Soup To Go
Soup To Go ministers to the homeless through fellowship and support. Currently there are two ministries; The Street Team, serving the homeless in Boston near South Station and Boston Common, and The Shelter Team preparing meals at UCC and serving in Boston at the Woods Mullen Shelter. We are always praying, listening and searching for other ways in which we, at UCC Medfield, can minister to the homeless locally or in the city, either through a start-up small group here or by partnering with one of the many great agencies/groups currently serving. If you have ideas you would like to share, either contact one of the STG team members or come to one of our monthly meetings on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 8:00 AM (we are early birds) in Fellowship Hall. The sign-up sheets to participate in one of our outings are located on clipboards in the Narthex.
The Street Team is currently visiting South Station and Boston Common on the 2nd Saturday of each month. We gather at the church at 5:30 PM and carpool to Boston, returning about 8:30 PM. Boston licensing/food laws do not allow us to distribute food that we prepare, but the team brings bottled drinks and packaged snacks along with blankets, socks, underwear, toiletry kits and other sundry items. Many of the people we visit look for us on our outings as we have developed real friendships over the years. Others are new to living on the streets of Boston and really need, and appreciate, a hand. Through the many contacts we have made, we can help direct these people to services provided by the city and others.
Over the last year The Shelter Team has begun a partnership with Friends of Boston Homeless. Friends works with corporate sponsors and groups like ours to enhance the services provided to homeless folks by the Boston Department of Health at their Woods Mullen and Long Island shelters. We currently prepare a hardy lunch of our soup and chili, cookies and fruit at UCC and serve lunch on two Saturdays per month (one in the summer) at the Woods Mullen shelter located adjacent Boston City Hospital. We also sponsor and serve dinner on occasion at the Long Island shelter which is also part of the City shelter system. We have made many friends at Woods Mullen, and the people really enjoy and appreciate the meals we serve. Consider participating in this important ministry. Food preparers gather at 7:30 AM and join an experienced lead cook. Cooking and clean-up is complete about 9:45. Delivers/servers gather at 9:30, sort out carpooling, load the vehicles and arrive at Woods Mullen to serve lunch at 11:00 AM. The usual return time is 1:00 PM. Watch the Sunday bulletin or Beacon for special meals and/or dessert nights, especially over the summer.
The people we meet are so grateful to the church and the many of you who volunteer and donate items. Please consider: cleaning your closet of clean, warm, gently-used seasonal items; or picking up several pairs of men's sneakers (size 9 1/2 and 10 1/2); or purchasing and putting into quart sized baggies travel-size lotion, shampoo/conditioner, soap, chap stick, shaving cream, razors, or other personal items. Our collection basket is in the Narthex.
Consider joining us on one of our outings. Youth can participate either on a Senior High Fellowship outing or with their parent(s). Sign-up sheets for upcoming outings are in the Narthex. (Note: BPH also requires a signed release to volunteer within their facilities). You will experience fellowship and grace in the process.
We would like thank the congregation for their overwhelming support and keeping Soup To Go and our friends in their prayers.
STG Team: Amy Marshall, Sarah Hamilton, Cathy Shires, Joan Sethi, Dick Whelan, Art Davies, Rick Abecunas, Pam Campisano, Wendy Ludwig
