Minnesota Lutherans run to end world hunger

by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service

About 15 members of South Santiago Lutheran Church, Clear Lake,
Minn., will participate in the Buffalo Triathlon, Buffalo, Minn.,
June 1 to raise awareness and funds for the World Hunger Appeal
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The church's pastor, the Rev. Jeffrey A. Sackett, is leading the
group. Those training include "moms who wanted to get back in
shape, youth who were looking for something different to do
outside of church" and others, said Sackett. To train, the group
runs together after Sunday worship. "We are making new friends,
getting healthy, raising money and awareness for world hunger,"
he said. To support the congregants' efforts, the race director
of the Buffalo Triathlon offered to match the first $1,000
raised. "We have far surpassed that goal. So on the day of the
big event, we get to step on stage and collect a big check for
the ELCA World Hunger Appeal," said Sackett.

Sackett came up with the idea for a triathlon in 2007. "While
going through a mid-life crisis, I set out to do something
different and challenging," he said. At 45 years of age and
having served South Santiago for 10 years, married 20 years and
raising three children with his spouse, Sackett set on the idea
of participating in a triathlon. "Unfortunately, I found out
that triathlons usually take place on Sunday mornings. Bad
timing for a pastor," he said. To help get the Sunday free,
Sackett offered to raise money to purchase every man in the
congregation a "Master Builders Bible for Men," available through
Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA's men's ministry. "We did it
and raised all the money, which gave a great boost to our men's
ministry. I loved it," said Sackett.