Our MISSION OF THE MONTH for August 2025 is

Robert's Park - Soup's On!

By Natalie Oehler

After spending last month in a sermon series about community, what better way to put that into practice than to help serve a hot meal to the poor and homeless of Indianapolis. CUMC has had a long-standing relationship with Soup’s On. Soup’s On is located downtown Indy right off the bustling street of Mass Ave at Robert’s Park UMC. You may have walked past the bench with homeless Jesus statue while going to an event, or dinner on Mass Ave. That is Roberts Park UMC. This year we will be serving on Sunday September 14 and Sunday November 9.

How You Can Get Involved

You don’t need special training to make a difference. All you need is a willing heart. Here are a few ways you can be part of our Soup’s On efforts:

• Dine in, or carry out, all day at City BBQ on Wednesday August 20 and tell them you are there for CUMC Soup’s On Mission. Proceeds will support SOUP’s ON!
• Sign up to go serve on Sunday from 9:30a-2p on September 14 and or November 9
• Help make sack lunches and care bags on Saturday from 9:30-11a September 13 and or November 8.
• Donate items on the Amazon Wish list
• Make cookies or brownies for the meal on Sunday.
• Donate other items on the list on the right or make a monetary contribution.
• Pray. For the team serving and the guests receiving

This is an easy mission for individuals or families to get involved with. Families with small children can help make sandwiches on Saturday and put together care bags. Sunday volunteers we ask be older than 12 and have an adult volunteer with them. Or if you cannot make it in person to help those days you can pick up a few items on the wish list when out doing your weekly shopping.

Items Needed to be Donated Before each of the event dates:

○ Apple Sauce cups

○ Liquid IV packets

○ Gatorade

○ Individual bags of chips

○ Cosmic Brownies

○ Sandwich baggies

○ Water Bottles

○ Napkins

○ Beef jerky

○ Toothbrushes

○ Individual toothpaste

○ Bug Spray

○ Chapstick

○ Hand warmers

○ Thick winter gloves

○ Self wipes

○ Deodorant

○ Shaving razors

○ Sandwich bread

○ Large Jars of Jelly

○ Large Jars of Peanut butter

Please sign up to help on the sign up genius here:

https://bit.ly/soups-on-cumc

All donations can be left in the donation closet at the food pantry & please mark them “FOR SOUP’S ON”

If you have questions or would like to be added to the distribution email list,
please email Natalie Oehler at nataliejoehler@gmail.com

      The CUMC Food Pantry serves about 400 families each month. We partner with local churches, school organizations and members of the community to serve healthy food to HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS. Please bring: a photo ID and proof of residence, such as a utility bill or rental agreement, with you when you visit the food pantry.

      Since 2022, St Christopher's Episcopal Church, Carmel Christian Church, Cornerstone Lutheran, and Noblesville First UMC, have donated bounty from their own gardens to the CUMC Food Pantry. Orchard Park Presbyterian Church donates all of the eggs given to guests of the pantry.

If you are interested in volunteering in the Food Pantry, fill out the form at THIS LINK. If you have never volunteered at the pantry, please sign up for a Newbie Shift for training before you volunteer as a Guest Shopper. Newbie Shifts are every Tuesday night 5-7pm and Saturday 11am-1pm.

You can also email foodpantry@carmelumc.org

Soup's On joins Roberts Park UMC in downtown Indianapolis to serve meals to the hungry and homeless of downtown Indy on Sundays each week. Meals are provided from 12-1pm. Personal hygiene items are also available. CUMC serves 5 times per year. Contact Jim Bach at saborofborg@gmail.com about volunteering to serve. Read more about 'Soup's On' on page 5 of the July 2023 edition of THE CONTACT - (click here)

BAGS OF HOPE

Most children in foster care enter with nothing of their own. Bags of Hope provides foster children with their own mongrammed duffle bag filled with books, blankets, toys and a few item that will hopefully bring them joy.

More Info HERE.

CARMEL COAT CLOSET

Carmel Coat Closet serves students at Carmel Clay Schools, as well as adults. New this year, each church will be serving their school district in deeper ways connecting directly with the schools in their community and the counselors or social workers to reach kids that need a coat not only at the giveaway, but also on a school-level until winter is over.

More Info HERE.

carmelumc.org/coats 

SALVATION ARMY:
ANGEL TREE

      This is our third year working with the Salvation Army for the Angel Tree Program. Our CUMC leaders are Beth Lotti and Margaret Kettle. They led the Christmas drive in November and met with the Salvation Army to map out the Family Life Center (FLC) and the volunteer slots for set-up and the event on December 7!