Happy Birthday!

Can you believe it? It has been a whole year since the first coupon-clipping session and initial shopping trip for 5-2 Ministry. After asking for people to donate their left-over grocery store coupons and extra pocket change for about 6 weeks, we were ready to get the ball rolling. We had enough resources to begin our journey, and off we went!

How exciting it was to experience such great success on our very first week: 1 shopper went to Publix and one went to Kroger. A total of 128 items, or $228 worth of groceries, was purchased for a total of $75.36! We knew without a doubt that God had blessed this ministry, and greater things were yet to come.

Little did we know what the Lord had in store for us over the course of the next 12 months. As the word began to spread about 5-2 Ministry, so did the enthusiasm. People began to make increasingly greater donations of not only their coupon flyers and finances, but also of their time and talents as well.

As I write this today, it is amazing to realize that ALL of our expectations have been exceeded in a HUGE way! In just one year, thousands of coupon flyers have been donated to 5-2 Ministry (215 flyers were received last week alone!). Thousands of dollars worth of financial contributions have been received as well (a little more than our initial request for pocket change!). Countless volunteers have answered the call to clip coupons, shop for, and deliver groceries to the co-op, and those numbers are increasing steadily.

Finally, and most importantly, it is a true joy to announce that 21,997 items have now been donated to the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry through 5-2 Ministry! There was never any doubt that God had His hand on this ministry from the very beginning, but to witness results like this is truly miraculous! It appears that 5-2 Ministry was appropriately named: just as the Lord blessed a meager offering of 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish and used it to feed many, He has blessed our efforts so that many have been fed as well. Happy Birthday, 5-2!


Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have poured out on 5-2 Ministry and on the families in our community who have been reached through it, and for the privilege of being called to do your work in this world. Amen.

* * *
...Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied...

Matthew 14:19-20

Spotlight on Volunteers: Shoppers

What can I possibly say about these folks? They are the ones who are out there week after week serving on the front line, fearlessly entering grocery stores armed with envelopes of coupons, and emerging unscathed with bags and bags of food and other necessities to be delivered to the co-op. Most of the wonderful volunteers who shop for us insist that it is an easy thing to do, and although I know that the carts get heavy and sometimes there are heavy sighs from cashiers who would rather not have to scan lots of coupons, I've heard many stories from our shoppers about the joy it brings to be able to participate in this way.

Just imagine: some of our shoppers like to use this shopping time as a time to lift families in prayer, asking the Lord to bless each of the individuals who will be receiving the food that they are so lovingly shopping for. Others have found that their shopping trips turn into a time to be able to witness for Christ: fellow shoppers and store employees are always curious as to why we are purchasing 24 boxes of cereal, 35 cans of soup, or 42 boxes of spaghetti. When they ask that inevitable question, "What is all of this for?" it is a wonderful opportunity to share with them about the co-op and their ministry in our community. The next question, "Why are you doing this?" is an open invitation to speak about the love of Christ that calls us to respond!

I am so grateful to the people who take time out of their busy lives to shop for us. Together with our coupon angels and coupon clippers, they make this ministry complete. Their willingness to serve on the front lines--pushing those heavy carts and enduring those heavy sighs--makes it possible for individuals to receive much needed food for themselves and their families during their time of need. Thank you, shoppers for all you do!

Interrupted!

One of the best statements I've ever heard about how to handle interruptions in our lives--those annoying little things that seem to pop up just when we seem to have our own plans worked out so well--came from a presentation I heard on a women's retreat several years ago. We listened to a recording of a very inspirational presentation by Gloria Gaither in which she mentioned that, if you read the New Testament, you will find almost everything pertaining to the life of Christ was an interruption. So, she feels interruptions are the best part of her life, letting God do what He will in her life, and presenting her with the opportunity to touch someone for Christ. We don’t need to view ‘interruptions’ in our plans as something bad, but something brought about by God so that we can touch the lives of others.

