The Simple Pastor
By Phil Whittall, church planter, blogger & book reviewer
RT @lukedvd: Hope his resignation from the England manager job will allow @JoelVirgo to focus on his church duties #nomorehairdye 16 hrs ago
In 1996, five years before I was asked to plant a church, I felt the call of God to do that. The call to plant churches, to teaching, preaching and justice. It would have helped if I’d had that notebook in 2001!
More encouragement to come because there are things that God has spoken about that I cannot let go. How about these things from the summer of 1996:
“Commitment to the poor, to live with open hands, to discipline myself to give generously and make it a lifestyle.”
Long before I knew what consumerism was, it seems God was speaking to me about generosity, compassion, simplicity, church. I’m very grateful for God’s grace to me in all of this…so we keep going.
The Movement of One Day’s Wages from One Day’s Wages on Vimeo.
“Dear Minister
Almost two years after EPA talks were due to conclude, negotiations are far from over. More than half of the ACP countries have not reached any form of agreement because of their deep concern with the proposed deals.
Following the 2007 deadline for wrapping up EPAs, the European Commission promised to be more flexible. Instead it has:
• continued to push countries into liberalising further and faster than is wanted or appropriate for these economies
• insisted that countries sign Interim EPAs, without removing ‘contentious issues’, despite regular requests from ACP countries for these to be renegotiated
• persisted in pressuring countries to take on new obligations that go beyond what is required under World Trade Organisation rules.The EU’s approach to EPAs has failed to provide a basis for development-friendly agreements and has set back regional integration. This is unacceptable – a new approach must be taken.
Please urge the Commission to:
• unconditionally renegotiate contentious issues in Interim EPAs
• stop pushing to extend the agreements beyond trade in goods
• fully support any requests from ACP countries for alternative solutions.Yours sincerely”
They replied
“Thank you for your e-mail to the Minister. Thank you for your emailed correspondence about Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.
Trade has a vital role to play in economic and human development. That is why the UK Government is committed to concluding development-friendly Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
The UK Government has consistently pressed the European Commission to be flexible in negotiating EPAs and believes that ACP countries should decide upon the content, scope and timing of their respective EPAs, within the limits of compatibility with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). As stated in our recent White Paper, “Eliminating World Poverty: Building our Common Future,” we have used our influence to shape EPAs, ensuring that they provide ACP countries with:
- Duty and quota free access to EU markets.
- Long transition periods for developing countries to open up their markets.
- Safeguards that allow countries to protect vital products.
While we continue to urge maximum flexibility from the Commission on EPAs negotiations, we do not believe that it is in the best interest of any party to re-open the negotiations on interim EPAs. We need to conclude these agreements by signing them to prevent WTO legal challenges. Otherwise ACP countries risk serious trade disruption by losing preferential access to EU markets. However, we have secured a commitment from the European Commission to review any provisions that ACP countries may wish to reconsider in the context of moving from interim to full regional EPAs and are supporting ACP countries to undertake their own analysis to further the negotiations.
Although we believe that the inclusion of deeper integration issues such as services, investment and competition in EPAs can be of benefit to ACP countries, we have consistently encouraged the Commission to ensure that such issues are only included in EPAs if and when specifically requested by the ACP countries concerned. For example, while the Caribbean counties requested the inclusion of services and investment in the EU-CARIFORUM EPA, the West African region has chosen instead to pursue a regional goods-only EPA, negotiations for which are actively under way. We welcome the way in which the Commission has respected the different decisions of the two regions.
Regional integration is vitally important for development and we will continue to urge the Commission to fully support the development of regional integration mechanisms. EPAs can stimulate cross-border trade within the region by reducing barriers to trade between ACP countries in the regional EPAs, creating conditions for greater competition, business and job opportunities. This is why we consider it a priority to continue to negotiate full regional EPAs with each EPA region. The UK is also working with regional trade groups to ensure ACP countries benefit from the growth and regional integration opportunities that EPAs offer, through support for infrastructure, private sector development and improving trade across borders.Looking forward, it will be essential to have appropriate mechanisms in place to monitor the development impact of EPAs and to assess their impact on poverty alleviation. We will continue to work with the European Commission and ACP countries to ensure that EPAs deliver real development benefits to poor countries.
