The election process is a very important way for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to demonstrate two required elements of a fraternal benefit society:

1. An active, viable chapter system that involves many members
2. A representative form of government.

Without this election process, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans would not qualify as a tax-exempt fraternal benefit society and would not be able to provide the benefits to needy individuals, congregations and communities that it does today.

Please exercise your right to vote in your Galveston County Chapter's leadership board election.

Candidate for president was Pattye Morton who has previously served as vice president.  Ruby Reviere  from Christus Victor was named as candidate for the vice-president position.  Claudean Smith, a former Congregation Coordinator from St. John’s in Galveston, was named as candidate for the Records Director.  Continuing Board members, Sheryl Holland and Sandra Devall, were named as candidates for Financial Director and Congregation Service Team Director.  Richard Thiem  from First Lutheran in Galveston was named as a candidate for Assistant Financial  Director  Candidates for these and four other positions on the board can be submitted to Patty Morton, Nominatons Committee Chairman.

Are you aware that as a member of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, financial gifts you make to a Lutheran organization might be able to be supplemented by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans?

Through Thrivent Financial's GivingPlus® program, members can donate financial gifts to two different Lutheran organizations enrolled in the program each year, and Thrivent Financial will contribute $1 for every $2, up to $300 per year for each organization. For example, if you donate gifts of $600 or more to two eligible Lutheran organizations each, Thrivent Financial will contribute an additional $600 ($300 for each organization). In addition, Thrivent Financial will contribute an additional $25 for members who volunteer 25 hours or more at the organization receiving their gift.

All you need to do is complete a GivingPlus Member Gift form (available online or from the Lutheran organization) and submit it with your donation to the Lutheran organization. It's a very simple process.

For complete details and guidelines about this one-of-a-kind member benefit program and for copies of the Member Gift form, go to www.thrivent.com/fraternal/churchcommunity/givingplus.html.

On  October 14, an Octoberfest was held at Memorial Lutheran in Texas City.   An Octoberfest was held at Hope Lutheran Church in Friendswood on October 7 & 8.  Care Abounds in Community Fund Activities were a vital part of the festival at Hope.   A silent auction was held to benefit the Point of Light Clinic, non-profit medical clinic; a barbeque dinner benefited the Interfaith Ministries; and the craft fair benefited Christian Helping Hands, a food pantry.  Previously  on September 30 at Hope Lutheran Church a shrimp boil followed by a live auction benefited The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, an abuse center.

Did you know that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has a program called Care in Congregations® where funding is provided to Thrivent Financial members to conduct fund-raising and/or hands-on service activities to benefit your congregation or its related Lutheran institutions? In fact, Thrivent Financial members are encouraged to use the funds to help the congregation in its ministry to the community.

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.  

Many of the twelve churches have spent their allocations for 2006 but some have not.  Encourage the use of all available funds.

Listed are the members of the chapter board with phone numbers and email addresses:
President: Paul Garrick, 281-316-1508,
      fourjs@hal-pc.org

Vice President: Pattye Morton, 281-480-2065,
kabldg@aol.com

Records Director: MaryAnn Waldon, 281-332-2775,
    mbwaldon@earthlink.net

Financial Director: Sheryl Holland,
409-943-4766, sholland@texasairservices.com

Congregational Service Team Director: Sandra Devall, 281-337-
1260,sidevall@earthlink.net

Assistant Financial Director:  Reagan Mayville, 409-935-4567,
Reamay@aol.com

Financial Representative Advisor:  Jon Mientzen, 832-689-9882,
jon.meinzen@thrivent.com.

The chapter website is www.lutheransonline.com/galvestoncountychapter
Please contact any member if you have questions or concerns.