I had not planned to do any grocery shopping this afternoon. As a matter of fact, I had not planned to do much of anything! After a busy, busy day yesterday, I was very tired. The only thing on my agenda after church today was most likely a nap! I have a feeling that many of our other 5-2 Ministry volunteers had similar plans: if not a nap, maybe watching a little football, doing some yard work, reading a book...but probably not clipping coupons and grocery shopping! When I received an email about the bare shelves at the co-op, however, there was no doubt that those of us who are involved with 5-2 Ministry would want to respond in whatever way we could. I wasn't sure how much we could do: I had an idea of what our available bank balance was (about $400), but I had no idea what the sales at the grocery stores would be this week or how many coupons we would have to match up with those sales. I prayed that the Lord would provide what we needed to enable us to make a difference, and I also prayed that God would move the hearts of His people--not only at SUMC but also in the community at large--to give generously to help meet the needs at the co-op. When I sat down to compile the list of items we would shop for, I was amazed to find that the sale items at the grocery stores matched up incredibly with the items that were most needed at the co-op: soup, vegetables, fruit, cereal, rice, pasta, canned milk, tuna....it was amazing and definitely a GOD thing!!! Not only that, but we found once again that we had abundant coupons to go with the items we needed to shop for: Thank you, Lord! By mid-afternoon, we had received monetary donations in excess of $1,300 and had MORE than enough money available to purchase all of the items on our list, and even add in a few more much-needed necessities!!! PRAISE GOD!!! As we delivered in excess of 1,400 items this afternoon, it filled my heart with joy to see that not only had 5-2 Ministry stepped up and responded, but many, many churches and individuals from throughout the community had done the same. By the time we were through counting, sorting, and putting items on the shelves, we found that not only were the shelves full in many areas, but there was back-stock as well.

God does amazing things through those who respond to His call. Thank you, Lord, for caring enough to interrupt our lives and give us the opportunity to touch others for YOU, and thank you for those who love you so much that they are willing to respond to your call and see you in the interruptions!

Spotlight on Volunteers: Coupon Clippers

There are a lot of different ways to use your talents when serving with 5-2 Ministry. In the previous post we mentioned the wonderful (and many times, anonymous) "Coupon Angels" who generously donate their coupons each week to our cause. Well, that is just the first step, because in order to use those coupons, we must first locate the ones we need to use and then they have to be CLIPPED! Fortunately, we have a group of folks who are very generous with their time, and who also happen to be really good with a pair of scissors. These individuals gather each Monday evening to locate the necessary coupons for that week and clip them from the coupon inserts. These people are amazing.

There is no stack of coupon flyers too high for these brave souls! Each week they cheerfully gather and commence to clipping, and before you know it they have turned stacks of coupon flyers into neat little bundles of coupons to be used in our shopping trips that week, and they seem to have fun doing it! It's truly an incredible sight to see, and I just love the joyful hearts that these people bring to this task each week. Who knew that a pair of scissors in the hands of a willing volunteer could be such an effective tool in serving our Lord? When you witness the fruits of the labor of these wonderful "Coupon Clippers" it is very apparent that He has taken this seemingly menial task and turned it into something significant for the good of His children. I am so thankful for these wonderful volunteers and their willingness to serve. God is so good!

Spotlight on Volunteers: Coupon Angels

We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 that each of us, as part of the body of Christ, is vital to the well-being of the entire body. There is no role that is more important in the function of the body than another, and without the contribution of each member, the entire body suffers. I am reminded of this frequently as the volunteers of 5-2 Ministry come together to carry out their roles in this ministry, each one serving as they have been called, all for the well-being of the body of Christ.

The interesting thing about this ministry is this: many of the volunteers that we have are completely anonymous! I like to think of them as our "coupon angels". They are people who, week after week, save their coupon inserts and quietly place them in collection bins at SUMC and other collection points for our use in purchasing donations for the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. The individuals who donate these coupons are often unknown. They make their donations without a desire to be recognized: they simply know of a need and are responding to a call to help. The funny thing is, I am sure that most of these "coupon angels" probably don't even realize the significance of what their donations mean. What they need to know, however, is this: these coupons are the lifeblood of this ministry. Without them, we could accomplish nothing. With them, hundreds of families have food on their tables that they would otherwise not have. So, to all of you wonderful coupon angels out there: thank you! Your contribution is not only important, it is vital.

May you be blessed as you serve as a blessing to others.

