1st annual rooted church chili cookoff

last sunday, november 7, our small little church held its first ever chili cookoff--a friendly competition among our seven city groups.  a city group is: 

a missional community – a group of people seeking to be shaped by the gospel and to live out the mission of God together. -www.therootedchurch.com

so, on a beautiful, perfect, sunny day, we invaded a quiet neighborhood park and had the most fun imaginable.  each group was to bring chili, a dessert, and a booth, complete with decorations.  prizes would be awarded to the best in each category:  the golden ladle (chili), the golden gnome (booth), the golden pear (dessert)--


i thought our city group had the booth decoration award in the bag...
tell me that this idea isn't awesome [do you sense bitterness in our losing?!]

Title:  Our Chili is inTents [note the pun]
Theme:  Camping
even the kids liked it...they pretended the pup tent was a bounce house!
note the features besides the punny sign--
plaid flannel tablecloths, lanterns, 'costumes' of plaid and camo, and of course, tents!
but the piece de resistance had to be the 'campfire'

...complete with simulated flickering flame, 'logs' from my yard, and barbie-sized real roasted marshmallows on skewers--

but alas--we lost to this well-deserving group...

Ethiopian theme

the golden ladle for best chili [a white chili] went to a new member of this city group that meets by tcu--

and lest you think we went home empty-handed...

we did win the golden pear for best dessert--

an appropriately camping-themed s'more cookie bars

sooo yummy!


our group picture [minus about 1/2 the group who couldn't come to the event]

i know it was a lot of work for the group that planned the entire event, but i sure hope this can become a tradition...and if it is--i better start thinking about the booth decorations soon!

have you ever been a part of cookoff?  and if so, what were the results?  and aren't they fun?