CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Denver Broncos of the National Football League was not the only team victorious on "Super Bowl Sunday," Jan. 31.=20 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. =20
"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."=20
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. =20
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.=20 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
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
