We often find that people moving into the area need to buy lowcost items to furnish their new home. Some have moved from challenging situations with nothing much at all and it is our privilege to help them make a home once again. Our customers Rosie Hughes - Shop Manager also include a parent needing a carpet for her daughter’s bedroom and grandparents who buy items for visiting grandchildren. There have been many times when people either buy from us or go without.
We have many opportunities to hand out information about the church and invite people to come along. Sometimes their first visit over the road to church is to attend our toddler group or come for a drink at our coffee morning, or visit our handcrafts club - but these are all useful steps to sharing the gospel and seeing them step inside the church on a Sunday morning where we trust that our services are relevant and inviting. We do have some in regular attendance whose first contact was the shop. One of them attended the Alpha course, made a commitment for the Lord and is growing in her faith. There are many opportunities to witness, pray and chat with people. Many conversations reveal situations like the loss of a job, divorce, bereavement, serious illness, etc - even suicide. It is important therefore that all our staff are members, of New Day Baptist Church and ready to speak and pray. We have four regular volunteers and others who help out when needed.
The news of the shop has spread far and wide. Many who find us, use us to sell items while others simply enjoy browsing the wide variety of goods on offer – including a kitchen sink! People are often surprised to find a shop like ours in a village and this gives us great opportunities to tell them about our Baptist church and why we run the shop.
The Revd David Hughes Minister of New Day Baptist Church, Morton
Listen to David talking about the New Day 2 Shop on the Baptist Union of Great Britain’s YouTube Channel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDPv7d-CtNQ
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