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Traidcraft Traidcraft is a public limited company based on Christian principles of fair trade, justice and caring for the environment. It works with co-operatives and small businesses in developing countries where workers earn fair wages and use traditional skills and methods. In buying from Traidcraft we can help the poor and disadvantaged in many parts of the world. Traidcraft sells a wide variety of products: clothing, food, spices, tea, coffee, craft gifts, jewellery, accessories and recycled paper products. A wide range of goods is always available at the Mustard Seed shop in Faringdon, and from stalls held in our churches from time to time. Catalogues are also available and goods may be ordered. We always want helpers – both to run the stalls at the churches, as well as for the Mustard Seed, which is staffed by the churches of Faringdon on an entirely voluntary basis. Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF) This Association supports missionaries active in many countries throughout the world. Keeping an APF box in your home is a valuable way of contributing to their important work. This runs every summer, normally during the first week of the holidays, and it is organised by the four Faringdon churches working together as a team. It caters for children aged 5 – 11 years. The way in which we apply our Christian principles to the issues around us – both local and global – is of vital importance and is a sign of the vitality of a Christian community. Every second Sunday of the month we come together as the Justice and Peace group to pray, to learn and to apply. Everyone is welcome. As well as trying to understand more about justice and peace issues we also organise activities such as letter writing, direct action, support for other local action groups, vigils, activity days, One World Week, the Simon House Community in Oxford, and so on. We also support two projects abroad – one in Peru and one in Pakistan. Read more about the Justice & Peace Group. Churches Together in and around Faringdon The ecumenical association is well established and promotes a unified Christian witness as well as a response to local issues and needs. It promotes especially: Lenten groups, Christian Aid, Holiday Bible Club, monthly united Services, Good Friday Way of Witness walk, Christmas cards to every house in the town. All denominations are involved. The Vale of the White Horse Deanery Our Catholic deanery consists of the parishes of Buckland & Faringdon, Shrivenham, Wantage, North Hinksey, Abingdon & East Hendred, Didcot and Wallingford. The Dean is Canon Peter Turbitt of Wantage. As well as the deanery priests and deacons meeting for prayer and business, there are regular meetings of the Deanery Pastoral Council to develop our Christian witness in this part of the diocese. The Council consists of the deanery clergy and lay representatives of all the deanery parishes. Its work is to implement diocesan policy and to co-ordinate activity within the deanery (eg: Confirmation). The growing shortage of clergy makes the consultation with the lay representatives of our parishes essential in planning for the future of the deanery. Consequently, in recent months we have been asked to see the important link between deanery and parish as central to our Christian development in this part of the diocese. This is a recent venture, planned as a Christian response to the perceived need to give support to families. Projects include a breakfast club for junior school children; a group for first time mothers; a drop in centre for mothers and toddlers; computer training courses; an after school club.
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