So, if you are handy with a hammer, love landscaping, notice that sewing or knitting makes you smile, or you have another talent to share with others, why not partner with other Thrivent Financial members to make an impact in your community?

For example, a wheelchair ramp is so much more than wood and nails. For a wheelchair user, a ramp represents accessibility to life outside the house — to community, friends and family — and even to living independently.

Building a wheelchair ramp is only one example of the impact a little teamwork can have on someone's life. Can you think of other needs in your community and other ways you might be able to make an impact? Call your chapter leadership board for more information.

If you see a need in your congregation that could be helped through this funding, please contact a Thrivent Financial congregational coordinator in your congregation. If you don't know who your three congregational coordinators are, please contact a member of our chapter leadership board as noted in this newsletter, and he/she will help you get in touch with a coordinator.

The Lutherans Online Web site is an online community of Lutherans that provides a place to go and find like-minded Christian people to network with in various ways such as message boards and chat rooms. You also can find e-greeting cards, fun and games, geneology,recipeis, and much more.

Chapter leaders with the Mid King County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans do just that with the Care Abounds in Communities® program! And with chapter leader elections just around the corner, the time to get involved is NOW! Our chapter will have several leadership opportunities for 2006. The only requirements are: being a Thrivent Financial member; a desire to help people; and five to 15 hours per month volunteer time (depending on the position).

We very much need you on the chapter leadership board--without a full board, our chapter will not qualify for the funding that helps people and our community. Help us take full advantage of this unique opportunity to significantly impact our community and contact one of the current chapter leaders today to find out more or add your name to the election ballot.

If serving on the chapter leadership board does not work for you but you'd like to be involved or volunteer in some capacity, there are many other volunteer opportunities, both short-term and longer-term, available as well. Please contact us and we'll describe how you can make a difference through the Thrivent chapter system in a way that fits into your schedule.

Vice President       Rev Neal D Schroeder    (253) 630-1938           nealschroeder@hotmail.com

Records Director   Tamera J Hausman         (253) 517-7846           tjhausman@comcast.net

Financial Director  Elva J Schulz                   (425) 255-0440           e.schulz@comcast.net

Congregational Service Team Director
                            Karen M Hunziker            (425) 255-1746            karenhunziker@hotmail.com

Community Service Team Director
                            Roger E Ahrnkiel             (425) 432-1643            reava@msn.com

Is someone in your community suffering from health problems and high medical expenses? Do you know a family in financial need who could use help maintaining their home? Is there a school, community park or camp that could benefit from new equipment?

Through the exciting chapter Care program called Care Abounds in Communities®, Thrivent Financial provides funding to members who form community service teams to conduct fund-raising or hands-on service activities to help individuals, families and/or qualified not-for-profit organizations.

So, do you want to help, but don't know how to get started? It's as easy as ABC 1-2-3.

This online tool—located at www.thrivent.com/ABC—is available to help you translate your desire to help into an action plan for making a difference. It provides easy steps to guide you as well as ideas, checklists and tips so you can successfully form a community service team and execute an activity through your Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapter.

Here's a glimpse of topics you can read about:

Getting things started
1. Identify recipient of funds or service project.
2. Form your community service team.
3. Explore your capabilities; select your activity.

Making a plan
1. Request chapter leadership board funding approval.
2. Plan activity logistics and details.
3. Get the word out.

Do it! And Celebrate!
1. Do it! Carry out your plans to help others.
2. Celebrate completion of activity and recognize your volunteers.
3. Tell us what you did. Then pay bills and provide funds to recipient.

If you have questions about forming a community service team, conducting an activity or the Care Abounds in Communities program, please contact one of our chapter leadership board members.

All Thrivent members are welcome at Leadership Board Meetings. We invite you to come see what we do, and how we distribute the Care Abounds in Communities Dollars that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans allocates to our chapter.