Thank you for your interest in these matters.
Kind regards,
David
BIS Ministerial Correspondence and Enquiry Unit“
Jeremy wonders whether we can carry on consuming while Colin Beavan argues that Treating anxiety and depression could save the planet while Matt Hosier points out some of consumerism’s more silly statements when buying a shirt. Gareth reminds us that TV is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Here are 10 theses on social action and the kingdom of God while Kevin DeYoung begins a new series on social justice and the poor. While on the other side of the coin Warren Buffett wonders about the US financial recovery.
“On 2 April the leaders of 20 of the world’s biggest economies meet in London to tackle the recession and global financial crisis.
Even before the banking collapse caused recession, the world suffered vast poverty and inequality and faced the looming threat of climate chaos. Governments, business and international institutions have followed a model of financial deregulation that has encouraged short-term profits, instability and an economy fuelled by ever-increasing debt, both financial and environmental.
There can be no going back to business as usual. The only sustainable way to rebuild the global economy is to create a fair distribution of wealth that provides decent jobs and public services for all, ends global inequality and builds a low carbon world.
Recession must not be an excuse for putting off action for global justice or to stop climate chaos. Creating a just, fair and sustainable world is the only lasting way out of recession.
On 28 March thousands of people will march through London as part of a global campaign to challenge the G20 leaders. Our message is clear. We must put people first.
Put People First: Decent jobs and public services for all
Put People First: End global poverty and inequality
Put People First: Build a green economy
Put People First! is supported by a wide range of civil society groups including unions, development organisations, faith groups and environmental groups.
There will be an ecumenical service in Methodist Central Hall beginning at 11 am (details to be confirmed). Participants from this service will then join the march en route from the Embankment towards Hyde Park for a rally beginning at 2.00.
Please share this information as widely as possible. All organisations and individuals are welcome to join this mobilisation.
For more information, artwork and publicity flyers or to sign up your organisation as part of this mobilisation please contact: Tim Gee: tgee@bond.org.uk Come to the Campaigning Forum on 2 March which will include a mass planning meeting for the Put People First: mobilisation, from 9.00 – 12.30. You MUST book in advance for this, by contacting BOND Campaigns Communications Officer Tim Gee on tgee@bond.org.uk or calling 020 7520 0253.
Temporary website: http://www.bond.org.uk/pages/the-economic-crisis-and-the-need-for-change.html A ‘Put People First ‘ mobilisation website will follow shortly.”
That’s just a minor example, but it’s relevant. I don’t put my money with known arms dealers (or banks that lend them money), or buy from companies that I know are involved in various dubious moral issues but there are plenty of companies that I freely give my pounds and I haven’t the faintest clue to their ethcis. Amazon sell porn and wicca should I buy from them? On the other hand there are plenty of companies that exploit the poorest people on the planet in the way they do business -from coffee to cotton, tea to timber – the poor lose out. Should I buy from them? Or those that have environmentally destructive practices? What sort of life would I live if I refused to buy from them all? Or perhaps another way of framing the question, is what sort of world would we have if we did refuse?
In the age of the consumer perhaps the most powerful choice we have, arguably more significant even than your vote, is the choice we make with our money. As a friend of mine said,
“picture every pound you have as a vote. As you spend your money, what kind of world are you voting for? Money saved by living frugally or refusing unethical purchases doesn’t simply disappear (unless you hide it under a mattress); instead you can invest it somewhere else – in a company that doesn’t encourage child labour, for instance.“
I’d like to think that I vote for a world whose values most closely reflect the kingdom I believe in, and perhaps if even the 6 million Christians in the UK spent more wisely, the businesses that exist or don’t would change.
There are better experts than me on trade justice or even fair trade – The Trade Justice Movement for example, or for blogs try my friend Jeremy over at Make Wealth History and follow some of the many links you find there.
I believe Jesus when he said 'life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions'. I believe he offers something better. This blog is mostly about that search.
I'm also a husband, a father, church planter, keen runner, reader, and motorcyclist. These and a few other things make guest appearances from time to time.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
LinkedIn
Picasa
