About Us

How First Grace Dreamed, Directed, and then Delivered The Market Path in

Highland Square.

The Market Path is a ministry of Akron's First Grace United Church of Christ,

opening in November of 2007. It was the church's vision to see a place where

Akron can support the wider community with items that promote fair trade and

empowerment of impoverished artisans around the world.

Already supporting ministries of worship, faith, food, recovery, and education

-- to name a few -- First Grace wanted to reach out further into the community

and develop new and progressive programming and outreach of a not just

Christian, but of a human nature.

Many ideas were considered in the process, but Rev. Bob Dreese, First Grace's

Pastor kept coming back to ideas involving kindness, peace, and justice.  This

consideration and journey lead to the concept of hosting something involving

Fair Trade...thus began The Market Path.