Souper Bowl of Caring Reports Record Giving

Thursday, April 20, A.D. 2006

Last fall I traveled to Mount Sterling, Illinois, to spend the weekend fasting with the youth group at First Christian Church. When I walked into their Sunday School room, I couldn’t help but notice this awesome green banner that read, “Our Goal is to Serve the Lord.” The banner itself looked like a football field, with goalposts on both ends of the Astroturf-green felt. Not just a clever banner made by a bunch of football-fanatic youth, I soon discovered that the youth group participated in the “Souper Bowl of Caring” each year.

Disciples youth and adults have been participating in the ecumenical Souper Bowl of Caring for several years. The numbers are now in for this year’s effort. Disciples alone raised approximately $75,000 to respond to hunger, homelessness, and poverty in the United States and abroad. A total of $4.6 million was raised from churches across America.

But just what is the Souper Bowl of Caring? Notice the extra “o” in the word “Souper.” Yes, we are referring to “soup” here. Inspired by a simple prayer spoken in a church in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1988, “Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game this afternoon, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.” After the worship service, the South Carolina youth group stood with soup pots at the church doors to collect $1 donations to go toward responding to hunger in their community. Thus, the Souper Bowl began.

In 1993 Souper Bowl of Caring became its own organization and has helped youth across the country raise $28 million! Week of Compassion is a proud partner of Souper Bowl of Caring, working together to end hunger both here at home and around the world. We are proud that so many of our Disciples youth and churches have participated in this youth-led, grass-roots movement to respond to the hungry in our midst. For example, Seventh Street Christian Church in Richmond, VA, participated this year, donating a portion of their proceeds to Division of Overseas Ministries and to a local organization called Freedom House. First Christian Church in Glasgow, KY, donated all of their proceeds back to Week of Compassion. In Purcell, OK, First Christian Church youth donated their collections for ongoing hurricane relief efforts. These are but a few examples out of hundreds!

Can you imagine what would happen if the over 140 million people who watch the Super Bowl placed just $1 in Souper Bowl of Caring soup pots after church next year?! Thank you, especially to our youth, for supporting the work of Week of Compassion by participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring.

- Amy Gopp

Severe Weather Continues in the Midwest

Tornadoes and hailstorms hit Indiana Friday of last week, while tornadoes also touched down in Iowa. We have been in touch with our regional offices and local churches and are estimating the damages. Continue to pray for our churches and families affected by ongoing severe weather.