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Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 14, 2006 for the first Board meeting of 2006. We will meet at Hope Lutheran Church (1801 62nd Ave N, St. Petersburg). Time to be announced by post card. The South Pinellas County Chapter has been invited to submit an application to participate in Thrivent Builds. This is a cooperative venture with Habitat for Humanity. We have submitted our application and identified a Chapter Specialist to coordinate the event. Please pray with us. It is our hope that we, as a Lutheran Community, might participate in this awesome adventure. If selected this will also be the date of our Kick-Off Event. Additional information regarding Thrivent Builds is in your current issue of Thrivent Magazine.
The South Pinellas County Chapter is supporting these musical events in the community. - The Annual Messiah Performance Sunday December 4th 3:00 pm at Grace Lutheran (4301 16th Street N, St. Petersburg). The Pinellas Lutheran Choir under the direction of Dr. William Brusick brings together Lutherans from around Pinellas County to present Advent portions of this meaningful piece. A love offering to support the Valpariso Guild will be supported by our chapter. - The Annual event at First Presbyterian Church 701 Beach Drive N.E. St. Petersburg FL 33701. This is a free concert with a collection taken to benefit the St. Petersburg Free Clinic. The Many Moods of Christmas is a montage of holiday music performed by the Chancel Choir of First Presbyterian the Hand Bell Ringers and the Iona Consort. It is a family musical event. Pieces to be performed include "Fantasy on Christmas Carols" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, "Christmas Day" by Gustav Holst and carols by John Rutter and David Willcocks. Thrivent Financial will be providing a $220 supplement for funds raised at this event.
"Joy to the World." a one-hour ABC television special produced by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is scheduled to air on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This holiday worship service includes a joyful mix of music and praise from ELCA African American, Asian American, Indian, Arab and Middle Eastern, and Latino congregations. The rich and diverse cultural blend begins with a Santa Lucia celebration in the Swedish Lutheran tradition. Featured congregations include: - Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Chicago - Salam Arabic Lutheran Church, Brooklyn - Thai Lutheran Community Church, Forest Park, Illinois - St. James Lutheran Church, East Cleveland and Good shepherd Lutheran Church, Cleveland - San Marcos Lutheran Church, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico - Eben Ezer Lutheran Church Oaks, Oklahoma.
Congregations seeking a meaningful way to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday this year are encouraged to participate in the SOUPER BOWL OF CARING. This annual event held across America by congregational youth brings much needed food into the community food banks. If you are interested in hosting this event log onto www.souperbowl.org to register and discover how wide spread this event has become.
Hurricane Katrina Response hits maximum supplement - Members responded overwhelmingly to help hurricane survivors. - Thrivent Financial supplement has hit the $2 million maximum. - Chapters raised more than $1 million through the Chapter Response Plan. - Individual Member Response donations surpassed $3 million. - More than $11 million contributed by Thrivent Financial & its members. - See article for additional ways members/chapters can help. http://www.thrivent.com/members/news/issues/2005/100105/chapternews.html#18
Gail Goepfert, Communications Director, participated in The Breast Cancer 3-Day event. This is truly an amazing journey for anyone – let alone someone in a wheelchair. Gail and 2200 other people started out on a rainy Friday (10/7) morning from Coachman Park in Clearwater and made their way through Largo, Seminole, and St. Petersburg on The Pinellas Trail, ending Day 1 at Bartlett Park in South St. Pete. Day 2 had them winding their way through downtown St. Pete, along Coffee Pot Bayou, through Weedon Island, across The Friendship TrailBridge, and into South Tampa to Anderson Elementary School. On Day 3, they wandered down Manhattan and Interbay to Bayshore Drive, the longest sidewalk in the world. After lunch at the Tampa Convention Center they headed for their final destination, Raymond James Stadium - a total of a little over 60 miles in 3 days! Unfortunately, Gail was only able to compete 53 miles as she lost her balance, fell, and ended up with 3 stitches in her elbow; the medical staff would not allow her to continue, but she’s already planning to finish her journey in next year’s event. With your help, Gail raised over $3,000; her team, 60 Mile Sisterhood, raised more than $57,000; and Tampa Bay raised more than $5 million! 85% of the money raised will go to The Susan G. Koman Foundation, with 75% of that staying right here in Tampa Bay. If you have Internet access, please visit Gail’s blog, her Web-based diary, My 3-Day Journey, 2005 at http://www.my3-dayjourney.blogspot.com.
... that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a caring organization like no other. One way Thrivent Financial shows concern for members and their families is by offering a wide variety of benefits designed to enhance their quality of life? ... that as a member, you may order complimentary resources and discounted services. Members can view and order benefits from Thrivent Financials Web site at www.thrivent.com >> Members/Chapters >> Benefits/Services for Members, or call 800-372-8236? ... that our Chapter has its own Web site? The next time you're online, check it out at http://www.lutheransonline.com/southpinellascountychapter. Be sure to bookmark this site and check it frequently for upcoming Chapter and Congregational events? ... that there are 16 churches in our Chapter? ... that 14 of the 16 congregations took advantage of their Thrivent funding ... that these congregations combined raised over $26,000 in 38 separate Care Abounds in Communities® projects this year and had over 15,000 volunteer hours?
Is someone in your community suffering from health problems and high medical expenses? Do you know a family in financial need who could use help maintaining their home? Is there a school, community park or camp that could benefit from new equipment? Through the exciting Chapter Care program called Care Abounds in Communities, Thrivent Financial provides funding to members who form community service teams to conduct fund-raising or hands-on service activities to help individuals, families and/or qualified not-for-profit organizations. So, do you want to help, but don't know how to get started? It's as easy as ABC 1-2-3. An online tool — located at www.thrivent.com/ABC — is available to help you translate your desire to help into an action plan for making a difference. It provides easy steps to guide you as well as ideas, checklists and tips so you can successfully form a community service team and execute an activity through your Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Chapter. Here's a glimpse of topics you can read about: Getting things started 1. Identify recipient of funds or service project. 2. Form your community service team. 3. Explore your capabilities; select your activity. Making a plan 1. Request chapter leadership board funding approval. 2. Plan activity logistics and details. 3. Get the word out. Do it! And Celebrate! 1. Do it! Carry out your plans to help others. 2. Celebrate completion of activity and recognize your volunteers. 3. Tell us what you did. Then pay bills and provide funds to recipient.
As 2006 begins you may be seeking more volunteers to participate in your hands on activities or fundraisers. The Thrivent Associate Membership forms are available to any Lutheran or parent of student in a Lutheran School. Forms are available both online or through your local Thrivent Reps. As an associate you can participate in our Giving Plus program to benefit your local Lutheran school, camp or college. The cost is $10 per year and brings to the member an opportunity to learn about all that Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has to offer.
WANTED: A person with a caring heart to determine how best to distribute funds to needy people and nonprofit organizations in our community, or to help your congregation. For details about the following volunteer opportunities with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, call Rita Sewell 521-3854. CONGREGATIONAL COORDINATOR positions: Through the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Care in Congregations® program, your church one of 16 in the South Pinellas County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has 1300 to 1600 dollars available for Thrivent Financial members to conduct activities to benefit your church and/or its ministry to the community. Three congregational coordinators are required to help administer the program and initiate funding requests for the activities. If you are interested in serving as a congregational coordinator in your church, contact Rita Sewell 521-3854 REQUIREMENTS for volunteer positions: A Thrivent Financial member, a desire to help others, and five to 12 hours per month of volunteer time. BENEFITS: A smile on the faces of others you've helped and a good feeling in knowing you've made a difference in someone's life.
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