CHAMPAIGN COUNTY THRIVENT CHAPTER MINUTES
The March 14th, 2005 meeting of the Champaign Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans was called to order at St John Lutheran Church in Champaign. Present: (with hours put in this past month) Bev 18, Traci 41, Brian 8, Judy 23, Dick 7, Norm 18, Richey 5, Paul 8, FA Rick Craig 5, Sue Moore 9, CongCoords Ronda Craig 6.
Thanks to all who attended the training session; only Paul and Erwin missed it. Hours will be added as a separate project for those hours volunteered.
It was M/S/C to add new members to our chapter.
Minutes for the previous meeting: With changes to the January minutes (Farmer, Jan 25th email motion) M/S/C to approve the minutes of January, 2005.
Financial Report was distributed. Farmer benefit was unclear on how much actually came in. One report lists $8700 while another lists $9997. In the future we have to ensure when the project is closed we only match 50%. We also need to clarify whether we are matching gross or net (after expenses). Since home office allowed the $5000, the thought is that Home Office considers it on the gross – it’s what the fundraiser actually brought in. M/S/C to accept the financial report.
Cong Service Team Director: Norm reports that Friendship now has two current active congcoords. St Paul in Gifford and Trinity in Urbana both need congcoords.
What we are doing for Join Hands Day .. is there anything that Traci needs to do for publicity for these?
Youth at St John is going to contact other churches and try to get something going for JHD. Deaconess Kim at St John’s will coordinate that. Relay for Life at Mahomet may be doing a JHD project. American Lutheran Church youth board is going to try to come up with something also.
How do we want to use the $1000 for JHD? T-shirts and refreshments, or as a project, or ? We want to do it as a project. JHD / Thrivent T-Shirt is available for $5 and change. Would the kids wear the JHD shirts? They would likely wear it at the event, but one of the goals is to get advertising, and the shirt may not be worn after the event. If we want to purchase JHD T-shirts we need to get them fairly soon, as the first event is planned for May 7th.
The board tabled discussions on the JHD projects, we need formal submissions of requests before we can make decisions between the various projects that are proposed.
Traci is considering what types of displays to put up at the Chicken Dinner. She can generate whatever is possible – improve on the displays that were made last year, which is shown on the pictures on the BB.
New Projects:
Project 2005-04: M/S/C to approve $1000 for EIFB for their event on May 16th. Project 2005-04. Norm will take care of interfacing for this project. M/S/C to approve $50 for refreshments if it doesn’t come out of a JHD Project.
Project 2005-05: Thomasboro Fire Department is doing a pancake breakfast April 10th, 2005. Raising money for equipment for their new building. Hoping to raise $2000, asking for a 2-for-1 match up to $1000. Plenty of Thrivent members, 400 volunteer hours are anticipated. They will have the Thrivent banner and various signs. M/S/C a 50% match up to $1,000.
Project 2005-06: LSSI / Habitat for Humanity, ICECO (Illinois Correctional Education Contractors Organization) Building Homes / Rebuilding Lives Dinner/Auction held at St John on April 9th. St John’s Men’s club is providing food and supporting it. Request is for matching funds for a silent auction and a live auction. Estimating raising $15,000 to $20,000 at the event. Asking for 50% match up to $1,600. M/S/C a 50% match up to $800. Our placemats will be available in time for the fish fry. The Men’s group is doing the fish fry with proceeds from the fish fry to go to the 150th anniversary of St John’s. They are going to use a Care in Congregation project to match up to $500 and donate that to LSSI.
Project 2005-07: All God’s Children Garage Sale. September 16th, 17th. The goal is $1,600 and asking for a 50% match to $800. This has been done in prior years. Banner will be used at the site. They’ve raised $3000 in the past. M/S/C a 50% match up to $800. Money will be funneled through the chapter.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church needs help on how they do a Care in Congregation project.
Project 2005-08: Trinity Lutheran Church Relay for Life. Expected to raise $3200, requesting $1600. They raised about $3300 last year. 20 Thrivent members actively involved, 200 volunteer hours expected. 2005-09: St Matthew’s Lutheran Church Relay for Life. Expecting to raise $4000, requesting $1600. 200 volunteer hours estimated. Last year they raised $6200. Sharon White at St Matt’s is interested in getting youth involved in this project this year. Are there other churches? LCM will probably be submitting a request, Grace in Champaign might be fielding a team this year. The money raised is kept within Champaign county. An issue with this is that according to American Cancer Rules, the checks must be made out to American Cancer rather than to Thrivent, therefore the money will not go through the chapter. They fill out a form saying how much was submitted for each team. Concern is that we talked about setting a maximum limit for all teams that are run for this project, but we only have applications from two of potentially four teams. It’s difficult to know what to approve without knowing how many teams will be run. We need to communicate with the churches that we can match funding, but you have to get the applications in by our March meeting. M/S/C to approve both of these at 50% match for $1,600. The intention is any further applications that come in we have a limit of $800. Banners will be displayed at each team’s tent.
Old Business:
Officer Rotation issue: Lynette isn’t available with any information.
Project Guidelines: Norm did not get around to writing up a checklist of what steps need to be done by whom.
Should we make adjustments to our guidelines per items mentioned at 3-for-1 match rather than 2-for-1. Last year we had to be at 3.1 to 1 to qualify for supplemental funds.
Kevin McAndrews presentation should be available next Monday night. Possibility: have a float in various parades with the flag and information on it, promoting the Thrivent name at parades.
Beverage Stand at the Rantoul Tractor Show – should be a large event this year, in connection with the Farm Progress show. We could have a project that we raise money for at the same time we get the Thrivent name out. Perhaps sell bottled water – Martin Graphics provided bottles with the Ram logo on it for St John’s .. could put the Thrivent logo on it.
Chicken Dinner:
e need everyone there by 8AM. There is a lot of work to do the first two hours, then it tapers off until the crowds come. We have friers available to do the actual frying, but we need people to cut them up and prepare the chicken for them. We have shopping list from Sam’s and another from a regular grocery store. Brian will speak to Jerry’s IGA Corporate Office in Champaign and see if they will donate any of the items that we need. Several are bringing two gallons of Ice Tea – Bev, Dick, Norm, Brian. Paul will handle cardboard for the floor. Door prizes: Questioned why we need to do this; it’s a way for us to get their names and find out who attended. M/S/C to approve four coupons at $25 each. Ronda: Texas Roadhouse; Paul Super Buffet, Darrel Caddy Shack, Norm Dave’s. Table Decorations. Got geraniums last year. Some kind of flower arrangement. Also could get balloons and tie them down, but that is probably too pricey. Judy will handle this. Menu from last year was Chicken Potato Chips Green Beans Corn Celery Applesauce Bread. Suggested Cole Slaw, but might be difficult to do for 200 people. Brian will talk with Jerry’s Corporate and find out if they can donate items, including talking about Cole Slaw.
Placemats: How do we determine the policy on how to distribute them. We don’t want to hand them out too quickly. There should be some Thrivent connection – either a Care in Congregation or Care Abounds in Community activity. Then we need to figure out how to get them to the events. The person holding the event can come pick them up. Would be easier if we have two or three people having a supply, so people can get them from the closest supply. Judy and Norm will keep a box.
Discussion about Tax-Free status of the Chapter, and whether we would qualify for a Sam’s card.
It was M/S/C to adjourn around 8:30PM. Next meetings: April 11th at Friendship/Champaign
Respectfully submitted,
Norm Fisher
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