OBAN FM
THE 10-MINUTE SERVICE FOR SUNDAY 3 march 2013
fair trade
MURDOCH MACKENZIE
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Good morning Breege and good morning to all our listeners. My name is Murdoch MacKenzie and I am part of the Oban and Lorn Fairtrade Steering Group. This has been quite a week for Fairtrade as not only are we in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight, but last Monday Scotland became a Fairtrade Nation. Wales became the first Fairtrade Nation in 2008 and now Scotland is the second.
So let us begin with a prayer of Thanksgiving. Let us pray: |
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Almighty God we know that you hold the nations in the hollow of your hand and that the whole universe and everything in it is important to you. For you the powerless and the hungry are precious, the poor and those who are desperate in the midst of an unfair world. These are the people you love. These are the people who Jesus loves and we thank you that you require us to do good, to work for justice, to see that fair’s fair, to love kindness and to walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.
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A reading from the Book of Amos Chapter 8. Let us listen to what God is saying to us today:
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Hear this, you who trample upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, "When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?"
This is the word of Amos which is the word of God. Amen |
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This is what Fairtrade is all about. It is about the poor of the world receiving a fair deal, a fair reward for their labour and a fair price for their goods from the supermarkets and from each one of us. To qualify for Fair Trade Nation status, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum was required to demonstrate how Scotland had met a series of stringent criteria, including:
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• All seven Scottish cities and at least 55 per cent of local authority areas to have Fairtrade status.
• All 32 local authorities areas and at least 55 per cent of towns with a population of 5,000 or more to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fairtrade status. • At least 60 per cent of higher education institutions to have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fairtrade status. • Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government to use, promote and make available Fair Trade products internally, and to actively promote Fairtrade Fortnight each year. • Fair Trade to be promoted in schools through the curriculum, procurement and other possible means. • Schools, Further Education Institutions, Faith Groups, Trade Unions, business networks, voluntary and youth organisations to pledge to use and promote Fair Trade. • 75 per cent of people to buy a Fair Trade product every year. • 40 per cent of people to regularly buy Fairtrade products. |
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In November 2012, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum submitted its report, “Can Scotland call itself a Fair Trade Nation?” for rigorous review by a panel of independent assessors, and we were successful. But there is still a long way to go including here in Argyll and Bute. Dunoon was our first Fairtrade Town followed by Oban in 2006 and by Iona and recently Kintyre. In Oban and Lorn Park School and Dunbeg School are Fairtrade and several other schools are working towards it.
Last month Luing Primary School pupils produced a Newsletter for Fairtrade Fortnight. They see Fairtrade in terms of human rights and this is what they wrote: ‘We have a responsibility to each other as global citizens to seek out justice for all and to avoid promoting exploitation and breaches of Human Rights. We have a responsibility to demand Fairtrade and a fair deal for all. So say the pupils of Luing School. Recently some new songs for Scotland were gathered together from around the world under the title; ‘TOUCH THE EARTH LIGHTLY’ and we’re going to sing one now which comes from Nicaragua which includes these words:  Fairtrade event in Oban's Co-op store Anne on the right
In November 2012, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum submitted its report, “Can Scotland call itself a Fair Trade Nation?” for rigorous review by a panel of independent assessors, and we were successful. But there is still a long way to go including here in Argyll and Bute. Dunoon was our first Fairtrade Town followed by Oban in 2006 and by Iona and recently Kintyre. In Oban and Lorn Park School and Dunbeg School are Fairtrade and several other schools are working towards it.
 Fairtrade event in Oban's Co-op store Murdoch on the left
Last month Luing Primary School pupils produced a Newsletter for Fairtrade Fortnight. They see Fairtrade in terms of human rights and this is what they wrote: ‘We have a responsibility to each other as global citizens to seek out justice for all and to avoid promoting exploitation and breaches of Human Rights. We have a responsibility to demand Fairtrade and a fair deal for all. So say the pupils of Luing School.
Recently some new songs for Scotland were gathered together from around the world under the title; ‘TOUCH THE EARTH LIGHTLY’ and we’re going to sing one now which comes from Nicaragua which includes these words: |
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For the world and all its people
We address our prayers to God. Confidently all can worship In the presence of the Lord All the powerless, all the hungry Are most precious to their God For the poor God has a purpose For the desperate, a word. Christ is here, and Christ is stronger Than the strength of sin or sword. God will fill the earth with justice When our will and his accord Confidently ALL can worship In the presence of the Lord. |
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And that presence isn’t just in church on Sunday. It is in the Co-op and in Tesco on Monday and wherever else we may be. That’s where we worship God because God is everywhere.
So let’s sing the song: For the world and all its people. Celtic Blessing |
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Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you Deep peace of the flowing air to you Deep peace of the silent earth to you Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you. |
