This Outreach had a Souper month! While many of us were saddened to watch our home team lose the Super Bowl, the St. Andrew’s home team had a major win at our very own Souper Bowl of Caring. The Youth and Outreach groups worked in a joint effort to raise over $300 in cash donations for the local food pantry. We also collected over 30 cans of soup to feed our local neighbors. Our annual meeting was delicious and informative, and most of all it was fun! There were over ten soups to taste for lunch, and bread to go along with it – all homemade by the generous members of our congregation.
Canned soup was not the only item delivered to the Coventry Food Pantry – our regular collection yielded yet another full trunk load of groceries and supplies for our local families and neighbors. And to top off the menu, we also pulled together yet another successful Atkinson meal, home cooked and fresh-made for our gentlemen at the shelter in Coatesville.
The most essential item on our table this month was the good will and caring we all brought to church. In Jesus’s words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” I have been with St. Andrew’s for almost three years, and I can testify with certainty that the more I challenge myself to give, the more warmth I receive. There was a time in my life I would not have considered doing a good deed without expecting something in return. I have since learned that our good will towards each other and our willingness to feed and look after each other is the most precious gift any one of us could hope to receive or give in turn.
I wish you all a full menu of warmth and smiles in the weeks ahead. As our Bishop wisely advised – go out into our community, find a need, and start helping to fill it!