For Starters — A roundup of articles on the topics of faith, finances and volunteerism

FOUNDATIONS

Harboring Heritage—A stave church replica in Minnesota pays homage to Norwegian-Christian tradition.

Hopperstad Church in Vik, Norway, is one of 28 surviving stave churches built by King Olav II in 12th century Norway. Today an exact replica stands in Moorhead, Minnesota, at the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, thanks to Fargo, North Dakota, resident Guy Paulson.

Paulson, 69, began work on the replica in 1997 after a decade of thinking about it. “I love to build things,” says Paulson. “I wanted something to do in retirement. I like a challenge.” During the next five-and-a-half years, while building the ornate structure, he visited Hopperstad twice and collected photographs and measurements to act as guides.

The project yielded an exact duplicate of the 36-foot-wide by 56-foot-long church. Lavish woodcarvings of Viking-era symbols such as dragon heads and griffins cover the face of the church porch. The roof is capped by a steeple and copper rooster weathervane. Inside, the open sanctuary has 16 staves, or posts, that lend support—and give the structure its name.

Today the church, finally completed in late 2002, is used for weddings, baptisms and special events.

—Sara Williams

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LABORS OF LOVE

A Very Special Prom—For one youth group, a mission to serve became a passion for service.

Every August, Island Lutheran Church in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, gets all dressed up for the prom. A red carpet rolls from the sidewalk to the church entrance. As guests file into the fellowship hall, the youth group stands to one side and applauds because at this prom, the teenagers are the chaperones.

Since 2003, the youth group has hosted an annual prom with members of Programs for Exceptional People (PEP)—a local nonprofit for mentally handicapped adults. The youth group also holds a biweekly Bible study for PEP members.

The youth group’s partnership with PEP was inspired by HandyCamp, a weeklong summer camp for handicapped adults where the youth began volunteering a few years ago. The camp pairs up volunteers with campers to help with even the smallest daily tasks, including dressing for the day and helping with each meal. Upon returning, says PEP prom events coordinator Kristin Beste, “we wanted to get involved in something locally that’s similar.” And they did.

Inspired by a dance held at HandyCamp, the PEP Prom has it all. Youth group and PEP members alike dress in the finest prom attire and dance together through the night. “It’s a big day for them, it makes them feel very special,” says Beste. And not only that, she continues, “they get a really big kick out of it.” PEP members look forward to the prom all year, and at the end of the night, it’s hard to get them off the dance floor.

Both HandyCamp and the prom have given Island Lutheran’s youth group a stronger connection with a group of very special people, and taught them a thing or two along the way. “It’s taught me to have more of a servant’s heart,” says Beste.

—Jonny Grubb

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HIGHER ARTS

Eye-Opening Art—Members of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd use the arts to integrate mind, soul and body during worship..

During a typical worship gathering at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Torrance, California, you might listen to a dramatic reading, watch film clips of people sharing their faith or experience a candlelit dance performance. These unique forms of worship are all part of Good Shepherd’s Creative Arts Team. Spearheaded by senior pastor the Rev. Bob Rognlien, the Creative Arts Ministry gives members with an artistic bent an opportunity to use their individual gifts—whether it be videography, poetry or even interior design—to creatively contribute to worship.

All of Good Shepherd’s services—including contemporary and Saturday services—incorporate the Arts Ministry’s work. “We are very careful not to make our art distracting but instead try to enhance the experience by stimulating the five senses,” says Kerrie Goachee, director of programming at Good Shepherd.

Last fall the team launched a yearlong emphasis on the Holy Spirit with a series called “Catch the Fire!” Members with a keen eye for design transformed the sanctuary into a work of art through “ambient art”—small and large-scale designs using fabrics, candles, lights and other materials. Other artists incorporated fire imagery in dances, dramatic sketches and video clips. Goachee is excited for the future of the arts at Good Shepherd, as each new service brings more opportunities for creative worship. “Each series begins as a blank canvas,” she says. “We always try to look at it with fresh eyes.”

—Erika Lewis

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MOVING FORWARD

Leaving a Legacy—A generous gift honors the wishes of a pastor’s late wife.

