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Care in Congregations is an amount that Thirvent Financial has set aside for each congregation - $1,020 for congregations under 500 members and $1,250 for those over 500 members. In order to access these funds, your congregational coordinators must apply for them online or by calling the Home Office at 1-800-236-3736. These funds are supplemented dollar for fundraising events or may be used for a hands-on work projects. Your church can use these funds for congregational needs or outreach ministry of the congregation.
Care Abounds in Communities is where your Mount Baker Chapter plays its biggest role. Community Service Team requests are brought to our monthly meetings and voted on. Both fundraisers and hands-on work projects requests are accepted. This year $27,060 was given to the Chapter to distribute to support our local community. Already monies for feeding programs, homeless projects, the disabled, cultural youth enrichment, and elder care needs have been approved. Congregational Service Teams that provide quilts, kits, and supplies to Lutheran World Relief have also been helped. These monies do run out quickly so you need to apply early. Again, your congregational coordinator can help with the necessary paperwork. Your Congregational Service Team Director, Karen Bellingar (360-303-1193) is also available for your questions.
Care in Regions is a larger fund and must go through the Regional Office. Your Mount Baker Chapter Board will assist with the criteria and paperwork, but $5,000 to $15,000 can be applied for to meet a large community need. The flooding in southwest Washington, the Interfaith Housing Project in Ferndale, and a playground in Bellingham have all received funds through this program.
On Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Mount. Baker Chapter will have a paper shredding truck available for all Thrivent members and friends. You are welcome to bring a box or two of confidential documents that you need shredded to the Bellingham Thrivent office of Holly Whittle and Keith Atneosen at 805 Dupont Street.
Just because there is no Thrivent Builds projects in Skagit, Whatcom or Island Counties this year, you do not have to miss out on all the fun. There are many opportunities to help families here in the United States and around the world to have “homes of their own”. We would like to highlight two special ones, but encourage you to check out the www.thriventbuilds.com website to see all the locations there are available to serve our Lord and His people in this program.
On June 28 the Mount Baker Group in Burlington is planning to hold a quilt auction fundraiser at Salem Lutheran in Mt. Vernon. From 3:30 to 5:00 a dessert reception will be held, with the auction following. Quilting demonstrations, information and networking for the quilting groups of Skagit, Island, Whatcom, and North Snohomish counties will be offered. Money raised will benefit all participating quilting groups. Quilt donations, etc., for auction are needed (contact the Burlington office 360-757-9300). There will also be an opportunity for Congregational Coordinator training at 3:00. Watch for further information.
Lutheran World Relief is near and dear to just about every Lutheran's heart. It is "Faith in Action" for those of us who are "piece makers". Most weeks you will find many committed ladies (and some gentlemen, too!) sewing quilts and assembling kits that find their way all over the world. In 2008, 455,798 quilts, along with 193,665 school kits, 133,500 health kits, 34,875 sewing kits, 103,640 layettes and 122,418 pounds of soap were shipped to our neighbors in need. That is 1,455 tons! Worth $13 million! Going to more than 740,000 people, in 27 different countries. Wow! How blessed we are as a nation and as Christians to be able to serve our Lord in such a tangible way. Jesus said, "What you do for the least of these, you do unto Me".
Join Hands Day is a nation-wide day of intergenerational volunteerism, sponsored by fraternal organizations including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. We need lots of folks to offer themselves in service to prepare the camp for its summer ministry.
We had such a terrific time last summer with our Old Fashioned Summer Picnic at Lutherwood, we are going to do it again. Though it is months away and way to cold to think about swimming and ice cream, please mark your calenders for this fun, family event. The canoes will be out, the lifeguards ready, games set up, and of course lots of prizes. And did we mention....BBQ? Watch for further information.
All Mount Baker Chapter Board meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, 1720 Harris Avenue, Bellingham WA 98225. Visitors are always welcome.
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