President Sheryl Holland lives with her husband in Texas City and assists in operating their business, Texas Air Services in Dickinson. They have two grown children. Sheryl is a member of Memorial Lutheran in Texas City. Sheryl has also served as treasurer of the Women of ELCA, Texas -Louisiana Synod of the Gulf Coast and also served as vice-president of that group. She has previously served as the Galveston County Chapter Financial Director

Vice- President Ruby Reviere is a member of Christus Victor Lutheran Church. Ruby has been a resident of Friendswood since 1970. She has four adult children, two of whom live outside the United States. She loves to travel and has been to 32 countries. She is presently the president of the Friendship Force of Houston, an international exchange organization whose major goal is to make friends around the world. She is retired but previously worked in Texas City and Goose Creek FoodService. This is Ruby's second term as Vice - President.

Records Director Claudean Smith is on her second term as Records Director. Claudean has been a Missouri Synod Lutheran for 50 years and is a member of St. John's Lutheran in Galveston where she is church treasurer. She also has served as the president of the Ladies Aid Society and the treasurer of the Gulf Coast Zone of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. She has served as Congregational Coordinator for Thrivent since the merger, and she previously held offices for pre-merger Aid Association for Lutherans. Claudean and her soldier husband are retired from the U. S. Army after 28 years in the service traveling in the United States and abroad. They have six children, five of them are adopted. They have lived in Galveston since 1983.

Financial Director Kathy Olson.is a graduate of the University of New Orleans with a BS in chemistry. She is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and lived there until she went to work in 1979 for Celanese Chemical Company in Houston. Her position when she retired was Corporate Account Manager. She has been a widow for two years. She has served at Hope Congregation as the Financial Director, as a member of the Board of Directors and has taught Sunday School. She is a member of the Hope Ladies Guild and the Women's Christ Care Group. She loves to read fiction and enjoys painting.

Congregational Service Team Director Dolores Taylor is retired after working as a substitute teacher with Houston and Conroe School Districts and as a secretary in the Office of Dermatology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She is a lifelong Lutheran, widowed, and has three grown children and three grandchildren. She was a former secretary on the board of Lutheran Brotherhood Bay Branch. She is active at First Lutheran serving in the First Lutheran Gallery Choir. She also sings in the Houston Lutheran Choral and Houston Saengerbund. She is a volunteer at Grand1894 Opera House and the Lutheran Music Academy.

Community Service Team Director Pattye Morton has served previously as vice-president and president of the chapter. Pattye Morton lives in Clear Lake with her husband of 17 years and their 12 yr. old daughter Julia. They attend Faith Lutheran Church Dickinson. Pattye also served previously as Youth Coordinator. She co-founded a unique Christmas gift program called "Teen TO Teen" that has been highly successful in providing holiday gifts to needy teenagers who reside in the greater Clear Lake area. She currently works as a hospice social worker with Regency Hospice in League City.

Following the presentation, Ruby Reviere discussed the importance of keeping a complete record of time spent on any Thrivent project and reporting the time after completing the project.   She also emphasized that everyone involved in any way should keep a good record of the time spent on the project.

The group was then divided into small groups with Joyce Pfleeger,  Dolores Taylor and Claudean Smith assisting  the coordinators in learning how to complete forms in requesting funding for projects.  This was followed by a question and answer period.

Thanks are extended to Congregation Coordiantor representatives from eight different churches who were present and all Galveston Chapter Board members for the special efforts.   Special thanks are extended to Mark and Christie Sapp from Christus Victor for the use of their computer and power point projector.

The Bridge Over Troubled Waters which is a center of abused women and children will be assisted for expenses for food and shelter through a live auction.  Other community projects are being considered in the future.  Groups who are interested in assisting their community should bring their project request on the completed form to the Board of Directors meeting for approval.

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.

Vice President: Ruby Reviere, 281-482-2464,
Email: rubyreviere@earthlink.net

Records Director: Claudean Smith, 409-965-5127,
Email:  claudeansmith@att.net

Financial Director:  Kathy Olson, 281-486-1682
Email:  kathy.olson@sbcglobal.net

Congregational Service Team Director: Dolores Taylor, 409-750-3402
Email: dyylr28004@yahoo.com

Community Service Team Director:  Pattye Morton, 281-480-2065,
Email: kabldg@aol.com

Financial Representative Advisor: Jon Mientzen, 832-689-9882, jon.meinzen@thrivent.com.
Please contact any member if you have questions or concerns.

The CHAPTER WEBSITE is:  www.lutheransonline.com/galvestoncountychapter