You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS listserv of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
======================================= This story and photos are located at: http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07139.htm
07139 March 9, 2007
Two Presbyterian congregations hold friendly Souper Bowl challenge
PC(USA) churches nationwide raise $1 million for the needy
by Evan Silverstein
LOUISVILLE - The Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts were not the only ones squaring off during last month's Super Bowl.
In the spirit of the National Football League's championship game and in an effort to help fight hunger, members of two Presbyterian congregations -Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago and Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis - held their own contest by seeing who could raise the most money and food for the annual Souper Bowl of Caring.
The PC(USA)-founded, youth-oriented anti-hunger campaign takes advantage of the Super Bowl to raise money and collect canned goods for the poor and ill-nourished.
Volunteers, mostly young people armed with soup pots, took up the contributions at their churches on Feb. 4, just hours before the Colt's 29-17 victory against the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
"The City of Indianapolis was on fire with enthusiasm for the Super Bowl football game," said the Rev. Lewis Galloway, pastor at Second church. "The Colts are an important part of our city. It was a joy to join with the Colts in celebrating Super Bowl Sunday by participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring. We joined with Fourth Presbyterian Chicago in what we called a 'friendly cooperation' to raise the bar."
Second church, which has 4,371 members, challenged the youth group at Fourth church to the friendly competition. The pastor of the losing church had to publicly wear a jersey from the winning congregation's home football team.
Both churches will donate $500 each to the Presbyterian Hunger Program, a longtime Souper Bowl stalwart, in honor of the other congregation.
Of the two congregations, Second church of Indianapolis raised the most by netting $25,739 in cash and food donations while Chicago's Fourth church raised $13,383 in cash and food donations, according to Souper Bowl officials.
That meant the Rev. John M. Buchanan, pastor of Chicago's Fourth church, had to be seen clad in Indianapolis Colts apparel.
To prove he followed through with the agreement, Buchanan was photographed wearing a Colts jersey bearing the number 18 (quarterback Peyton Manning) as he stood alongside former Chicago Bears head coach and football legend Mike Ditka.
"We lament our Bears' loss to the Indianapolis Colts," Buchanan said. "In the great tradition of Chicago sports we are consoling ourselves with the local mantra, 'Wait until next year.'"
"We are grateful to the young people of both churches (and) to all who contributed to the Souper Bowl offering, and for the good opportunity to join hands to reach out in love to our neighbors," Buchanan added.
In 2006, Second Presbyterian Church raised a total of $10,710 for the Souper Bowl of Caring, according to officials with the anti-hunger campaign. Fourth Presbyterian raised a total of $3,973 for the event last year.
Money and food collected for this year's Souper Bowl by Second church, which has participated in the event since 2004, will be contributed to an inner city soup kitchen at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.
Proceeds and food collected this year by Fourth church - a Souper Bowl participant since 2001 - will go to the congregation's Elam Davies Social Service Center, which serves the hungry and homeless through a variety of programs.
There are no losers when it comes to helping with a good cause, those involved with the friendly challenge said, especially when the effort leads to feeding many hungry people.
"It's perfectly a win, win," said Ann Rehfeldt, director of communications at Fourth church, which has about 5,700 members. "The wager along the way actually meant that there were more people who ended up getting food because of it. So yeah, it's a great thing."
The Souper Bowl of Caring has raised $40 million for charities like food banks and soup kitchens since its inception in 1990. Participating groups phone in totals, then send donations to charities of their choice.
Presbyterians around the country have been super, too.
As of March 7, organizers say, 2,460 Presbyterian churches nationwide had raised a record $1,066,567- and collections haven't been fully reported. The total is the first time that Presbyterian collections broke the $1 million mark.
So far, some 13,999 organizations and congregations from a variety of U.S. religious denominations have reported collecting $7.7 million, according to Souper Bowl officials.
Donations from Presbyterians made up nearly 15 percent of the total, the second most contributions behind the Roman Catholic Church. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) had the second-highest number of churches participating, behind the United Methodist Church.
The Souper Bowl program was inspired by a prayer the Rev. Brad Smith offered at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, on Super Bowl Sunday in 1988.
"Thank you for making a difference in the lives of people in your community and around the world who will experience God's grace because of your simple act of love," Smith said speaking to those who contributed to the national fundraiser, in which he now serves as executive director. "We hope you will make Souper Bowl of Caring an annual tradition in your congregation."
Last year, 11,928 congregations and schools raised $5 million in all 50 states. The total was up from $4 million in 2005.
About 2,387 Presbyterian churches in all 50 states took part in Souper Bowl 2006, generating $921,616, up from $742,000 the previous year.
This year's top contributing PC(USA) congregations were Sunrise Presbyterian Church in Salina, KS, with $36,030, followed by Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis with $25,739 and Fourth church in Chicago, $13,383.
Other top PC(USA) Souper Bowl contributors: Middletown Presbyterian Church in Media, PA, $11,432; and Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, TX, $11,246.
In another phase of the Souper Bowl program, young people are urged to serve a charity in their community on Super Bowl weekend - a task that more than 23,392 youths performed this year, including 3,457 Presbyterian young people.
Organizers encourage churches that have not yet reported 2007 Souper Bowl totals or wish to register for the 2008 campaign, to log on or call (800) 358-SOUP (7687).
=======================================
You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS listserv of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
To unsubscribe, send a blank message to
mailto:PCUSANEWS-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org.
To update your email address, send your old email address and your new one to mailto:PCUSANEWS-owner@halak.pcusa.org.
For questions or comments, send an email to mailto:PCUSANEWS-owner@halak.pcusa.org.
To learn more, visit http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 100 Witherspoon Street Louisville, KY 40202 (888) 728-7228