young tree.

2006

In 2006, these purchases provided a return to international artisans through SERRV/Ten Thousand Villages of $2450.50 (in the booth so ably managed by Anne Hart-Murrian) and $2611.50 to groups in Peru organized by mission co-worker Ruth Farrell as Partners for Just Trade. Members also “bought” a total of $1655 in animals through Heifer International to go to communities around the world in honor of loved ones. An additional $465 in gifts was given for supplies at a school and hospital in Palestine.