wfn.org | United Methodists help increase Souper Bowl's score

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 10, 2001 News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{233}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church had fewer
congregations this year collecting supplies for the needy on Super Bowl
Sunday, but the denomination helped boost the national "Souper Bowl of
Caring" campaign by $500,000.

A total of 2,381 United Methodist churches generated $643,555 of the $3.6
million national total to help the needy through the annual Souper Bowl
campaign, held Jan. 28. That's 73 fewer churches than last year, when 2,454
United Methodist congregations raised almost $500,000 of the national total
of $3.1 million. 

Nationally, 12,552 churches, congregations, schools and businesses
representing all 50 states, Canada, Germany, Holland and the Marshall
Islands raised money to help hungry and hurting people in 2001 and increased
the donations to food banks, pantries and soup kitchens by 14 percent, said
Chris Burke, the effort's statistician.

The Souper Bowl campaign has encouraged thousands of churches to use the
Sunday of the national championship football game to raise money for hunger
projects of their choice.  An estimated $13.5 million has been given to the
poor since the campaign began in Columbia, S.C., in 1990. 

The Souper Bowl game plan is simple: Young people stand at the sanctuary's
doors on Super Bowl Sunday and collect money and canned goods in large
containers. The donations are sent directly to a local soup kitchen, food
bank or other organization chosen by the youth. Souper Bowl organizers never
touch the donations. 
 
"The Souper Bowl of Caring demonstrates the power of working together," said
the Rev. Brad Smith, the movement's founder and executive director. "Our
nationwide effort is a subtle reminder - a mustard seed -- that ordinary
people, with God's help, can do extraordinary good if we work together."

The states with the most United Methodist participation were Pennsylvania,
247 churches; South Carolina, 186 churches; Ohio, 143 churches; Georgia, 138
churches; and North Carolina, 136 churches.

In addition to United Methodists, the 2001 Souper Bowl team also included
Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Baptists. Nearly 15
denominations participated in the effort. 

The five states that posted the largest increases in United Methodist
participation over last year were Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina,
West Virginia and Minnesota

Last year, the youth director and the senior pastor at Walnut Grove United
Methodist Church in Kenton, Ohio, shaved their beards after the church
collected 600 nonperishable items and $400. This year, Senior Pastor Tom
Hite and Youth Pastor Jason Cox greeted the congregation from the church
roof. 

At Trinity United Methodist Church in Smithfield, Va., the youth dressed as
football players and cheerleaders and talked about Souper Bowl Sunday.
Meanwhile, a remote-control blimp belonging to one of the youth flew out
from behind the pulpit and over the congregation.  The test flights had gone
over well, but on the big day, the blimp had altitude troubles.  Instead of
flying over the congregation, it buzzed the heads of the congregants.
Finally a member batted it across the aisle to the other side, generating
laughter.

As they did this year, campaign officials are planning a Souper Bowl Service
Blitz for 2002, in which young people would serve at a kitchen, food bank or
other charity on Jan. 12. 

"Our goal is to have groups do this in at least 200 cities," Smith said.
"This will provide much needed service as well as kick off the Souper Bowl
'season' on Jan. 27."

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United Methodist News Service
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