Three years ago, as the Rev. Victor Myers and his wife, Bonnie, journeyed home from his 35th reunion at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, they talked about ways to give back to the institution. The following year, in 2005, the couple from Barberton, Ohio, used Myers’ funds and annuities through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to pledge $25,000 to his alma mater.

Shortly after the pledge, Bonnie died from cancer. But the Myers’ dream of supporting the seminary lived on in ways greater than either had ever imagined. Myers, 63, met with his Thrivent Financial representative, Stephanie McCarty, to talk about steps he could take to ensure future gifts for the seminary while also making certain his daughter, Heidi, would be taken care of after his death. With the assistance of McCarty, whose office is in Akron, Ohio, Myers created a $1.5 million life insurance contract that was placed into an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT). Twenty percent of his ILIT, plus his ELCA pension and additional assets, total $1.25 million and will be bequeathed to Gettysburg.

Myers wept when he learned that such a gift was possible. “Bonnie would have been truly amazed that our initial conversation and gift would lead to this kind of legacy for the benefit of the church,” he says.

—Holly O’Dell

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A LUTHERAN MOMENT

Woman and Wordsmith

WHO:Catherine Winkworth

WHERE & WHEN:Near Manchester, England, mid-1800s

WHAT:A gifted hymn translator, Catherine Winkworth published 224 hymns in a two-series compilation called “Lyra Germanica” (1855, 1858). She also translated Lutheran hymns from German to English for “The Chorale Book for England” (1863). In the book, she successfully replicated the original meters of German hymns such as “All Glory Be to God on High” and “Now Thank We All Our God.”

Winkworth not only brought German hymns to England, she was committed to caring for the sick and the poor. Later in her life, Winkworth became known for her work in campaigning for women’s access to higher education.

—Sara Williams

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SERVICE SCENE

Easy Access—The vision of one builder allows others to ramp up their freedom.

Most of us don’t give a second thought to the many stairs we climb in a day. But for those who rely on wheelchairs to get around, a church or home with a step up can mean the difference between freedom and isolation.

Arnold Park, a retired financial representative and a member of the La Salle County, Illinois, Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, saw a need for ramps in Streator, Illinois, back in 1987. He organized a small group of builders to fill this gap.

Supported, in part, by the Thrivent Financial Care Abounds in Communities^® program and the LaSalle County Chapter of Thrivent Financial, Park’s team consists of 15 retirees who work on ramp projects throughout the county. Over the last 20 years, Park’s team has constructed 522 ramps for churches, community centers and individual homes. And the ramps often do double or triple duty in their lifetimes. Park has perfected a reusable design so that each ramp can be taken down once it is no longer needed and rebuilt at a different location.

Others in the area have taken a cue from Park’s group. Chuck Holz, a member of the Marshall-Putnam County Chapter of Thrivent Financial, got on board eight years ago. “Arnold said, ‘I need to start a group over there because we’re so busy, so get yourself some guys to help.’” The ramp-building groups, which include a third group, also from the LaSalle County Chapter of Thrivent Financial, get many of their leads from the Illinois Department of Human Services and share resources.

“I never expected it to happen this way,” says Park. “But I’m thankful for it, because it gives me an outlet to do something for the people in the area and for the community.”

—Sarah Asp

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ASK THRIVENT FINANCIAL

Q: I put money away for retirement, but I never really got around to “planning.” Now that I’m retired, I have things I want to do, like travel and help my grandchildren with college. I want to use my resources wisely so I’m not a financial burden to my family later on. Is it too late to come up with a plan?

A: While it’s scary to think about running out of money in retirement, it is never too late to plan how you’ll use your income to make sure you don’t deplete your assets entirely. Asking questions—how much income you need, whether you want to leave an estate to heirs and what your other financial goals are—is a good place to start. A new retirement income program from Thrivent Financial has tools to help you evaluate your answers and provides ongoing advice to help you adjust your plans as your retirement progresses. Most important: remember, it’s never too late to get started. Your Thrivent Financial representative can help.

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