Any questions?

On this page we offer you some questions, along with (hopefully!) helpful answers. Feel free to get in touch by clicking the "Contact" tab on the left. As well as sending you a personal reply, we may well add your query and our respone to the FAQ list, below.

Who is behind Souper Sunday?
It is organised by The Church of Scotland HIV Programme, and has been endorsed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Many congregations hold their Souper Sunday just after the Christmas season, one of the busiest points in the Church year. Isn't this the worst time to stage it?
Some congregations have been keen to have a really simple congregational lunch after all the festivities of Christmas, so the timing has proved to be ideal. Others have chosen to wait until the springtime to hold their Souper Sunday events. That's fine too!

Does the service need to be led by elders?
No, not at all. The service is geared towards having a small team of participants. They don't need to be elders. You might, for example, involve members of your Guild or your youth group. Equally, your minister could do the whole service, though congregations have often found elder input to be a very good thing. Ultimately, of course, it's your minister's role to decide who does what on the day.

Is it OK to use our own materials rather than the order of service provided?
Of course! The resources being made available to congregations can be used word for word in their entirety. Then again, they can be adapted or replaced with something else completely. No two congregations are the same, so no two Souper Sunday services will be identical either. All good suggestions for additions to the service would be gratefully received by us at the HIV Programme, with the best shared via the website.

Can you offer us any HIV Programme information to hand out on the big day?
Yes! By clicking on the "Contact" tab, you can place an order with us for HIV Programme leaflets to give to each member of your congregation. Just let us know how many you would like, and we will e-mail you to arrange delivery, free of charge.

What does our congregational treasurer do with money raised from Souper Sunday?
All she or he needs to do is bank it, then send a cheque made payable to "The Church of Scotland HIV Programme" to 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN.

How can I get in touch with The Church of Scotland HIV Programme?
You can e-mail the project at hiv@cofscotland.org.uk or you can ring our Programme Co-ordinator, Marjorie Clark, on 0131 225 5722. Any mail should be sent to the Programme at 121 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4YN.

The Church of Scotland HIV Programme
(Scottish Charity No SC011353)