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FLORIDA TODAY (Melbourne, Florida) 13 January 08 'Pet' turtle at home in church - Churchie has lived at Palm Bay United Methodist for estimated 35 years (Bruce Marion)
Doris Fowle starts her work day by saying "good morning" to the resident box turtle, Churchie, that lives in its atrium at Palm Bay United Methodist Church, where Fowle is the church secretary.
Some church members and staff estimate Churchie to be at least 37 years old, and possibly into his 40s. It is not uncommon for an eastern box turtle to live to be 50 or 60 years old. Like tortoises, they are long-lived, though the eastern box turtle or terrapene carolina is more closely related to the aquatic terrapin family of turtles.
The Florida sub-species -- there are four in the U.S. -- is terrapene carolina bauri, and is very common to our woods. They are usually about 8 inches long and dwell in diverse habitats from wooded swamps to grassy fields. Some hibernation is necessary in colder climes, they are not afraid of shallow water and rarely travel farther than a 250-meter area.
At the church, staff and parishioners like to scramble to help out Churchie, who actually comes when called and enjoys playing with the community children who visit him. He is quite the celebrity, and during a recent termite tenting treatment, Head Trustee Lester Cassell took Churchie home for several days. In addition to a cat food diet, Lester babied the turtle with worms and insects.
Some years ago, after a blessing of the animals at the church, an area veterinarian switched Churchie from dog food to cat food, and he has been thriving ever since.
Churchie's home, alongside a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, consists of a large confined area with a palm tree, monkey grass, oyster plants, mulch and natural plant vegetation. Head Custodian Conan Gross observed Churchie hanging on the pants leg of a roofer working at the church after some damage in the 2004 hurricanes. The roofer was surprised at the extra weight on his leg as he went up the ladder, and more surprised to see Churchie hanging on affectionately.
The turtle likes to grab Conan's shoe laces and will gently latch on to most anyone, but especially to Conan or Churchie's main caretaker, Kevin Oldebloom, who maintains the atrium.
In cold weather, Churchie will hide himself for a day or two. Once after such an episode, church members were dismayed to find a turtle carcass on the grounds outside, but elated to later find Churchie inside, snoozing under some debris.
A former church pastor in the 1980s found another box turtle and brought it in to join the native Churchie, who quickly became the victim of the new bully. Soon the newcomer was released back to the wild, and Churchie has been the sole inhabitant of the atrium except for a few sneaky lizards and bugs who wander in.
The church is doing its part to help animals, as the future of the eastern box turtle is not unsure due to the reduction in their habitat and their propensity to get hit by cars.
The church pastors welcome a visit from anyone interested in meeting Churchie. The church is at 2100 Port Malabar Blvd.
'Pet' turtle at home in church

They are going to have to put Churchie under armored guard now!