The Higginsville Food Pantry, run by the Church Women of Corder and Higginsville, saw a significant increase in the number of people needing food towards the end of 2008. The need for extra food seemed to rise at the end of each month. The Heat and Hunger Fund, administered by the Higginsville Ministerial Fellowship, saw an increase in the number of people needing assistance with utilities.

The Ministerial Fellowship put together a committee to address this reality and from this came the idea of the “Souper Supper.” The idea was that the churches that participate in the Ministerial Fellowship would take turns providing a meal the last full week of January, February, and March. These meals would be open to the entire community and anyone would be welcome to come and eat. The first meal was served in January of 2009 and has continued ever since. The meals have grown significantly and now an average of 800 people are served each week. Due to the large amount of people at each meal, people are allowed to call in ahead of time and “meals-to-go” are provided for as many as requested.

The week of meals is set up so that each evening a unique menu is prepared and served by that evening’s sponsoring church. Each church is responsible for planning and preparing its own meal. There is no outside funding so each church funds its own meal. Most of the food is donated by members of the church that is serving the meal.

The general idea is that at the end of winter months, it can often be difficult for some to have to resources to provide hot, nutritious meals. This ministry is meant to simply meet this need and provide an easy access both food and community. There is no advertising from churches or evangelistic tracks. Instead, it is simply a ministry of hospitality.

Story and photos courtesy of pastor Matt Limback.