An atmosphere of peace

It’s been great getting to know our members and hear how the stores have been helping them keep their families fed, and also show them more about the love that Jesus offers each of us. People like Pat who we met in our Warrington store.

Pat got chatting to a member of the team saying, ‘I am so grateful for the Warrington Community Grocery! Like so many, I’ve been struggling physically, mentally and financially. I first came in on opening day and the welcome I received was brilliant, and ever since, the atmosphere is peaceful, calming, patient and kind! I look forward to every shop and visit, thank you!’

And as members come in store and experience this loving environment, they’re getting the chance to hear about Jesus and are having their lives changed by him. One lad we met in our Glasgow store, Trystan, got chatting with our store manager Jen as she signed him up for an annual membership. Trystan was really interested in finding out more about Jesus and after chatting with Jen, he left the grocery with a copy of John’s gospel feeling ‘lighter and brighter’ than when he came in. He even donated a shop through our pay-it-forward post-it notes so that another member would be able to get their shopping for free. The team in Glasgow are excited to get to know Trystan more and invite him along to church in coming weeks.

And it’s not just grocery members who are being impacted by the atmosphere in store.

In Middlesbrough, our team have been getting to know a couple of the local policemen who have wanted to support the work of the grocery in their area. After chatting to our store volunteers and being shown around the grocery, one PC even got stuck in serving customers. Later in the week, he came back to the store saying ‘I normally meet with some other PCs for breakfast before my shift but today I want to use the £5 I’d normally spend to give to the grocery to use for someone’s membership. I can see that God’s got his hand on the grocery.’