For 15 years, Bower Hill Community Church has served Fair Trade coffee and tea during Fellowship Time and church events. Congregation members are also able to purchase coffee, tea, and cocoa. Our coffee, teas, and cocoa are all from Equal Exchange worker cooperatives. Through Equal Exchange, small scale farmers not only receive a significantly larger share of the profits, but also have a say in how the organization is run and have the cooperative profits returned to their communities. Communities decide whether their share of the profits will help build a school, a community health center or another community need. PCUSA’s Enough for Everyone Program has collaborated with Equal Exchange since 2001.
If you haven’t been supporting this program, please consider purchasing some of our Fair Trade products. Coffee is $8.00 per 12 ounce bag. Teas are $4.00 for a box of 20 tea bags, and cocoa is $6.00 per can. The Equal Exchange coffees, teas, and cocoa are on display in the hall on the way from the sanctuary to Fellowship Hall. This fall, we are trying to offer a wider variety of coffees and teas to our members. Located on the display where you can pick up an item we stock is a clipboard with a larger selection of coffees and teas that can be ordered by the case (six packages of coffee or teas) for $40.00 for coffee and $20.00 for teas. Because we need a minimum order for free shipping, ordering a case helps keep our costs down. If you are interested, take an order sheet, fill it out and place it in the offering plate, give it to Steve Boisvert at Fellowship time, or email Steve at sdboisvert@gmail.com.
We operate on the honor system for payment. Pick up your coffee, tea, or cocoa and place your check or cash in the offering plate marked “Coffee/Tea/Cocoa” or drop it off in the office if you happen to be at church during the week. Many thanks to all who have supported this project! Fair Trade products are a great way to help small scale farmers around the world support their families with pride and dignity.