Northern UT Chapter

Four page newsletter: Northern UT Chapter Newsletter

Four page newsletter: Northern UT Chapter Newsletter

NORTH UT CHAPTER - 2004 Final Newsletter

What Is The Difference Between A Fund Raiser and A Hands-On Service Activity

What type of activity—fund-raiser or hands-on service activity*—best meets a need your congregational service team has identified in your congregation? Look at the goal or purpose of the activity and ask these questions:

- Is the activity being done to generate funds (dollars)? When yes, a fund-raiser activity should be planned.

- Is the activity being done to assemble, create or improve something using volunteer labor? When yes, a hands-on service activity should be planned.

A fund-raiser activity uses Care program funds to supplement the dollars raised. A hands-on service activity uses Care program funds to purchase materials used for the volunteer activity. Funds are not to be used for paid labor or gift certificates.

Here are some examples of each type of activity:

Fund-raiser activity - Silent auction, benefit dinner, rummage sale, auction, car wash, bake sale, spaghetti dinner, appeal/collection.

Hands-on service activity - paint the church hall, construct a wheelchair ramp, landscape the church grounds, clean the church and school, create gift baskets for shut-ins, clean-up church grounds, build cabinetry for the fellowship hall.

Visit the Chapter Basics section of CHIP, located in the Members Only area of www.thrivent.com, for more detailed information and examples of Care in Congregations® activities.

*Note: If a service team determines that both a fund-raiser and hands-on service activity are needed, create two different service teams and report these activities separately (even though the activities may be conducted on the same date and for the same need).

Elections for the 2005 Board is Completed

The elections for the 2005 chapter board is now completed and the candidates have been certified for their positions. We wish to thank all theThrivent Financial members who took the time to participate in the election. The Northern UT Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is proud of our record of accomplishments for the two years we have been serving. We hope that we can get continued support and participation from those that have helped us in the past and it is our desire to get more members interested in our projects, both in the congregational settings and within our communities.

Since each members is elected for a one year term and the term limits is four years we are continually searching for Thrivent Financial members who would be interested in taking a more active part in our Chapter. We have regularly scheduled meetings and any Thrivent Financial member is invited to attend.
We will publish for the next year when we will hold our meetings and the time and place of the meetings. We welcome anyone interested to attend.

Benefits to Enhance the Quality of Life

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a caring organization like no other. One way Thrivent Financial shows its concern for members and their families is by offering a wide variety of benefits designed to enhance their quality of life.

As a member, you may order complimentary books, videos and CDs—valuable resources on personal finance, healthy living, caring for others, as well as help to support you in your faith. You'll also find other helpful products and services offered at significantly discounted prices.

These value-added member benefits distinguish Thrivent Financial from other financial services organizations.

Members can view and order benefits from Thrivent Financial's Web site at www.thrivent.com/fraternal/benefits, or order by calling 1-800-372-8236.

How Wants To Help Determining Funding For Those In Need

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 (chapter leader).

CONGREGATIONAL COORDINATOR position. Through the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Care in Congregations® program, your church has funds 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 one of the chapter leaders.

CHAPTER LEADER position. Through its Care Abounds for Communities™ program, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provides funding for members who, through volunteer activities, want to aid people and nonprofit organizations needing help in the community. Your chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has funds available for this purpose. The chapter leadership board is responsible for reviewing funding requests and deciding on the amount of funds to provide for each request. New people are now being sought for chapter leader positions to help continue the fraternal benefit tradition of helping others.

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.

Show You Care For Your Community

Show you care for your community through an exciting Thrivent Financial program called Care Abounds in Communities™. Through this program, Thrivent Financial provides funding to support members like you who want to make a difference. Accessing supplemental funds for fund-raising efforts or funds to purchase supplies for hands-on service activities is easy through our chapter leadership board. Your first step is to form a community service team—a team of volunteers that conducts an activity to help individuals, families and/or qualified not-for-profit organizations. Then you can contact our chapter leadership board for more information and help.

What is Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a Fortune 500 organization and is the nation's largest fraternal benefit society with nearly 3 million members. The organization and its members provide approximately $200 million annually for outreach programs and activities that support congregations, schools, charitable organizations and needy individuals.

Fraternal benefit societies such as Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are unique not-for-profit organizations that offer their members opportunities to achieve financial security and to help others. Although fraternals have evolved to meet the changing needs of their members, their mission remains the same: to help their members help themselves and others through charitable and benevolent activities; and to provide opportunities for their members to achieve financial security.

Involve Members In Deciding How To Use Care In Congregations Funding

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a membership organization, a fact that drives all programs and benefits. Members have the opportunity be involved in determining how the available funds through the Care in Congregations® program will be used. You can help them realize this privilege of membership by developing ways to get member input on funding decisions. You may want to begin by thinking of all the members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans within your congregation as a congregational service team just waiting to be asked! Look for ways to get their input.

Congregational coordinators in some congregations have gotten a few minutes on the agenda of the annual congregational meeting or church picnic to gather ideas for worthwhile activities. Others have held a brainstorming session after church or during a coffee hour. Still others have created informal, but effective networks within the congregation to help them identify needs that could be met through this program. Regardless of how the information is gathered, the main point is to involve members in determining how to use these funds.