Tim the "Terrifying Hunger Terrapin"

During the 2014 Synod Convention, Epiphany Lutheran Church the following presentation was made," As a way of lifting up the good work being done by ELCA World Hunger and the support of congregations in our synod, we are here to once again give out the "much coveted" Tim the Terrifying Hunger Terrapin and "Holly" (spelled "H, O, L, Y") the Fighting Hunger Blue Hen awards.

Tim is give to the congregation in our synod that gave the most to ELCA World Hunger this past year. One note about this is that in order to recognize the good work being done by may congregations in our synod, once you have won this award you are not eligible to win it again for the next five years.

This year Tim the Terrifying Hunger Terrapin is going to one of the smallest congregations in our synod with only 64 members and an average weekly worship attendance of 47. The pastor of the congregation receiving Tim this year told us that each year beginning the second Sunday in November they launch a Hunger Appeal Angel Tree. On that Sunday, the pastor preaches on the theme of hunger, giving the latest statistics and talking about how the ELCA Hunger Program meets the needs of people who are hungry. He emphasizes the basic programs of giving people the where-with-all to meet not only their present situation but the means to overcome the plight they may be in. The campaign ends at the end of the year. For each contribution given an angel is placed upon the tree. They make a game out of it in that each Sunday the congregation guesses how many angels are to be placed as a result of the previous weeks giving. The tree is lighted as a part of the Christmas Eve Service. The first Sunday in the New Year the totals are announced with great fanfare. They usually end up with around 65 angels altogether. The pastor says that a key is to make statistics come alive and have the congregation realize that they are a vital part of the solution. This past year this congregation gave $6,711 to ELCA World Hunger.

Remembering that the goal of giving to the ELCA World Hunger is $5 per baptized member this congregation actually gave of $104 - that's 5x more than even the most generous other congregations in our synod. Not that we can all manage that but if we could that would equal almost seven million dollars from our synod as opposed to the less than $100,000 we did actually give. The congregation that is receiving Tim the Terrifying Terrapin this year is Epiphany Lutheran Church in Ellicott City.

For more information regarding the Evangelical Lutheran Church and its World Hunger appeal, please visit the ELCA World Hunger website.