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Serving soup and saving souls: Lancaster minister works tirelessly to help neighbors in need

Pastor Ronald Cunningham's seen it all in his 45 years of ministry. But his current mission isn't about serving warm meals, it's about serving neighbors in need.

LANCASTER, S.C. — They call it the Greater New Hope Soup Kitchen but people in the city of Lancaster know where they can go to get a full-course meal and some inspiration. 

Pastor Ronald Cunningham has seen it all in his 45 years of ministry, including 30 years as the head of Greater New Hope Christian Center in Lancaster. He says the soup kitchen was built from a vision and his effort to fill a huge hole in Lancaster by serving more than hot soup. 

"People asked me, 'Why did you want to do a soup kitchen in this area?'" Cunningham said. "And I said because it's needed." 

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He says he wasn't sure how he'd find the resources to build it, but knew if he did, people would come. It took a leap of faith but it's seen blessing after blessing from the community. 

Credit: WCNC Charlotte
Pastor Ronald Cunningham says the Greater New Hope Soup Kitchen's mission goes beyond serving meals. It's about serving the entire person.

"People in the community were hearing what we wanted to do with the old building ... it had asbestos in it, so we had to tear it down," Cunningham said. 

That was 2006. Now, 16 years later, starting at 4 p.m. four to five days a week, the doors open and community members pour in to get a meal. 

"Some of them, that's the only meal they get all day long," Cunningham said. 

It's a place for people to sit, talk and sometimes find the services that best fit their needs. 

"We have some of the area agencies, and do blood pressure checks, flu shots, anything that they can help them with, they do," Cunningham explained. 

Even COVID-19 couldn't deter them, as they handed out meals from the door and have steadily increased their giving. They handed out 40,000 meals in 2021 and 52,000 last year. 

Although food is their outreach tool, Cunningham says the mission is to care for the whole person. 

"We go around to different areas and do ministry and soup kitchen activities," he said. "I've had people tell me, 'We look forward to this every day, have you thought about the weekends?'"

Based on the interactions between the people, the meal served each day warms the heart and the soul. Cunningham says that's the goal, to continue to meet the needs of the people of Lancaster. 

"The Lord has been opening doors all over the place," he said. 

Cunningham says the outreach is always supported by the community and if you'd like to help, donations are the best way to keep their mission going. Click here to learn more information

Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.

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