CAMDEN —  The First Congregational Church of Camden at 55 Elm St. hosts a community hot soup lunch every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. Debbi Hutchings, the “Souper-visor” and director of Church Life for First Congregational, took time to speak with us about the weekly offerings that start in late October and run through late March. The hot lunches are now in their sixth year.  

The soup lunch features a choice of two homemade soups one of which is always vegetarian. 

“Our volunteers make the soup," she said. "It’s made fresh every Wednesday morning. There’s a sign-up sheet every week for a chef, a souse chef and a volunteer chopper.”

In addition to the soup guests are offered bread, dessert and a choice of water, tea, or coffee.

“Volunteers make the desserts and bread too,” said Debbi. “But, I have to say that the Market Basket has been just wonderful in donating bread, too. Every week they show up with huge loaves for us to use. We usually have about 18 volunteers every week and not all of them are from the church. Some are from the community and just want to come in and help. Coastal Opportunities comes and sets up the tables and the fourth-graders from the Montessori School across the street come in and set the tables for us. The tables are decorated and it’s always a nice atmosphere, plus we always try to have some live entertainment.”

Started in 2005, the lunch program served 1,621 meals in the 2011–2012 season.

“We usually serve between 65 and 90 people, but everyone is welcome,” said Debbi. “There are a lot of regulars and they all get to know each other. When we have a full house, that’s when we’re the happiest because that’s what we’re here for.”

The lunch is provided free of charge, but there is a donation basket if someone wants to make a contribution.

“Our guests have always been very generous,” said Debbi. “We have always broken even. The wait staff will take your order and serve you. They’ll also bring you dessert and take away your dishes. For the last three years, Jane Bennett, a registered dietician and member of the church, has been holding cooking classes on how to make economical soups. People take the classes and then come here to make the soups. It works out great. You don’t have to be a chef to cook in the kitchen, just love to cook.”

Kate Palmer of Washington, D.C., was one of the volunteers on hand recently. She is, as she puts it, “the proud daughter of Gail Palmer,” of Camden.

“My folks moved here from Connecticut about 10 years ago," she said. "My mom was one of the founding people of the program. I’ve been volunteering here every time I come home for six years. It’s a lot of good folks, a great bunch of people.”

Kate is the director of partnerships for Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit that teaches inner city children.

Beryl and Eric Charlton, of Camden, were also volunteers and part of the original founders of the program.

“It was brought up to us that Rockland had a lot of these programs and Camden had none, so I announced at church one Sunday that if anyone was interested in starting a program here they should stay after church and we could talk," said Beryl.

"Forty-five people stayed. I’m trying to retire, we’ve lost all our authority,” she said, with a wink. “As you can see I’m serving up soup and Eric is washing dishes. We’re very proud, and happy to see it succeed.”

The soup luncheons will run weekly through March 27. There will be no lunch on Dec. 26. Any snow day cancellations will follow the Camden area school district. The luncheons are open to the public, and anyone is welcome to share in the lunch or to help volunteer. For further information, contact Debbi Hutchings at the Congregational Church office, 236-4821 ext 6.