Thrivent Financial News — A roundup of news and features

The Past and Future John Gilbert

Reduced facilities debt. Additional financial aid for students. Investments in technology infrastructure. These are just some of the ways Lutheran organizations have benefited from additional dollars available to them through the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans GivingPlus® program.

Thrivent Financial recognizes the positive, powerful difference that Lutheran organizations make in people’s lives. That’s why Thrivent Financial created GivingPlus—a unique program that helps members increase the impact of their support to Lutheran organizations.

Thrivent Financial members age 16 and older can donate to two different enrolled Lutheran organizations each year. Thrivent Financial contributes $1 for every $2 a member donates to Lutheran organizations enrolled in the GivingPlus program, up to the program maximums. To take advantage of this unique member opportunity, simply complete the GivingPlus Member Gift Form postcard insert located between pages 8 and 9 in this magazine, and send it along with your donation to the enrolled Lutheran organization of your choice.

For more information about GivingPlus or to obtain another copy of the GivingPlus Member Gift Form, visit www.thrivent.com/fraternal/churchcommunity/index.html and click on GivingPlus Program.

Many investors strive to keep their portfolios diversified as their assets change in value, but few have the time or ability for regular maintenance. Now help is here, courtesy of four new Thrivent Investment Management Inc. mutual funds.

The Thrivent Asset Allocation Funds give investors the benefit of important investment principles—allocation, diversification and reallocation—by catering to each person’s unique investment goals and risk comfort levels, from moderately conservative to aggressive. These funds align with the Thrivent Financial Advisory Process, which provides members a well-diversified investment program with ongoing monitoring and refinement. The four funds are the Thrivent Aggressive Allocation Fund, the Thrivent Moderately Aggressive Allocation Fund, the Thrivent Moderate Allocation Fund and the Thrivent Moderately Conservative Allocation Fund.

“These new funds have been created to provide our investors with additional investment choices that align with their unique values and needs,” says Russell Swansen, chief investment officer at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “A key advantage is the simplicity of having just one decision to make and one investment to track.”

Each fund consists of a different mix of securities allocated to meet the specific goals of the fund. This mix creates diversification, which helps provide balance in the fund. The investments within the funds are evaluated quarterly by the Thrivent Investment Strategy Committee, and adjustments are made as needed to help better guide investors through ever-changing market conditions

For more information, talk to your Thrivent Financial representative. As a registered representative of Thrivent Investment Management, he or she will work with you to assess your current financial situation, your long-term goals and risk comfort level. Contact information for your financial representative can be found on the back page of this magazine.

Investing in a mutual fund involves risks, including the possible loss of principal. The prospectus contains more complete information on the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the investment company, which investors should read and consider carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus, contact a registered representative or visit www.thrivent.com.

Other NEW Funds
Thrivent Investment Management has also launched the Thrivent Partner Small Cap Growth Fund, Thrivent Partner Mid Cap Value Fund and the Thrivent Real Estate Securities Fund.

Time to Measure Your Insurance Needs

If you died tomorrow, who would take care of your family’s financial needs? Would they be able to continue living in the same home and community? Would your children be able to attend the same schools? Would they be able to pay day-to-day expenses?

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, a national event that encourages everyone—whether single or married, young or old—to take stock of their life insurance needs. More than 100 insurance companies and other industry groups participate in the annual national campaign coordinated by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE).

Life insurance is a cornerstone of a sound financial program. It can give you peace of mind knowing that, if you die, you can help provide for the people and organizations you care about and pass on a memorable legacy for the future.

According to a 2004 consumer survey conducted by LIMRA International, 50 percent of households own some individual life insurance. But in many cases it’s not enough. Life insurance is one way to protect you and your family’s financial future. “Too often, people forget common sense and worry about the present with no regard to the future,” says Bill Schiber, a Thrivent Financial associate in Collinsville, Illinois.

To learn more about life insurance and to determine your needs, contact your Thrivent Financial representative. His or her name and phone number can be found by visiting www.thrivent.com/locate. More information also is available at www.thrivent.com/insurance/life.

The purpose of our work is to help donors put their values into action,” says Executive Director Chris Andersen of the Lutheran Community Foundation, which turns 10 this year.

“Over the last 10 years, we have helped 2,200 donors—individuals and families—create charitable funds to benefit more than 3,000 Lutheran and non-Lutheran charities throughout the United States and abroad.” More than $474 million in outright and deferred gifts has been given to these charitable funds, with each gift working to achieve effective, positive and lasting change throughout the Lutheran community.

Created to assist Thrivent Financial members in integrating their charitable goals into an overall financial program, the LCF is a pan-Lutheran, faith-based community foundation that strives to serve donors, change lives and spread joy. The foundation offers donor-advised funds, scholarship funds and perpetual funds for individuals as well as endowment funds for organizations and congregations. Thrivent Financial has supported this organization throughout the last decade, and Thrivent Financial representatives work closely with the LCF to serve members’ charitable interests.

For more information, call the Lutheran Community Foundation at 800-365-4172 or visit www.TheLCF.org.

The Thrivent Financial Board of Directors has recommended changes to the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Articles of Incorporation. If you are a benefit member of Thrivent Financial, you have the opportunity to vote on these recommended amendments. Information and ballots were included in the Fall 2005 issue of Thrivent magazine, which are currently being mailed to members. For more information on the amendments, click here. If you did not receive your ballot and would like to vote or if you have questions on the amendments, please call 800-236-3736.

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