Turkey visits church — not for holiday meal, just wants in

ORLANDO, Fla. — Days before Thanksgiving, a wild turkey chose an opportune time to show up on the doorstep of an Orlando church, appearing to seek shelter.

The large fowl appeared early Friday and spent the day pacing outside of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, gazing into its dark glass doors, media outlets in Orlando reported.

Church spokeswoman Dawn Fleming said the animal, now known as the St. Luke’s Turkey, wasn’t aggressive.

“It was like he really wanted to get in,” Fleming said.

Staff posted about the turkey on social media. Fleming said that by Monday, a Facebook post had reached more than 30,000 people and media outlets as far away as Norway had picked up the story.

“The St. Luke’s Turkey has gone global,” Fleming said.

Some online posters speculated that the turkey was at the church seeking pardon and protection from the Thanksgiving table. Others theorized that divine providence had delivered the congregation a turkey dinner.

“(P)ardon for sin and PIECE that endureth..I’ll take a dark piece please,” the Rev. Jennifer Stiles Williams, lead pastor at St. Luke’s, wrote on Facebook.

The turkey went on its way after Fleming said staff members were unable to find an animal rescue organization to pick it up.