Why I come to soup suppers

Why We Come to Soup Suppers

Another Wednesday in Lent, means another Soup Supper at St. Joan of Arc. So after two reports about weeks one and two, what more can be said about Soup Supper. Well there was soup and lots of it, in addition to peanut butter and jelly. More about the peanut butter later. What you don’t need is another article telling you what soups were served. Suffice it to say there was a lot of variety of good-looking soup. But for me the story is in the people who attend Soup Supper:

Elaine Gaston is a Life Coach. She has been attending Soup Suppers for four to five years. Elaine says the event has significance as it brings an “awareness of what I am eating, that I do not need a lot of food. It creates a sense of fasting.” This is especially important Elaine says when talking about abundance and looking at what we have.

Mark Scannell comes to Soup Supper because he can take time to talk with the people he sees. It is a time to “slow down” says Mark. Meeting people at Soup Supper allows him to have a connection with more parishioners on Sunday. And the “soup is GOOD.” For Mark the importance of the evening is “connection.” Mark also stays, and at times is a Prayer Presider, for the service that follows Soup Supper and enjoys that part of the evening as well.

Monica Gross and Joe Sayles attend Soup Supper with their two children Erica and Parker. They started attending Soup Suppers when they began which was about the time that Parker was born. Parker emphasized that he has attended Soup Supper his whole life! Parker likes the free soup (his Mom reminded him about the “Free Will” donation that the family makes). He says he likes a lot of the soups, but especially “Lentil and Ham is good.” Parker’s younger sister, Erica, has also attended Soup Supper her entire life. Erica was enjoying the Chicken Taco Soup this night. She was eating her soup carefully as her face was all painted from an event held at the Linden Hills Park the night before and it still looked good! Monica loves that everyone in her family gets what they want and that she does not have to cook. That the free will donation “money goes to a good cause” is important to Monica. Plus she simply enjoys seeing her friends. Joe likes trying everyone’s home cooking. He was very familiar with the variety of soups available and my guess is that he has tried quite a lot of them. But he would like to have real butter on the table. Similarly Parker would like peanut butter that was healthier. The brand served has partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, of which Parker disapproved and he noted, “Sugar is its second ingredient.” Kids today are smarter than I was at that age. I am sure the only reason I ever looked at the label of a peanut butter jar was to determine if it was “creamy” or “chunky.”

Dick and Barb Janisch have attended Soup Supper for the past six to seven years. Barb loves not to have to cook. She enjoys the contact with other parishioners. Barb is active at St. Joan of Arc as the Co-coordinator of the Befrienders program. In fac,t she was befriending as I waited to interview her. Dick likes to attend because he can meet people here. Dick and Barb usually stay for the prayer service.

This was Rita Benak’s first time attending Soup Supper this year. Rita is a member of St. Joan’s Team Oz and has participated in the Red Ribbon Ride as a crewmember and a rider. Her friends were coming tonight and for Rita it was a “good chance to get together.” Rita also wanted to hear about Liberation Theology, which was to be discussed later in the evening after the prayer service.

Mamik O’Leary is a new member at St. Joan of Arc and was attending Soup Supper with her children Siobhan and Robert. Mamik said she has been looking for a church to attend for a long time. Like many others before her, a friend brought her to St. Joan’s. She enjoys the Sunday services and the people. Mamik wants to continue to be a part of St. Joan’s and be a volunteer in the parish. Her daughter Siobham is attending 1st Communion classes.

Marlene Jezicrski has also attended Soup Suppers for six to seven years. Marlene likes spending time with people who attend the 11 o’clock Mass as she is a 9’er. She especially enjoys the Barley John’s Tomato Basil soup. (Barley John’s is a restaurant/microbrewery in New Brighton near 35W and County Road D owned by one of our parishioners.) But Marlene really likes the services after Soup Supper. They are “always meaningful, intimate, just the right amount of time and the music is nice,” says Marlene.

Carolyn Dobis is going on three years of attending Soup Supper. She loves the camaraderie. She also likes the opportunity to see those who attend the 9:00 Mass in the more social setting of Soup Supper. Carolyn finds the discussions after Soup Supper to be meaningful and thought provoking.

This is Clarence Chaplin’s second year of attending Soup Supper. Clarence enjoys the company. He likes the variety of soups (just like Joe Sayles). This night he was eating soup with his Bible Study group.

Frank and Kathie DuRocher have attended Soup Supper since it started. The “soup is good and the company is good,” says Frank. He enjoys the services that follow Soup Supper. Kathie likes the idea of a “small meal one time during the week as a Lenten practice” with the added benefit of the good will offering going to a good cause.

Marlys Weber is a regular at Soup Supper. She has come to Soup Supper since they began. (No one however could tell me when that was!) Marlys is also one of the wonderful volunteers who prepares the soup. This night she brought Eleven Bean Soup with ham shank, kielbasa sausage and chicken. Marlys would not give up her recipe however. As to why she attends the Soup Supper evenings Marlys says she loves the community gathering. “It what makes Lent joyful” says Marlys. She feels uplifted by the gathering of people. “It makes me feel a wonderful part of St. Joan of Arc.” This gathering of community “inspires and sustains me for a week” said Marlys. Only for a week, I asked. Yes said Marlys, and then I am ready to come back the next week.

Like Marlys, Marion Hall has attended Soup Supper since it began. Tonight she prepared Spicy Cajun Corn Soup. Those at her table thought it wonderful, but of course one of those sitting there was her husband Don. What else was he suppose to say. Marion attends because of the camaraderie. She enjoys the Lenten ritual and visiting with lots of people. Don Hall attends Soup Supper with his wife Marion. Don, like me, is not a soup maker. But he too enjoys the gathering of parishioners and the camaraderie.

Denise Harju started attending Soup Supper just this year. Her friend Violet brought her. Denise says, “I can take or leave the soup but I like the people.”

and

Ric Rosow has worn many hats at St. Joan of Arc. He is currently chair of the parish Finance Committee. He has also spoken several times at Sunday Mass and was on the Fellowship of Reconciliation trip to the Middle East in 2003. His wife, Vicki Underland-Rosow, is currently a member of the Pastoral Council.

The people-that is a common thread that stands out as the reason people attend Soup Supper. In such a large parish where we are in and out of church on Sunday in a little over an hour, the opportunity to sit and talk with old friends and meet new ones is a big reason why people attend Soup Supper. There are four Wednesdays left before Easter. Try a Soup Supper. You will probably find that you like the soup and I am sure you will find that you like the people.

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