February 6, 2009

CHICAGO – As football fans watched the Pittsburgh Steelers seal a victory Feb. 1 in the NFL's "Super Bowl" game, faith groups also triumphed that day in a championship of their own – the "Souper Bowl of Caring," a national effort that raises millions of dollars for hunger-fighting organizations.

As part of the effort, congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) arrange for young people to collect food and dollars in large soup pots. Some congregations contribute their earnings to the ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal and/or donate food items to local food banks, homeless shelters and Lutheran social ministry organizations.

"Wow! We sure are going to feed a lot of people," said 9-year-old Sam Miller, a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Miller is one of 31 youth at Bethany who led the Souper Bowl of Caring effort, collecting 25,000 pounds worth of food and $2,500. The food will be delivered to Metro CareRing, a local food bank, and the funds will be split between the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Metro CareRing.

"God calls us to be right-sized in a super-size-me world," said the Rev. Ronald T. Glusenkamp, pastor of Bethany. "By giving of our treasure and of our time, we strive to live more simply so others may simply live," he said.

In addition to collecting food and funds, youth hosted a soup luncheon following services and delivered soup to Bethany's homebound members and friends.

"Our high school youth collected $318 for the Hancock County Food Pantry," said Hope L. Moran, associate in ministry, St. James Lutheran Church, Greenfield, Ind.

Moran said youth are working with staff at the food pantry to determine what specific food items are needed. "We'll go shopping as a group and deliver the items to the food pantry. The (youth) especially love the shopping and delivery part."

"Our students held pots outside the sanctuary doors to collect money," said Pam Cochran, youth director, Trinity Lutheran Church, Findlay, Ohio.

"Each pot was decorated with fish symbols and a logo that read, ‘Feed Me!' We also had a shopping cart (to collect) food items. We collected 88 food items and $371.64 for Lutheran Social Services in Findlay," Cochran said.

The youth group at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Columbia, S.C., collected $672 for "Sharing God's Love," a local organization that works with families in need. "Youth led worship services with two high school seniors preaching," said Karen Day, youth director at St. Andrew.

Members at Calvary Lutheran Church, Sabula, Iowa, raised $780 for "Pure Water for All," an international service project designed to secure safe drinking water for people around the world.

Congregations report their results on or near game day at the Souper Bowl of Caring Web site – http://www.souperbowl.org/ – so a national total can be determined. No money is sent to Souper Bowl of Caring, Columbia, S.C.

As of Feb. 4, Lutherans across the country reported raising $337,804 and collecting 69,369 pounds of food. The national total was more than $3.28 million.

2009 marks Souper Bowl of Caring's 20th anniversary. The effort has yielded more than $50 million in cash and food donations for organizations that fight hunger.

Information about ELCA World Hunger is at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger/, on the ELCA Web site.

ELCA News Service