 | SJA's Lenten Soup Suppers ...everything you ever wanted to know about them (perhaps more), and what makes them so special! |  |
| SJA's Lenten Soup Suppers ...everything you ever wanted to know about them (perhaps more), and what makes them so special! | |
I took a Wednesday off work to make the soup I had hoped would be a work of art for a SJA Soup Supper, (and to catch up on paperwork needed for our 2000 tax return). All day long as I sat at my computer I smelled the soup simmering. Memories of childhood, of doing homework at the kitchen table while dinner was cooking, popped into my head. Warm memories of times when money was less plentiful and mom was always there. Times and society have changed much since then. As nostalgically as I look back upon those very warm moments, I do believe the quality of life is better for all today. It is so nice to occasionally enjoy the simple joys of home cooking and how it affects our senses, though. I'm thankful that one of these soup Wednesdays afforded me that joy.
Five o'clock, time to get the soup to Hospitality Hall. Soup and bread
makers converge from the corners of the cities, some coming from work, others
from home, laden with their works of love, (soup and homemade bread). Great
Harvest Bakery provides additional donated bread and Andre Lougee provides
additional donated soup from his restaurant, Barley John's(781 Old Highway Eight), in New Brighton.
The kitchen is
teaming with soup makers and other volunteers who insure the soup is hot for
the (soon to appear) hungry multitudes at 6 p.m. when the serving begins. On
the second Wednesday of Lent one even sees wine in the kitchen. It isn't
clear to me whether it's to add flavor to the soup or to the soup servers!
At any rate, fun is had by all.
These soup suppers are enjoyed by many each week during Lent. Ash Wednesday
brings out about twice as many folks as do the other Wednesdays in Lent.
There is a short prayer service that follows each week. In addition there are
ashes on Ash Wednesday, and other spiritual programs on the other Wednesdays
of Lent. We are blessed to have an excellent scholar, Tom O. (as he's known
in the inner circles), teach us this Lenten season.
Back to the soup! Soup selections are displayed on a chalkboard, so that
when you reach the serving table you can quickly decide which soup you will
have. Soup and a beverage are then enjoyed at a table of your choice(or
where there is room for you). JoAnn Potts was told by one of our guests that
peanut butter and jelly never tasted so good, as it did at this soup supper!
'Must be the ambiance, the smiling faces, and the great bread! 
No one leaves
hungry. If one bowl of soup isn't enough, people return for more.
Selections have ranged from orange roughy fish chowder to split pea soup. In
questioning soup makers on the cost of their soups to make, I received
answers anywhere from 7 to 50 dollars. One cook told me he spent five hours
preparing his soup.
A collection basket sits on the serving counter for those who wish to and are financially able to make a good will offering. Each week the beneficiary of that offering changes. The Care Fund, the African Mission Fund and the Women’s Cancer Research Center are but a few of the beneficiaries. Roseann Rogers and Julie Madden coordinates these soup suppers. They are at the heart of much of this effort! Not only do Rosie and Julie take responsibility for the logistics of food, volunteers and programs, but they are there for us all, greeting our guests and cheering the workers on!
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| Coordinators Julie Madden, second from left and Rosie Rogers, second from right with the beverage crew |
I would be remiss if I didn't mention clean-up! One name comes to mind, Dick
Voss. Dick(left, with Rosie Rogers) has volunteered to do continual clean-up the entire evening,
until all is cleaned up. Thank you Dick from all of us, a generous Lenten
gift.
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