New soup kitchen opens
“It’s not about the soup; it’s about the soul.” That’s the philosophy behind the new soup kitchen, launched by the Connellsville Co-op parish, to be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Otterbein United Methodist Church, Connellsville. Harold and Susan Pritts of Otterbein Church direct the ministry. Susan Pritts said that this ministry fills a void left by other service organizations. “The Salvation Army was feeding people during the week,” she said. “There was nothing on the weekends for the needy. We decided to open this soup kitchen once a month to see how it went.”
Harold Pritts, a member of Otterbein’s Board of Trustees, said that the biggest challenge regarding opening the soup kitchen was scheduling people to staff it. “We needed to plan who would be there to open the building, turn on the heat and close the building. We also had to coordinate volunteers from five different churches based on when everyone would be available.”
The Prittses were inspired to participate in this project after hearing a sermon by United Methodist Bishop Thomas Bickerton when he came to the area last fall.
“Bishop Bickerton told a story of two women attending a church service. One woman was well-to-do and was dressed in a fur coat. The other woman was not so well-to-do. The not-so well-to-do woman kept moving closer to the well-to-do woman to touch her coat. The rich woman kept moving away. Several days later, the less affluent woman came into church again, this time wearing the fur coat that the rich woman had given to her. We were inspired by that story of service.”
Susan Pritts said that although the volunteers do not actively evangelize soup kitchen patrons, religious literature is available to them. “We don’t know what needs these people have, so this ministry is a way to reach people spiritually,” Pritts said. “It’s a place to bring people to Christ.”
Kris Means, a volunteer at the soup kitchen, agrees that there is a need for such a ministry. “There’s more need in this county than people realize,” she said. “This area has been economically depressed for a long time. This economy isn’t making things better.”
She said people need to realize that other people care for them. “There are places that will help you if you are in need,” she said.
Means also said that the soup kitchen brings people together.
The soup kitchen is held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. one Saturday a month. Volunteers distribute fliers detailing when the kitchen will be open.
Meals consist of soup, sandwiches, drink and desert. It is located at the Otterbein United Metho-dist Church Social Hall, 201 Lincoln Ave. For more information about the soup kitchen or to volunteer, call the church office at 724-628-1423.