In the days leading to the Super Bowl, Bishop Jim Gonia of the Rocky Mountain Synod (Team Denver) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) issued a challenge to Bishops Timothy Smith of the North Carolina Synod and Herman Yoos of the South Carolina Synod (together as Team Carolina) to see who could raise more money for the ELCA World Hunger Program,
The Denver Broncos won the real contest over the Carolina Panthers, 24-10. In the Team ELCA Campaign, the Team Denver Broncos squeaked out a victory over the Team Carolina Panthers despite a numerical disadvantage (165 ELCA congregations in the Rocky Mountain Synod, including 22 in New Mexico vs. more than 300 congregations in the combined North Carolina-South Carolina Synods),
The Final Score: Team Denver
$38,671 Team Carolina
$34,697 The alternate score: The two synods surpassed the goal of raising
a joint $50,000 or more. Winner: The ELCA World Hunger Program and everyone around the world who benefits from the agencys services. Here are more details
