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Welcome to new and returning chapter leaders for the East King County chapter of Thrivent: Kathy Fisher (Holy Trinity, Mercer Island), Joe Hart (St. Luke's, Bellevue), Dan Selmann (Holy Spirit, Kirkland), Richard Urie (Redeemer, Mercer Island) and Gary Kneepkens (Our Savior, Issaquah). The East King County chapter of Thrivent meets the second Wednesday of each month in Bellevue. Any Thrivent member is welcome to attend. If you would like to join the board contact Kathy Fisher at eastkingcochapter@yahoo.com with questions or suggestions.
The books for 2007 are closed and all the money we received from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has been distributed. Here is a recap of the year: There were nearly 90 projects that were submitted for consideration this past year. Nearly thirty of them had something to do with projects to help the homeless or underpriviledged. And those projects were creative! From the traditional serving of a meal to the homeless (we helped sponsor four Tent City meals) to helping prepare backpacks for school for those less fortunate. There were several food baskets being prepared, a project to help get warm coats for kids and a holiday store for those needing help with purchasing affordable gifts. The quilters in the churches were busy this year! We helped nine different churches with quilt supplies and distribution. In June we honored those quilters with a luncheon at First Lutheran in Bothell. The allure of mission trips and instilling a value for our missionaries had members apply for eleven different projects. Thrivent guidelines keep us from approving projects that involve purchasing equipment for missionaries. Instead our members raised money for scholarships for those wanting to go on trips. There were also coffee hours to "get to know a missionary." One project sends monthly birthday cards to missionaries and needed help with postage. And there were several projects in which Thrivent members traveled to Louisiana or Mississippi to continue to help with Katrina clean-up and rebuilding. There were luncheons, dinners, garage sales, auctions, and a roving gift table for Lutheran agencies in the area. Foss Home, ELCA World Hunger, LATCH, Compass Center, Lutheran Maritime Ministries, Holden Village, Camp Lutherwood and Good Shepherd Homes all benefited from at least one approved project. The most unusual was the Dog and Car Wash that Holy Trinity sponsored for the Compass Center in August. The Cub Scouts, Young Life, Life Choices, Mercer Island Youth and Family Center, Love Inc, Hopelink and North Helpline all benefited from projects as well. Some of those were wreath sales, rummage sales, a birthday party and a baby bottle campaign (both for Life Choices), a community concert, and the annual Mosly Live Nativity project! Then there was a concert and a Christmas community meal that we are helping with at Sammamish Hills. In the summer Community Church of Joy raised money via garage sale for their VBS program. Several youth groups raised money for scholarship funds so youth can participate in camps, mission trips and other activities. There was a benefit to repair a church organ. And finally several thousand dollars was raised at a coffee hour to help with medical expenses of a member at All Saints. We hope that you have all had the chance to participate in at least one activity to benefit your community, whether it has been at a coffee hour or at a Habitat for Humanity build. As your EKC Thrivent board, we have been blessed to see such compassion demonstrated for the people of Seattle.
January 2008 projects can begin to be submitted for approval as soon as the first meeting in January. Download forms from lutheransonline.com. The 2008 forms will be available beginning January 1, 2008. Other important dates include the following: Join Hand's Day~ Saturday, May 3, 2008 Habitat for Humanity 3rd Annual Golf Tournament and Auction~ Monday, May 19, 2008 Deadline for all projects to be approved~ Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Deadline for all project paperwork to be complete~ Wednesday, November 12, 2008
This past year was an exciting one for the EKC Thrivent Board as we began the year with the distinction of being named a Chapter of Excellence. Midway through the year that excellence was put to the test. Congregational Coordinator, Jeff Brady, died suddenly in mid-July. Jeff was a gentle man, with a passion to serve the churches of the eastside. He was knowledgeable about many things, but rarely pushy with what he knew. Our team has had a hole for the last half of 2007. We have missed him greatly. We expect to sponsor at least one project in Jeff's honor as a Board in 2008. Keep your eyes open for this opportunity to honor Jefferson Larrabee Brady. Contact Kathy Fisher at eastkingcochapter@yahoo.com for more information.
This newsletter is written for you by volunteer leaders of your local Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapter, and any views expressed are those of the writer. For questions, comments or to learn more about chapter activities in your area, please contact one of your chapter leaders, who are listed on our Web site at: www.thrivent.com/members. Just click on Information About My Chapter.
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