Witnessing Miracles

God performs miracles each and every day. Sometimes we notice, sometimes we don't (forgive us, Lord!). Occasionally, though, we have the privilege of witnessing a miracle that moves us in such a way that we are left in absolute awe of God's goodness and mercy--one that we can't HELP but notice. This is the story of one of those miracles:

On Friday, July 23, the call went out: the shelves at the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op were bare. Without donations of food (and lots of it), they would not be able to open their doors on Monday morning and they would have clients who would not be served.

People throughout the community began to pray for God to intervene, and asked Him for direction. How can we help, Lord? What do you want us to do? Among those who were called to act were the wonderful volunteers of 5-2 Ministry. An emergency session of coupon clipping and shopping was called, and everyone put aside their busy schedules and responded without hesitation.

In a whirlwind clipping session on Sunday afternoon, an unprecedented number of coupons were clipped for many, many items which were desperately needed at the co-op. In a typical week we are able to put together lists for about 4 shoppers who head to the stores and purchase a total of about 300 items to donate to the co-op. On Sunday, however, we had enough coupons available to send out TWICE that many shoppers!

Eight people graciously volunteered their time to shop. It was exciting to experience each one's enthusiasm as they picked up their lists and headed to the store, anxious to purchase as many items as they could to help stock the shelves (while still maintaining our guidelines of at least a 50% discount on regular prices, mind you!). No one knew at this point what the results would be, but we did know that God was at work and that His will was being carried out.

It was agreed that everyone would meet to deliver their purchases to the co-op at 7:00 that evening. In anticipation of a bountiful harvest, additional volunteers were called in to help unload groceries and stock the shelves. I don't think that ANYONE anticipated what would happen next, however. As the shoppers began to arrive with their groceries, it quickly became obvious that God had performed a mighty work! Cars, minivans, and SUV's pulled into the parking lot, loaded down with bags and bags of groceries. Volunteers jumped in and got to work, unloading, counting, sorting, stocking...it was an incredible sight. The food just kept coming, and the shelves began to fill.

Some were moved to tears as we witnessed what was happening. All were filled with joy! By the end of the evening, the shelves had been stocked with OVER 2,000 ITEMS!!!!


Not only was there enough food on the shelves for the co-op to open to its clients on Monday morning, some items were actually overstocked and put in the back room for future use--a situation which had not occurred at the co-op for quite some time.



God has given us so much to be thankful for this day, and shown us once again how loving and faithful He is! To the volunteers of 5-2 Ministry: thank you, thank you, thank you! As we called on God to be the solution at this time of crisis, He called on each of you to be His hands and feet. As willing servants, you not only heard God's call, but you also answered that call! May each of you be blessed through your dedication to Him, and...

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

Meet the Need!

This past Saturday, the "Meet the Need" 5K was hosted by Community of Grace Church in Grayson, Georgia. The purpose of this event was to raise funds in support of the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry.  The Lord blessed us with a beautiful spring day, and 49 runners and walkers showed up bright and early Saturday morning to "Run for Food"!

 It was wonderful to see folks from all around the community coming together in support of such a worthy cause, excited for the opportunity to raise money to feed the hungry in our area. 

At the conclusion of the race, we were thrilled to hear that this event had raised over $2,400 to benefit the co-op, and that 5-2 Ministry will be able to take these funds and use them to purchase an estimated $6,500 worth of food!

Pastor Matt of Community of Grace did a wonderful job organizing and leading this effort, and there were many volunteers on hand to see that this first annual event went off without a hitch.  We are thankful for these faithful servants, and for the generous spirits of all those who gave of their time and their money to participate in the first annual "Meet the Need" 5K!

God's Provision

For the first time since its inception, 5-2 Ministry did not have enough funds available this week to shop and provide a delivery of food to the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry .  Some may have seen this as a reason to be discouraged; we chose, however, to see it as an opportunity--an opportunity for God to show us (again!) how awesome he is.  I know I was not alone in praying for Him to provide.  I didn't know how and I didn't know when, but I knew that when the time was right, we would be back at work clipping coupons and shopping for families in need! 

