The next time you see a group of children, look closely and do a little math: 1 out of every 4 children in WV faces the very real possibility of being hungry today.  It is a number that is hard to grasp and heartbreaking to consider.  Each February the House of the Carpenter hosts two events to help inform people of the need and provide them ways that they can respond to the need.

The first event is the Souper Bowl of Caring Luncheon.  On a Friday afternoon the House of the Carpenter hosts a soup/salad luncheon where some of Wheeling’s restaurants and some of the United Methodist Women provide the soups and salads for the lunch.  There are two types of tickets: $10 for the luncheon or $25 for the luncheon and one of the handmade bowls by the local artisans and students from the Oglebay Institute.  This year the luncheon is on Feb. 8th from 11am – 1pm.  During the luncheon, information on hunger, the food pantry, the backpack program and other ministries are shared including ways people can volunteer.

Rymer UMC, a small congregation in the MonValley District, received the Paten/Chalice last year. This is a photo of the entire congregation with the gifts on the altar table.

The second event is the Souper Bowl of Caring Challenge.  As United Methodists we celebrate an open table at Holy Communion, but if everyone comes, the reality is many will be hungry.  The House of the Carpenter has built upon this idea and encourages congregations to use the month of February to do hunger education and to raise money for food pantries and feeding programs.  The House of the Carpenter recognizes two congregations that make donations to the HOC food pantry with custom made paten/chalice by Rick Morgan, an artisan at the Oglebay Institute.  Congregations in the Northern and MonValley District in WV and the Ohio Valley and Southern Hills District in East Ohio have received the communion ware so the staff has shown a willingness to travel.  The donations have to be received by Feb. 28th and someone from the staff of the House of the Carpenter will present the paten and chalice to the congregation on March 13th.

The purpose in each event is to help remind us of those who need our assistance in supplying one of the most basic human needs of being fed.

For ticket information contact Michelle at House of the Carpenter  mlucarelli@houseofthecarpenter.com