Hot Topic





	ow that you’ve seen this issue’s feature, here are some thoughts for you to ponder alone or discuss with friends. You may agree or
disagree with the ideas put forth in our main article, but the key thing is, you are thinking, discerning, and making conscious decisions about how you will approach issues that affect you and your world. Please consider sharing your thoughts with other readers. Email us at cafe@elca.org and we’ll post your comments in the Tip Jar. Reader comments are updated weekly.

The Situation
Everyday, it seems our lives become more and more dependent on—and accustomed to—convenience. Not only do we expect to live well, but we expect to do so without much effort. Fair Trade chocolate doesn’t fit that model. It’s not convenient. At this point, you can’t buy Fair Trade chocolate at most grocery stores unless you specifically request it. This is candy that requires a conscious effort to obtain, and candy you’ll probably never see three-for-a-dollar at the checkout stand. Does organic Fair Trade chocolate stand a chance in our shrink-wrapped society?

Points to Consider
One We put ourselves out for our bodies all the time: we exercise, try to eat a healthful balanced diet, and so on. But how often do we inconvenience ourselves for our spirits? Or for others? Where else in your life have you chosen easiest instead of best? Why might you reconsider that approach?
Two
We count on certain conveniences to help us save time for other important things: family time, recreation, and so on. Supporting something like Fair Trade can be equally important and rewarding. What could sacrificing a little grocery store convenience do for you, your family, and all those who follow your example? How might joining in the effort to create awareness about Fair Trade chocolate be rewarding to you?
Three
What makes Fair Trade a Christian concern? Does a Christian ethic-based support system add anything to the Fair Trade co-op policy that another, non-religious social justice group might not?
Four
In the church and in our communities, others might look to us as examples. How might you and your friends teach a child about justice and helping others live well?

Coming up in Café
We hope you’ve enjoyed this first issue of Café, our Chocolate Issue. Here is what you can look forward to in the future. October/November/December 2003 The Balance Issue January/February 2004 The Money Issue March/April 2004 The Environment Issue May/June/July 2004 The Sex Issue Issues are released in the middle of the first month listed in each grouping.

The Situation

One

We put ourselves out for our bodies all the time: we exercise, try to eat a healthful balanced diet, and so on. But how often do we inconvenience ourselves for our spirits? Or for others? Where else in your life have you chosen easiest instead of best? Why might you reconsider that approach?

Two

Three