Westminster's second year of participation in the international students' dinners was even more successful than the first year. five hundred additional dinners were served at Epworth over the course of the summer; the amount of monetary contributions received from Westminster's members and friends increased substantially as did the number of hours volunteered by our congregation in preparing, serving and cleaning up after each dinner.

The mose important fact is how much these meals were appreciated by the visiting foreign students. Our satisfaction comes from knowing we made their stany in the USA a little more pleasant. These feelings of fulfillment will stay with us long after the students have returned to their homelands. Westminster and the other churches involved in the ISOP program have brought to life the words of the bible in warmly welcoming the foreign travelers.

With loving thanks to everyone,

-Carol Smith and Sally Cordrey

I missed the chance to compete at Coast Day for the crab cake cookoff especially with the Kalmar Nyckel training classes going on so I intend to be prepared for the Punkin' Chunkin' coming up November 2-4. Coast Day is set to go on October 7th so don't miss it, there will be great crab cakes and lots of seafood chowder to sample! As for the Punkin' Chunkin' it will be held in Bridgeville, DE this year as the Millsboro site is having houses built upon it. So come one come all it'

s going to be a big event and I will be there Saturday for the pumpkin cooking contest with my Crabby Pumpkin Pillaged Soup and Sunday with my Chili with Pumpkin. I decided to alter my Pumpkin Bisque Rocktober Style for this year, basically instead of fish it will have crabmeat and I am going to add a little spice to it. so here is this recipe and next month I will show off my chili recipe. Just to let you know I will be there along with

Eric and Michael and I (maybe Eric and Michael) will be dressed up as pirates. So avast ye matey and chart a course for the World Championship Punkin' Chunkin'!

Crabby Pumpkin Pillaged Soup

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup leeks, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 green) chopped, and seeds removed
1 can sweet potatoes in syrup
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 large cans pumpkin puree
2 large cans vegetable stock
2 fire roasted red chilies, chopped, and seeds removed
1 lb. fresh crabmeat, picked through for cartilage and shells
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
kosher salt (to taste)
old bay seasoning (to taste)
fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 small pinch of saffron
3/4 cup dry sherry
2 whole bay leaves
2 cups heavy cream

Preparation

In a large pot add the pumpkin puree, vegetable stock. In a large pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, leeks, bell peppers and granny smith apples and cook until translucent and tender.

After you combine the sautéed ingredients with the base then let simmer for about 30 minutes. Place mixture into blender along with sweet potatoes and syrup and puree until smooth. While blending ingredients add 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the sauté pan and lightly sauté the crabmeat and season with old bay to taste then put the blended ingredients back into your pot and add your crabmeat, two bay leaves and other seasonings to taste and simmer for about 20-30 minutes then add the heavy cream, and simmer until heated through and serve.