If you see a need in your congregation that could be helped through this funding, please contact a Thrivent Financial congregational coordinator in your congregation. If you don't know who your congregational coordinators are, please contact a member of our chapter leadership board as noted in this newsletter, and he/she will help you get in touch with a coordinator.

Last year we were able to help Bethlehem with church property clean up.  Redeemer also made a lot of improvements, and our chapter provided many buckets of paint for that project.  St. Matthew received funds for grounds and building maintenance and for their youth group building.  

Thirty-four out of 72 chapters in our region earned the excellence award in 2006.  Thrivent Financial corporation gave our chapter $7.023, but through various fundraising efforts we were able to increase that to disperse $19,425 to local, national, and international charities.

We encourage you to participate in the eighth annual JOIN HANDS DAY on Saturday, May 5, 2007. This national day of volunteering is sponsored by America's fraternal benefit societies, including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, to generate awareness about the impact of grassroots volunteerism. It encourages youth and adults to come together to identify, plan and conduct activities to improve their communities.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and our members strongly support the purpose of this special day and the impact it has on communities nationwide. Last year, youth and adult members conducted nearly 3,000 activities across the country. The ideas were limited only by the imagination.

We were able to build several playhouses for Habitot last year, and we had such a good response from our volunteers and the recipients that we've decided to do the same project this year.  Time and place are to be determined, but we hope you'll reserve the date on your calendar.  We'll get the information to you as soon as we can!

Tell your family, friends and congregation about this day, then "join hands" and see the power of volunteeerism grow!

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.

Chapter leaders do just that with the Care Abounds in Communities® program! The only requirements are: being a Thrivent Financial member; a desire to help people; and five to 15 hours per month volunteer time (depending on the position).

Through Thrivent Financial's GivingPlus® program, members can donate financial gifts to two different Lutheran organizations enrolled in the program each year, and Thrivent Financial will contribute $1 for every $2, up to $300 per year for each organization. For example, if you donate gifts of $600 or more to two eligible Lutheran organizations each, Thrivent Financial will contribute an additional $600 ($300 for each organization). In addition, Thrivent Financial will contribute an additional $25 for members who volunteer 25 hours or more at the organization receiving their gift.

All you need to do is complete a GivingPlus Member Gift form (available online or from the Lutheran organization) and submit it with your donation to the Lutheran organization. It's a very simple process.

For complete details and guidelines about this one-of-a-kind member benefit program and for copies of the Member Gift form, go to www.thrivent.com/fraternal/churchcommunity/givingplus.html.