Four page newsletter: Ft Bend Wharton Chapter Chatter| Four page newsletter: Ft Bend Wharton Chapter Chatter | | |
| Fort Bend-Wharton County Chapter, CHAPTER CHATTER |
As I write this Schools are opening in the area for a new year - remember when the schools started after the crops were in(at least after Labor Day). Only a few of us had to catch up with summer school or do study " for credit."
Colleges begin again soon.
I have been trying to learn about our Lutheran Heritage in Education. It's a WOW story . Martin Luther is often remembered as the person who tells us the gift of teaching was the one thing he wished he could devote his life. It is the base for the future. Luther also said and lived the joy we should all receive in learning. OUR BIBLE IS SO RICH. EACH TIME WE READ WE SEE MORE TO LEARN ABOUT OUR LOVING GOD
Please join me in praying daily for our teachers and educators that they share their gift with JOY in their hearts - Everyday - .May our students be ready to know the joy in learning. May we always be lifelong learners.
Consider especially our five Lutheran schools in our Chapter at Faith and First ELCAMPO, Faith AND FISHERS OF MEN - Sugarland and Living Word KATY . May the families and children that are served grow in faith in our loving God through our teachers.
| THRIVENTBUILDS With Habitat for Humanity - Begins 9/22/2006 |
Beginning Sept 22 in the Greensbrook subdivision in north Houston, Thrivent Build will construct five homes over three Fri/ Sat with /for Houston Habitat for Humanity identified families.!!
PLEASE JOIN LUTHERANS AND THEIR FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER HOUSTON To "MAKE IT HAPPEN" IN THESE SIX DAYS - Friday or Satuday Sept 22,23 ,Sept 29,30, October 6,7
For information to volunteer and or contribute see your congregational champion or contact :
Dr. Gregg Dimmick- EMAIL: gdimmick @sbcglobal.net or tel.979-532-0155 by September 8.
Ben Powell - EMAIL mkpslpmom@hotmail.com or tel 281-578-1569
We hope to have all the needed info on our Chapter Web site : www.lutheranonline/ftbendwhartoncountychapter.com
SEE also www.Thriventbuilds.com - for many more opportunities - Gulf Coast rebuilding and Worldwide BUILDS
(Look forward to a THRIVENTBUILD home closer to our turf in 2007)
| RECOVERY ON THE GULF COAST- ThriventBuilds |
There is an appeal on the www.ThriventBuilds.com website for crew leaders to "step up" and lead a ThriventBuild with Habitat in the affected areas of both RITA AND KATRINA .
As Thrivent Financial members, the $800 benefit that is available to help defray your cost for THRIVENTBuilds GLOBAL trips. Gulf Coast will count this year.
Call Sheila CROWLEY -- Habitat for Humanity --1-800- HABITAT- X 2225
| ELECTION 2007 -- Consider serving |
As 2006 completes five of our elected officers will reach their term limits(of 11 elected or appointed) .
Please consider serving .There are many Thrivent Financial membership benefits that we can develop more fully for our members, congregations and communities.
Please contact Ann Schaer - Tel 979-543-4172 email:aschaer@sbcglobal.net
""""""""""""""""""""Jerry Lohr - Tel 979-387-2923 emai- txlohr@consolidated.net
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Dave Willis -----Tel 281-341-9218 email - eqdoc@swbell.net
to express an interest.
We are aiming to hold our election for 2007 officers in late October
| Your 2006 Successes to date |
Our Chapter continues to be blessed with caring people willing to tell the story and use the resources we have to improve the lives of our members, congregations and community by using resources available to us thru Chapter Care Programs and other benefits of membership.
We have about 75% of our funds committed for 2006. Both Care in Congregations® and Care Abounds in Community® have some funds available .
Check with your Congregational coordinator-- support may just be there to help your activity that cares for others be MORE effective
I was asked "which one of our Care projects touched my heart the most in 2006?". What a question!! - every activity we Thrivent Financial members support shows we care . My answer was "EVERY ONE. " I have been blessed to be closer to some than others .
| 2006 - What's left to do ?? |
We really don't know what's left to do in 2006 .
We have a lot of events in our Care Programs to enjoy including:
Helping Hands Gala (Richmong/ Rosenberg Assistance ministries) 8/26
El Campo SausageFest 9/16
Build five houses through ThriventBuilds begins 9/22
Mexican Dinner - supporting Helping Hands
Shrimp Sale - Joy Lurtheran- supporting Joy Youth
Fall Festival at Living Word - 10/21
Global Mission Festival - Living Word 10/22
East Wharton Habitat Gala( Frank Jr and Nancy Sinatra) 10/28
Families Feeding Families Thankgiving meal 11/23
We have about $5K in Care Abounds in Community funding Available for 2006- Your congregational coordinators can help get you project supported - ask
Lots to do on the Gulf Coast to assist the recovery from last years Hurricanes
In all these events Come on out and enjoy great Fellowship while we serve our members and community
| Giving Plus-2006 through July |
GIVING PLUS is a great way to leverage your giving to support our scholls ,colleges, seminaries, camps and Social Service ministries . Thrivent Financial matches two gifts(up to $600 each) per year with 50 cents for each dollar given to a qualified organization.
Thru August 4 over $11,000,000 has been provided by Thrivent Financial through the match.
Our chapter is focusing attention on the schools that are qualified in our area.The five are
Faith Lutheran Preschool El Campo
First Lutheran Preschool - El Campo
Faith Lutheran Preschool Sugarland
Faith Lutheran School ----Sugarland
The Learning Center @ Living Word - Katy
Please prayfully consider "our: schools" but please also consider our Colleges, Camps , Seminaries and Social Services ministries.
One of our struggles is to know our qualifying organizations are receiving about 50% of the average
given in other parts of the country to support our minstries .
In Texas, if we only gave the average of all Thrivent Financial members it would mean another $500,000 to support the qualified ministries.
PLEASE USE GIVINGPLUS when sharing your financial support with our very good qualifying organizations !!
| Yearend - CELEBRATION SAVE the DATE - December 3,2006 |
Save the date Sunday December 3 after 3pm for our year -end celebration . While it will be tough to beat our time together in Danevang last year-- We're going to have a chance to share a little history in Sugarland - Look for the details as time gets closer .
| ThriventBuilds Congregational Champions |
Seven of our congregations have named "Congregational Champions" for ThriventBuilds.
These friends of yours will, over the next four years, help us to be engaged with Habitat for Humanity affiliates to make a big dent in "poverty housing" by supporting building up the 500 homes per year
Thrivent Financial provides 70% of the construction cost of the house, We Lutherans and our friends 10%, Worldwide ThriventBuilds are happening .
As we started this newsletter with our opportunity to build five houses in about a month in Houston, The Gulf Coast rebuilding effort after Rita and Katrina are ongoing
If any one of us would like to be a team leader for a GulfCoast build - See www.ThriventBuilds.com
and just call the number 1-800- HABITAT x2225
Contact Editor :Ben Powell - 281-578-1569
Email mkpslpmom@hotmail.com
or Congregational Coordinators at your church any of the Chapter officers !!
This newsletter was written and edited by volunteer leaders of your local Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapter to keep you informed of chapter news. If you have any questions and/or comments about the content of this newsletter or would like to learn more about chapter activities being planned in your area, please contact one of your chapter leaders. To access your chapter leader contact information, go to www.thrivent.com; Members/Chapters; Information About My Chapter; View Leadership/Activities/Website; Chapter Leadership Board.
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