wfn.org | ELCA Teams up with Other Churches for 'Souper Bowl' Sunday

[NEWS <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 4, 1999

ELCA TEAMS UP WITH OTHER CHURCHES FOR 'SOUPER BOWL' SUNDAY
99-04-21-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Denver Broncos of the National Football League
was not the only team victorious on "Super Bowl Sunday," Jan. 31. 
Homeless shelters, food pantries and other services also won, thanks to
more than 9,000 churches in the United States, including congregations of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  The congregations
teamed up for "Souper Bowl of Caring," a national effort to fight hunger,
and raised $2.17 million.
     Congregations of the ELCA arranged for youth to collect dollars in
large soup pots as parishioners left worship the morning of the
championship football game.  Each congregation selected and sent the
contribution directly to a charity of its choice.  Organizers reported
their results on game day by visiting www.souperbowl.com -- the Souper
Bowl of Caring's Web site.
     The Sunday school youth at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Glenvil, Neb.,
brought cans of soup and other non-perishable food items for a local food
pantry.  Money was also collected in large soup kettles as parishioners
left worship.  
     "We collected more than $115 on Sunday," said the Rev. Timothy J.
Wiggins, Glenvil, Neb.  "Immanuel Lutheran Church has participated in the
Souper Bowl of Caring since 1995.  We've collected $648 for homeless
shelters and shelters for abused women and children.  Non-perishable food
items were also collected for local food pantries." 
     Living Christ Lutheran Church in Hanover Park, Ill., collected more
than $235 for the ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal.  Members of the
congregation also collected four bags of nonperishable food items for a
local food pantry.  
     Faith Lutheran Church, Whitehall, Pa., collected more than $450 for
the Allentown Rescue Mission, the "Meals on Wheels" program of Lehigh
Valley and the Lehigh Country Conference of Churches.
     More than $330 was collected at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Charlotte,
N.C., for the St. Stephen's Soup Kitchen at the Charlotte Center for Urban
Ministries.
     The "Souper Bowl of Caring" began when the Rev. Brad Smith, Spring
Valley Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C., made reference to the National
Football League's "Super Bowl" Sunday as "Souper Bowl" Sunday in a prayer. 
The senior youth fellowship of the congregation took the pun in earnest
and a national effort to fight hunger was born.
     The partnership has grown from 22 congregations in 1990 to 8,500 in
1998 with congregations participating in every U.S. state and Canada.  The
effort generated $1.7 million in 1998.  More than $4.5 million has been
raised since the effort went national in 1993.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html