Well, it did not take long for those prayers to be answered.  Early in the week, I received an email from someone who wanted to make a donation to 5-2 Ministry, and yesterday I received their generous donation.  Not only that, but this wonderful person showed up with a huge stack of coupons, too!  Praise God for His provision and His perfect timing!  Praise Him for calling these people who responded so willingly with generous hearts.  And Praise God for showing us (again!) how awesome He is!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:  Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

Get Involved!

Many of you are probably looking for a creative way to get involved with 5-2 Ministry and the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op. Well, you’re in luck! There are two opportunities to get involved and help to support the co-op.

On April 17, 2010 the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op will be hosting the first annual Meet the Need 5K. Runners are required to raise a minimum of $25 in sponsorships for their entry fee and encouraged to raise more if possible. $12 of this amount will be to cover the cost of the race and then the remaining $13 and any additional money raised will go towards the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op. The race starts at 9:00 a.m. and will begin in the co-op parking lot. Not a runner? That’s okay! You can walk too! Runners and walkers of all ages are encouraged to join us, so please feel free to bring the whole family! For more information please go to the following website: http://www.segwinnettcoop.org. You can register here as well as find more information about the race and download the sponsorship form.

Maybe something with wheels is more your cup of tea? Perfect! On June 5, 2010 the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op will also be sponsoring the One Can charity bike ride to raise additional money for food purchases at the co-op. There are two cycling distances, 30 miles and 62 miles, so choose the one that is best for you. There is a registration fee of $25. All of the proceeds from this ride will go towards food purchases for the co-op, and some of the money raised will go to 5-2 Ministry who in return will maximize the amount of food purchased from your donations. The ride will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will start at Lifetime Bikes in Loganville, GA. For more information and to register please go to the following website: http://www.unislibris.com/1canformpage.html.

Please take time to consider participating in one of these events if you are physically able to. If you can’t participate, please consider making a donation to support someone who is participating. Every little bit helps! Your involvement will be greatly appreciated not only by the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op and 5-2 Ministry, but by the growing number of families in our community who need our help to provide food for their families.

We're on Facebook and Twitter!

We're very excited to let you all know that you can now "Become a Fan" of 5-2 Ministry on Facebook, and you can also follow us on Twitter! If you use either of these two services, please check us out! We will be updating frequently with weekly shopping results and other tidbits of information, and we think you will love hearing about what God is doing through this ministry!

To "Become a Fan" on Facebook please click here.

To follow us on Twitter please click here.

Open Doors

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7

Have you ever experienced something in your life that came together in such a magnificent way, a way in which you could never have anticipated or orchestrated on your own, that there was absolutely no doubt in your mind that God alone was responsible for the entire set of circumstances?  Details had been taken care of before you even thought about needing to take care of them, people were available and ready to help before you even realized there was a need, financial resources were in place from resources you never anticipated having, and the list goes on....

Before this ministry was even begun, we started asking a lot of God. He had granted us a wonderful vision, but we needed a plan!  We needed people!  We needed coupons!  We needed money!  As we have sought His plan for 5-2 Ministry, God has provided each of these things, and more. The procedures we have put in place with His guidance are working beautifully.  He has prepared people's hearts for this ministry long before they have been approached and asked to help, and volunteers are eagerly stepping forward and serving.  Just when I think we won't have enough coupons available to make our planned purchases for a given week, someone shows up and hands us a HUGE stack of coupon inserts.  And when I wonder if we will have enough money to make purchases with all of the coupons we have, funds are made available not only through the co-op who we are now partnering with in our purchases, but also through individuals who God has blessed with incredibly generous hearts.  God is not only opening doors...He's flinging them WIDE open!

Since its inception in November, 2009, 5-2 Ministry has donated 2,467 items to the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op.  The total retail value of these items was $6,780.85; however, 5-2 Ministry's cost was only $2,258.54: a 67% savings!  We are currently in the process of expanding our efforts outside of the Cornerstone Sunday School Class at Snellville UMC.  We are seeking to involve more of the church as a whole and God is blessing our efforts here as well.  Other churches are also beginning to hear of our efforts and to show interest in beginning 5-2 Ministry at their own churches!  We are connecting with cashiers in grocery stores and customers in grocery store lines and telling them about what we are doing.  What a wonderful opportunity to witness!

What an honor it is to serve such a mighty and awesome God.  I can't wait to see what doors He will open next!