Five years of keeping families fed

Have you visited a Message Community Grocery? If not, when you step inside, you’ll find the shelves filled with all the items you’d expect to get in any supermarket – the only difference is the price. Here, members can fill their baskets from just £5 per shop, choosing the food they’d like for their family.

From day one, Community Groceries have been about more than just providing members with affordable food – they’re about sharing Jesus’ love in action.

Each time members come in to grab food, they chat with our teams at the till or as shelves are stocked, and friendships are built. It’s through these conversations that they hear about what’s going on in members’ lives, offer to pray for them and tell them about the hope Jesus offers. But the opportunities to do this go beyond food shopping. Every member gets access to a wide range of free support courses and events too. As they connect with these, they hear more about Jesus’ love for them, the hope he offers, and lives are being turned around.

Every week we hear of members responding to the gospel and giving their lives to Jesus. Here are just three of them.

Christine, Burnley

‘When my husband left me, I had nothing. Having to feed myself and my son, I signed up for Universal Credit and the person filling in the forms with me told me about the Community Grocery. I was so nervous walking into the grocery for the first time, but the teams welcomed me straight away and put me at ease. The range of food on offer was more than I expected, and having access to the fresh fruit and vegetables was a life-saver as they’re so expensive everywhere else.

‘To help my mental health, I decided to start volunteering in the grocery and noticed that everyone on the team was so full of joy, and I wanted some of it for myself! When they asked if I wanted to go along to church, I said ‘yes’. I was then invited to be part of an Alpha course that the grocery and church were running, so signed up for that too. There I discovered Jesus’ love for me. Since then, I’ve got baptised and haven’t looked back, life is better than I could have imagined.’

Beverley, Manchester

‘I proudly tell people I’m Community Grocery member number 48! I signed up on the very first day it was open. I’d heard about this new store that was opening and how it could help me bring down the cost of my food shop, which was something I desperately needed as I was caring for family and money was tight. That first day, I queued down the road to sign up, and when I got inside, I was blown away with what I found. I couldn’t believe the choice I had for so little money. Soon I was shopping in the grocery as often as I could.

‘What surprised me is that as well as getting food in the store, I found a community too. I made friends with the team and I was always so welcome. They also put on different events and courses that I went along to. One of these was called Alpha and on it I heard more about Jesus and gave my life to him. As well as being debt free I now have hope and it all started in the Community Grocery.’

Kerry-Ann, Telford

‘I live near the Telford store and people told me what a great place it was. Three years ago, family illness meant money got tighter than ever and I didn’t know where the next meal was coming from. It was then that I decided to try the Community Grocery. I went in for the first time with my mum and couldn’t believe what I could get for £5, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. One day I was chatting to the team and they invited me to the carol service that was happening. I thought ‘why not?’ and went along. That day, my life and my whole family changed!

‘Hearing the Christmas story again and having chatted to the grocery team about Jesus in the weeks leading up to it, I was sat in church and I immediately knew I needed God in my life and responded to the gospel. But it wasn’t just me, my mum did the same too. Since then, I’ve joined the church and got involved in the worship team, and my son and my dad have become Christians too. To say my life’s been transformed by God and the Community Grocery is an understatement.’