BAY MINETTE - In John 6, Jesus uses a mere five small loaves of bread and two small fish to feed 5,000. In Bay Minette, New Day Ministries feeds, clothes and otherwise meets the needs of local residents who are limited in what they can do for themselves with just 35 church members.

For example, church members will be set up in the parking lot under the electric billboard, next to Taco Bell, Saturday where they will offer free gift wrapping and will give away 200 coats.

“We will wrap anything they bring, within reason,” Pastor Mel Hacker said. “If they bring something so big we can’t wrap it, there’s not much we can do.”

Hacker said the church will not charge for the service, but said a donation jar will be set up for those who wish to give. “All that will go back to the church to continue these ministries,” he said. Additionally, the church will give out approximately 200 coats to those who need them.

Hacker said though the giveaway is hosted by the church, it is a community event. “A lot has been given from the community,” he said, explaining that the Big Red Barn daycare and preschool, Bay Minette Elementary School and Bay Minette Intermediate School put collection boxes up so students could donate.

“A lot of these jackets are not in bad shape, the kids just outgrew them,” he said.

In addition to the coat giveaway, the church also sponsors clothes and school uniform giveaways, a school supply giveaway and runs a food bank.

“We also have the Good Samaritan project, where we help the elderly. When we have the means and access to supplies, we will go to their house and pick up leaves and straw, or if something breaks and we know someone who can fix it, we’ll fix it for them so we can save them from having to repair it,” Hacker said.

The ministry does not stop at Bay Minette’s borders, nor does it stop at the borders of the United States of America. Each year, a group from the church travels to the remote areas of Guatemala, where they build 20 houses in four days, distribute food, clothing and inexpensive trinkets and toys to the residents there.

Hacker said the trips are an eye-opening experience for those participating for the first time. “You have to be prepared emotionally. Unless you’re prepared, you’ll see things that could mess you up,” he said.

The church holds various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for the trip, to cover not only travel expenses, but to cover the cost of materials. To build one house costs $325. The homes are mere wooden frame houses, with tin sides and roofs, but to the recipients, they are mansions.

One of the fundraisers that has really caught hold is Mel’s Boiled Peanuts. Hacker and others from the church boil peanuts and mann a stand outside BeeGees gas station where they sell the goodies. An album of photos from previous Guatemalan missions sits on the counter for customers to view and to show where the money is going.

He said the idea for selling boiled peanuts came out of a brainstorming session following the pastor’s first trip to Guatemala.

“I went to Guatemala for the first time two years ago and had to find a way to pay my way over there and back. When I got back from there, after seeing the need over there, I felt we had to do more. I talked with our congregation and one gentleman in the church suggested boiled peanuts,” Hacker said. The stand is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., though Hacker said once Spring arrives the hours will expand.

He said between peanut sales and simply getting the message out about what they do has generated the income to continue their missions. “Most people buying the peanuts know what we’re doing it for. We’ve built a pretty good customer base,” he said.

He said having a strong reputation helps.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve established our credibility. (Residents) see we’re not a fly by night operation,” he said. In fact, though Hacker has been pastoring the church only for the last decade, the church is 50 years old.

He said that credibility and the church’s involvement in the community is what sets the group apart from other churches in the area. “My philosophy is - what I preach and teach - is that we should be a church that the city could not do without,” he said. “That if we were to have to shut our doors, the city would not be as good a place. We need to be the lighthouse in Bay Minette.”

Hacker said the church’s aggressive community outreach serves a dual purpose. “We’re able to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and at the same time show in practice that message,” he said.

So how does the small church do all it does? “The Lord just blesses us with favor. He gives us what we need - when we need something, we’re able to find it, or it’s donated. It’s not just inside the church, we receive donations from people in the community. We receive donations from other cities who read articles about what we’re doing and send us donations,” he said.

“Our members are people who have caught on to our vision and are there when we need them,” he said.

The Assemblies of God Church meets for Sunday School on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., followed by service at 10:30. Hacker said a typical service begins with “upbeat, lively music,” followed and a time to pray for the needs of those in the congregation followed by the sermon. The church also holds a service Wednesday night at 7 p.m., during which time the youth meets in its own area.

“They have their own room, where they have ping pong tables, pool tables, a Wii - it’s a good place to hang out,” Hacker said. For more information about the church, or its outreach programs, call Hacker at (251) 937-2816.

John 6:5-12 Jesus feeds 5,000 　

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages

to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.