Our next activity was to help train the Congregational Coordinators in the duties of helping congregations access the new Thrivent Financial programs for fund raising and work projects.  Rev. Hollis Bishop, Congregational Service Team Director, has worked very hard to get Congregational Coordinators in place in each congregation and to encourage them to use all of their Care in Congregations(TM) funds before the end of the year.

Your chapter board is also responsible for awarding of grants for the Care Abounds in Communities(TM) program for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.  In 2003 we will have awarded over $28,000 in grants that were supplemented by over $52,000 of additional fund raising activities in our communities.  Your chapter was also awarded about $7,000 for operating the chapter.  This money was primarily used for the two Congregational Coordinators’ training meetings, conducting the 2003 election, and chapter meeting expense.  Any balance left at years end was used to supplement the Care Abounds in Communities grants.  We were very fortunate to have Jim Clark, Financial Director and his assistant Lyn Peipkorn for handling the financial affairs of the chapter.  Rev. Del Moen, Community Service Team Director, rode point for the chapter handling the flow of Care in Our Communities applications.  He helped us process over 30 applications during the calendar year.

Wadena-Todd Chapter meets the second Tuesday of each month to conduct the business of the chapter.  Your board always welcomes Thrivent Financial members to the board meetings and so the invitation is extended to every member.  The monthly meetings have typically been held at the churches of the chapter.  The host congregation provides dessert and beverage for the 12-15 persons that attend the meeting.  The chapter reimburses the host congregation for providing refreshments and the meeting site.  The meetings start at 7:00 p.m. and last for approximately two hours.  Talk to your congregational coordinator if your congregation is interested in hosting a meeting.  Then contact our Events Director, Shirley Paxton, to get your church’s name on the list.  Keeping records for the chapter is also a big job and this past year these duties have been ably fulfilled by Sonja Nefstead, Records Director.  Roger Hollerud will be taking over this important job in 2004.

We have been proud of the response that the local congregations gave to our request to hold the national and local Thrivent Financial elections last fall.  We were gratified to see the way the congregations rose to the challenge.  Our election results showed that the actual votes cast was more than double our goal.  Thank you coordinators for your work in helping us achieve this milestone.  Our Vice President, Faye Mavis, worked tirelessly to bring all the players together to make the election a success.  Not only did she chair the nomination committee she was also responsible for the administration of the election.  We are pleased that we now have two additional offices filled for 2004.  We welcome Shirley Paxton, Events Director and Dean Lalone, Youth Director to the officer group.  If anyone is interested in serving on the chapter board, you are encouraged to answer the call for nominations that will be given sometime in August or September.  Each of the 11 positions on our board is elected annually and there is a four term limit for each position.

Earlier in the year we adopted our mission statement for the chapter.  It is as follows:
“Our mission is to serve people in our congregations and communities by encouraging and supporting projects fostering cooperation and service.”
Your board has strived to meet the objectives outlined in its mission statement.  There are approximately 3,200 Thrivent members in Todd and Wadena counties.  It is impossible for board members to know every one of our members.  Each month, at least one of the Thrivent Financial Associates assigned to the two counties has attended our board meetings to help us better connect with the membership.  We appreciate their knowledge of the individual members and their devotion helping our members use our programs to the greatest advantage.

We start this next year with commitment to better communicate with you the members.  Our Communication Director, Joyce Rach will be busy getting the information out to you.  Just as she has put together the information about the policies we have adopted to guide us in our board decisions this next year.  And as communication is a two way street we encourage you to contact us in person, by phone, by mail or e-mail to let us know what’s on your mind.  We look forward to hearing from you.

1. Quilting group must be composed of community members beyond just one congregation.
2. Quilts must be used in community care service such as shelters, fire victims, etc., as well as world wide missions.
3. The funds from the Thrivent Financial chapter are to be used for materials or equipment for quilting.
4. Funds must be sent to a named person in the quilting group who presents the receipts for payment.
5. Either service project or matching fund monies may be applied for.  If matching fund monies are approved, fund raising volunteer hours should also be counted.