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The Manna House, one of the largest soup kitchens in Baltimore, had to stop serving breakfast on Saturdays because of a lack of funding. When the churches of the Baltimore Region heard about this at the April 30 pre-conference session, they immediately responded.

"Our laity and clergy, representing numerous congregations, spontaneously began shouting ‘give us a Saturday.’ The response was overwhelming," said Baltimore Metropolitan Superintendent Karin Walker, who issued the challenge to assist Manna House.

Churches and other groups each will send five volunteers and pay approximately $450 to provide a Saturday breakfast for 165 people.

The work of Manna House goes hand-in-hand with the conference’s Housing First Initiative, said Saleem Gauhar, the manager.

So does another ministry in the region, "A One Church, One Home Plan," now being created by Harford Homes for the Homeless. Inspired by a conference trip to Common Ground in New York City, the new ministry will enable congregations to begin to end homelessness.

Harford Homes For the Homeless will meet on Tuesday, May 24, at 7 p.m. at Mt. Zion UMC, in Bel Air. All are invited.

For more about this ministry, contact the Rev. Craig McLaughlin at . To learn more about Manna House, e-mail Gauhar at .