United Methodists Give Almost $500,000 for Hunger on Souper Bowl Sunday

Date: April 10, 2000

UMCOR's Note: Thousands of churches from different denominations team up to participate in The Souper Bowl of Caring. On Super Bowl Sunday, they raise funds for hunger projects of their choice, such as UMCOR's World/Hunger Poverty, where 100 percent of their gift is used for hunger/poverty/development programs. Thank you for your participation!

A total of 2,454 United Methodist churches generated just under $500,000 of the national total of $3.1 million to help the needy through the annual "Souper Bowl of Caring" campaign, held Jan. 30, 2000.

Calling Souper Bowl Sunday "God's grace in action," Rev. Brad Smith expressed his gratefulness "for each person, from each and every church, who reached into their heart and wallet to share Christ's love in this simple but significant way." Smith is Souper Bowl founder and pastor at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., the Souper Bowl headquarters.

"While the [United] Methodist totals are down slightly from last year, I was impressed that that total was as large as it was recognizing the weather challenges in the [United] Methodist heavy Southern states," said Smith. Last year, 2,632 United Methodist churches generated $444,758 of the national total of $2.4 million in 1999.

"Participation in the 2000 effort represented an increase of $600,000 or 20 percent, over last year's total. This year's increase in dollars raised is particularly impressive because much of the South was bearing the brunt of its worst snowstorm in 10 years," Smith said. The combined participation of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia was down nearly 1,000 churches from last year's total.

Smith says "the real joy is in the impact the effort has on youth and young adults in local churches across the country." Hundreds of youth groups around the country not only collect dollars and learn about poverty but they also learn about the biblical call "to care for the least of these, our brothers and sisters," Smith said.

A Kenton, Ohio, youth group illustrated that service and study did not have to be at the expense of fun. Jason Cox, youth director at Walnut Grove United Methodist Church, said he and the senior pastor would shave their beards if the church collected 600 nonperishable items and $400. On Souper Bowl Sunday, with the choir singing a specially written anthem, the youth and children of the church used little red wagons to collect 621 cans and $852. The beards were clipped the following week.

The Souper Bowl, which began in Columbia in 1990, has encouraged thousands of churches nationwide to use the Sunday of the national championship football game to raise money for hunger projects of their choice. Roughly $10 million has been raised for charities since the program's inception 10 years ago.

Nationally, 12,500 churches from all 50 states and from nearly that many denominations and faith traditions contributed money to local charities around the country this year. In addition to United Methodists, other Souper Bowl team members included Southern Baptists, Roman Catholics, African Methodist Episcopals, Lutherans and Presbyterians.

Next year's Souper Bowl Sunday will be Jan. 28. For more information, visit http://www.souperbowl.org or call (800) 358-SOUP (7687). See also: God, You Give Us Recreation, a hymn for Souper Bowl Sunday.

Source: United Methodist News Service.