Title: Lutherans Work to End Hunger through 'Souper Bowl of Caring' ELCA NEWS SERVICE
February 14, 2008
Lutherans Work to End Hunger through 'Souper Bowl of Caring' 08-013-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Lutherans across the United States put on their "game face" Feb. 3 for the annual "Souper Bowl of Caring," a national faith-based effort aimed at raising millions of dollars for hunger-fighting organizations on the day of the National Football League's "Super Bowl."
As part of the effort, congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) arranged for young people to collect food and dollars in large soup pots as parishioners left worship. Organizers reported their results on or near game day at the Souper Bowl of Caring Web site -- http://www.souperbowl.org -- so that a national total could be determined.
Some ELCA congregations contributed to the ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal, local food pantries and homeless shelters. No money is sent to Souper Bowl of Caring, Columbia, S.C.
Members of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Prineville, Ore., collected 54 sacks of groceries -- 688 individual food items -- for the congregation's food pantry and raised more than $350 for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. "The sacks were placed around the altar at both communion services (and) were blessed at both services" on Feb. 3, said the Rev. Stan C. Hoobing, interim pastor. In January church members were given empty grocery sacks with lists of suggested food items for the food pantry collection, along with ELCA World Hunger envelopes, Hoobing said.
A week before the Super Bowl, two teenage members of Servants of Christ Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, performed a skit during worship to promote the Souper Bowl of Caring effort. Youth of the church distributed bags to gather food items and stickers to promote the effort. On the day of the Super Bowl, the congregation collected more than 700 food items and $789 for the Cafe Food Pantry, Indianapolis. Youth decorated the church with a football theme, and during worship donations were collected in two large soup containers -- one with New York Giants decor and the other with New England Patriots decor. Parishioners voted for their favorite team by placing their gifts in one of the two containers. Youth also held a bake sale to raise funds for the food pantry.
Members of House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Elizabethtown, Ky., raised $376 for the Springhaven Domestic Violence Shelter there.
Members of Grace Lutheran Church, Conroe, Texas, collected $414 to be split between the Salvation Army and the Montgomery County Interfaith Hospitality Network in Conroe.
Pat Burke, youth director at Grace Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa., said members of the congregation have participated in the Souper Bowl of Caring effort for the past nine years. "We have a tradition of painting signs to decorate our church van, which we park in front of the church. We try to attract as much attention as possible. This year 18 youth collected 512 food items and $50 for the Lancaster County Council of Churches Food Bank. We collected an additional $377 to purchase something from the ELCA Good Gifts" giving catalog, said Burke.
Members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Wallingford, Pa., raised funds to dig a well in Ngimu, Tanzania. The church's youth collected $1,017 in soup pots and, after worship, held a soup luncheon where some members shared ideas on how to be of further service.
At Lutheran Church of the Savior, Paramus, N.J., youth collected $1,100 in soup pots to support the church's local soup kitchen and Lutheran World Relief. Based in Baltimore, LWR is a ministry of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and individuals and parish groups in international relief, development, advocacy and social responsibility.
The day before the Super Bowl, youth at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Spring Grove, N.J., made hot and mild chili for the church's "Souper Bowl of Caring Tailgate Lunch." On the day of the Super Bowl, the congregation contributed $548 for the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry and York Rescue Mission. Funds were collected by the local Boy Scouts. The church's youth leaders were also challenged to a hot sauce eating contest.
Members of Trindle Spring Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg, Pa., collected $479 for New Hope Ministries, a local social service agency, and ELCA World Hunger.
Members of Unity Evangelical Lutheran Church here raised $112 and collected more than 100 cans of soup for "Care for Real," a local social service organization.
More than 50 congregations of the ELCA Nebraska Synod participated in the Souper Bowl of Caring effort. Youth at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Neb., participated in a 24-hour "famine" to raise awareness about hunger. The fast started at noon Feb. 2.
Young people across the United States raised more than $8 million in the 2007 Souper Bowl of Caring effort. Of that, Lutherans raised $826,191. - - -
Information about the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Program is at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog