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*Thrivent Financial has committed $125 million over four years to help Habitat for Humanity to build hundreds of additional homes in the United States each year. In 2006 and 2007 more than 650 homes were constructed with 325 Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Thirty of those homes have been in Texas and 10 more will be constructed in 2008.
Our Congregational Service Team Director, Sean Gutierrez is conducting a training session for new and established coordinators. The training session will be held at The Lodge on Lake Lohr in Beasley on Saturday May 3rd from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. Lunch will be provided. Sean has developed an excellent presentation using a PC to walk through all the Thrivent website programs relevant to coordinators. Details of the website processes will be worked through step by step to ensure understanding. In addition, Sean will provide a CD tutorial for take home, plus hard copy materials describing the congregational coordinator function. Coordinators will be contacted by Sean via a newsletter and asked to sign up. Active and knowledgeable coordinators are critical to access of Thrivent’s resources by congregations.
The ladies of Living Word Lutheran Church in Katy were supported by the chapter through a donation of $1000 in Care in Congregations funds to make and assemble midwife kits for Global health Ministries. This hands on service activitiy involved sewing receiving blankets, knitting and crocheting baby hats and making swaddling blankets. Good fellowship was had while working on the items and their assembly into kits. A Lunch was held at the conclusion of the project to show appreciation for all of the volunteers involved.
Funds were raised by El Campo students to benefit The American Heart Association. In addition to the jump rope pledges, donations were received from the community for a silent auction at the February 24 event. The fund raiser netted $2400 including $800 in supplemental funds from our chapter. Two hundred people attended the event and 100 hours of volunteer time was clocked.
Once again, our chapter supported the annual Sterling McCall Spring Golf Classic on March 3rd. The event held at the Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land attracted 125 golfers on an outrageously beautiful spring day. The tournament began with lunch and concluded with a dinner and auction. Total donations for the event exceeded $55,000 with over $6,000 being raised through the chapter and area Lutherans. Proceeds from the tournament support educational programs for Richmond/Rosenberg youth who otherwise could not afford YMCA programs.
A service team of junior high youth at Living Word Church received $500 from the chapter for their hands on service project. They assembled aids hygiene kits to be distributed through Global Health Ministries. THe students raised money for this $1000 project, collected items for the kits and then assembled them.
Fund raising efforts have begun to support a $15,000 project at The Krause Center in Katy. The project involves the creation of an outdoor visiting area at the entrance to the center, so that families of residents have a comfortable and pleasant place to wait and visit. Ben Powell is a past president of our Thrivent chapter and was a tireless volunteer for the Krause Center. This is a fitting memorial to him in recognition of his years of service. A plan has been developed by the contractor which provides for five benches, three high walled planters suitable for peripheral seating, and a central fountain. To date, $3900 has been raised with an additional $1600 in supplemental funds to be provided by the chapter. Additional fundraising will involve Living Word Congregation in Katy, Ben's church home. The chapter has reserved $300 to support a Join Hands Day Project for final landscaping near the end of the project.
The women of Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in Sugar Land have scheduled a Mother's Day Tea and Style Show for May 10th at the church. The event will benefit Children of Promise of Lutheran Social Services in Austin. The ladies hope to raise $3000 with the help of $1600 in supplemental funds from
The chapter will be supporting the Tomorrows Child Gold Benefit conducted on behalf of the Krause Children's Center in Katy. The Pine Forest Country club will be the site for the 19th annual tournament on Monday June 16th. On line registration can be done at www.krauseChildrensCenter.org. Last year 148 golfers participated and $132,000 was raised for the center. This year’s goal is $150,000. A wide variety of sponsorships are available in addition to supporting golf foursomes.
Members of St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Rosenberg Have begun an ongoing project to put together gift packages for the military. The chapter has supported this project with a $500 of Care Abounds in Communities funds. To date, thirty Thrivent member volunteers have spent 220 hours and $275 buying the sundries for the kits, packaging them and mailing them. What a great way to show the love to these brave servants in the service.
Each Eagle Scout candidate needs to complete a major project benefiting the community as a requirement of achieving this lofty scouting goal. David Kronenberger is raising the funds, designing and managing the construction of a new sign at New Hope Lutheran Church. The chapter is contributing $700 of it's $1000 Join Hands day allocation for the project. If you can help David out with some construction and brick laying help give him a call at 281-431-0160.
Congregations within our chapter have scheduled eleven Care in Congregations projects to date. Details, dates and contact information can be found on the Thrivent website. Many of them involve church suppers highlighting local food delicacies. You could literally eat your way from one to another and help the fund raising efforts benefiting our local Lutheran Churches.
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