Alternative Christmas Market

Sunday, December 6, marked Centenary's Third Annual Alternative Christmas Market, held during morning services in the gym. More than a dozen individuals or organizations participated in the market, selling Fair Trade merchandise (aiming to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability) or handiwork supporting meaningful causes in regions of poverty.

For example, representatives of Narimon sold jewelery handcrafted by Thai women and girls who either once were forced to sell their dignity, or by their situation were at high risk to do so. The profit from each item supports the woman who made it, and the item's tag bears her name and age, which further brings awareness to the cause if the item is purchased as a gift.

Other items supporting ministries in both Asia and Africa were available for purchase. In addition to selling goods, several individuals representing missions organizations both domestically and abroad were available to discuss their ministries, from the Kentucky Refugee Ministry and Centenary's Room in The Inn to Kimi Booher's goal to be serving in LaCuence Costa Rica by mid-year. The United Methodist Women also participated, raising money for missions with bazaar sales. Organizers of the market aim to increase awareness of what our brothers and sisters in other countries -- and even right here at home -- experience on a daily basis, and to encourage members of the Centenary family to be mission-minded as they go about their holiday preparations.