JOPLIN, Mo. — Lots of good food and good times were had, today, at Joplin’s “Byers Avenue United Methodist Church”.

They held their 10th Annual Soup and Chili Cookoff, and Dessert Auction.

This event started as a youth group fundraiser and has since branched into a fundraising effort for the entire church.

Attendees had eight different makes of chili, and three different kinds of soup to enjoy.

They also had a chance to vote on which one was the best, by simply making a small donation.

Outreach Director Dawnielle Lipscomb says the dessert auction helps raise money for future mission projects.

“We are doing our annual Chili Cookoff and Dessert Auction. We do it every year — to kind of raise funds for some of our mission projects. This year, all of our money is gonna go towards God’s Resort, which is a group that we partner with a lot throughout the year for different activities. So this is just a way for us to kind of give them some extra support,” said Dawnielle Lipscomb, Byers Avenue United Methodist Outreach Coordinator.

This summer, the church will continue its annual pie sale, during the Fourth of July holiday.