JUST Abundance Theology of the Marketplace

Barter Barter: to trade by exchanging one commodity for another…to exchange The barter system for getting goods and services dates back many centuries. In most cultures the barter system was used before money was created. People who had specific items or services would exchange them with others for the things they needed. If a family raised chickens they traded chickens or eggs for items they needed such as cloth with which to make clothing. Today the barter system carries with it the same basic motivation - the need for something that you don't have and the excess of something that someone else wants. The barter system works best when both parties feel that they have an even exchange. Most people have things that they no longer need or want and can use to trade for items that they do want or need. Explorers and pilgrims used the barter system to get the things they needed for their journeys. The system uses the fact that some areas and some people have things that aren't always available elsewhere. Barter: to trade by exchanging one commodity for another…to exchange The barter system for getting goods and services dates back many centuries. In most cultures the barter system was used before money was created. People who had specific items or services would exchange them with others for the things they needed. If a family raised chickens they traded chickens or eggs for items they needed such as cloth with which to make clothing. Today the barter system carries with it the same basic motivation - the need for something that you don't have and the excess of something that someone else wants. The barter system works best when both parties feel that they have an even exchange. Most people have things that they no longer need or want and can use to trade for items that they do want or need. Explorers and pilgrims used the barter system to get the things they needed for their journeys. The system uses the fact that some areas and some people have things that aren't always available elsewhere.

Relative Value Womanist theology is a prophetic voice concerned about the well-being of the entire African American community, male and female, adults and children. Womanist theology attempts to help black women see, affirm, and have confidence in the importance of their experience and faith for determining the character of the Christian religion in the African American community. Womanist theology challenges all oppressive forces impeding black womens struggle for survival and for the development of a positive, productive quality of life conducive to womens and the familys freedom and well-being. Womanist theology opposes all oppression based on race, sex, class, sexual preference, physical ability, and caste Deloris Williams

Why we Barter... We barter (exchange) to have our needs met We barter to met the needs of others We barter to reduce competitiveness We barter to acknowledge the value of the talents and skills of others We barter to end patriarchal top down hierarchical structures We barter to bring about JUST abundance We barter (exchange) to have our needs met We barter to met the needs of others We barter to reduce competitiveness We barter to acknowledge the value of the talents and skills of others We barter to end patriarchal top down hierarchical structures We barter to bring about JUST abundance

just abundance Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. What they had, they shared, so that all needs would be met. They acknowledged that each and every thing they owned was not theirs, but belonged to God. He had only placed it in their care. So instead of socialism, controlled by the government, they practiced stewardship, controlled by their devotion to and love for Jesus. They didn't sell everything they had and pool it all together. Instead, as it says in Acts 4:34, "There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. What they had, they shared, so that all needs would be met. They acknowledged that each and every thing they owned was not theirs, but belonged to God. He had only placed it in their care. So instead of socialism, controlled by the government, they practiced stewardship, controlled by their devotion to and love for Jesus. They didn't sell everything they had and pool it all together. Instead, as it says in Acts 4:34, "There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."

JUST abundance What they had, they shared, so that all needs would be met. They acknowledged that each and every thing they owned was not theirs, but belonged to God. He had only placed it in their care. So instead of socialism, controlled by the government, they practiced stewardship, controlled by their devotion to and love for Jesus. They didn't sell everything they had and pool it all together. Instead, as it says in Acts 4:34, "There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."