Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program: Souper Saturday

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is Souper Saturday?

          The Isle of Wight Christian Outreach SOUPER SATURDAY has become a tradition in Smithfield. On the second Saturday in October, C.O.P. sponsors a community soup lunch to raise money to provide financial assistance for wintertime heating for those who may not otherwise have been able to afford it. Hundreds of people from local churches make large pots of soup, desserts and other dishes which are brought to Trinity FAC. Soup lunches are then sold to the community, raising thousands of dollars for this cause. We really don’t plan on specific amounts – people contribute what food they wish – and somehow, we always have just the right amount.

SOUPER SATURDAY IS COMING!!!

Saturday, October 12, 2019 at Trinity United Methodist Church
ISLE OF WIGHT CHRISTIAN OUTREACH PROGRAM, INC., P.O. BOX 253
SMITHFIELD, VIRGINIA 23431
 
To the Isle of Wight Faith Community:
 

On Saturday, October 12, 2019 we will be celebrating our 29th annual Souper Saturday in Smithfield. Souper Saturday is the event that led to the creation of the Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program, Inc. (COP). The Christian Outreach Program is the coalition of area churches in Isle of Wight that work together to perform cooperative outreach work in our community. When churches unite with the mission to spread God’s love and help, both our physical efforts and resources are greatly multiplied. The Dental Program, the Food Pantry, the Furniture Program, and the Housing Repair Program are good examples of cooperative efforts. Souper Saturday is exactly that kind of outreach project. Every fall, members of churches from all over the county join together to donate soups and desserts for a community lunch. Smithfield Foods contributes hot dogs and a discount on ham for biscuits. Funds are raised from selling tickets to this event. All the money raised is donated to the Isle of Wight Social Services Department, specifically for the fuel needs of those in our community who fall “between the cracks” between the existing aid programs. We raised approximately $242,000 in past years through this event. Many families each year are protected from the winter cold and summer heat through these funds.

 
Tickets will be available for sale in early September, and will be $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for those 12 and younger. This price includes soup, ham biscuits, hot dogs, desserts, and drinks (for eat-in guests), minus the drink for drive thru. Cris Lawrence can be reached at the contact numbers below for tickets for your church. I would also appreciate either a phone call or e-mail as soon as possible with names and phone numbers of volunteers so that I can place them in a job and time frame for the day of the event or the Friday before.

If you have any questions about Souper Saturday, please feel free to call me at (757)356-9267. We look forward to seeing you and your church members on October 12, 2019 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Smithfield for a great outreach fund-raiser and Christian fellowship.

Yours in Christ,

Cris Lawrence, Chairman