Title: Lutherans in Davenport, Iowa, 'Journey to Jerusalem' to Buy Mules, Goats ELCA NEWS SERVICE
February 29, 2008
Lutherans in Davenport, Iowa, 'Journey to Jerusalem' to Buy Mules, Goats 08-021-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The young members of Zion Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa, are walking 6,317 miles -- the distance from Davenport to Jerusalem -- by Palm Sunday, March 16. They're using pedometers to track their steps each week of Lent, and sponsors will help them convert their miles into money to buy mules and goats from Heifer International for Zion's companion congregations in Kirangare, Tanzania.
With the winter blues -- "the kind of downturn you experience after Christmas" -- and with Lent in February and March this year, "it made sense to get something physical going and get the kids excited, showing up and recording their miles," said the Rev. Del D. Preston, Zion Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The Bible readings for this Lent trace Jesus' journey from his hometown of Capernaum to Jerusalem, where he arrived the Sunday before he was crucified. Preston used an online distance calculator to measure the distance "as the crow flies" from the congregation's hometown to Jerusalem and plotted Zion's "Journey to Jerusalem."
The pastor priced pedometers and took his idea to the congregation's Christian education committee. Committee members suggested that those who can't walk can sponsor walkers, and the money could help four congregations in the Kirangare Parish, Pare Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, Africa.
"The opportunities just seemed to grow and grow and grow," Preston said.
About 90 pedometers were distributed among members -- from three years old to eighth grade. The young people and their teachers calculate the distance they traveled each day and, at the end of each week, add their totals to those of the other "travelers" at church.
"The kids are excited. Many of them have their pedometers on at church when they come up for the children's sermon or attached to their shoes," the pastor said.
The young people are encouraged to ask parents and grandparents to take turns wearing the pedometers, Preston said. "There are people in our congregation who run marathons, and they'll be ideal people to ask to participate." People planning a museum trip could volunteer to wear a pedometer, he said. Preston wears one when he works out at the "Y."
The education committee fastened a strip of paper to the wall running from the Sunday school rooms to the sanctuary, representing 6,317 miles with intervals marked along the way. The goal is to be able to follow that route and process into the sanctuary on Palm Sunday, Preston said.
As of Feb. 24, the pastor confesses, the congregation has only reached Toledo, Ohio. He blames the slow start on inclement weather and records left at home.
Zion has a "companion congregation" relationship with the Kirangare Parish. Members of Zion have paid Tanzania Lutherans several visits, Preston said.
The Pare Mountains make it difficult for them to haul crops to markets, he said, and mules would help. "Goats provide them with a source of milk and cheese and eventually meat," Preston said. "They don't eat a lot of meat."
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog