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

Higher Arts

An Artful Life - Liturgical artist Robert Aldern expresses his faith through art.

In his 55-plus year career as a professional artist, Robert Aldern has painted murals and landscapes, designed furniture, pulpits and baptismal fonts, and painted on everything from brick walls to redwood flooring. But whether wearing the hat of painter, designer or professor, the 78-year-old Thrivent Financial for Lutherans member has dedicated his life to the beautification of the world around him.

Known for his unique style of liturgical art, Aldern received his first commission to paint a church mural from Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1959. Nearly half a century later, more than 60 churches, schools and offices in Sioux Falls and beyond boast Robert Aldern originals.

“He has a very strong faith,” says Aldern’s wife, Joey, “and to be able to express it in his artwork and encourage others in that way has been his drive.”

Though Parkinson’s disease has slowed his hands in recent years, Aldern makes almost daily trips to his studio on the Augustana College campus in Sioux Falls, where he is currently artist-in-residence. He also continues to take on new work. In fact, Our Savior’s has commissioned him once again to do a piece in celebration of their 60th anniversary.

“We keep saying, ‘no more,’” laughs Joey, “but, it’s good for him to keep going.”

—Sarah Asp Olson

Learn more about Robert Aldern’s works.

Referrals for card and print sales should go to the following:

EastBank COOP and Gallery
Sioux Falls, SD 605-977-2667

Readers can order cards only at The Center for Western Studies

Phone: 605-274-4007
E-mail: cws@augie.edu 

A PDF with a full listing of images and prices is available by request via e-mail only to tresgatosinc@comcast.net.

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Labors of Love

Picture of Comfort - An innovative personal touch helps reinforce family ties for those who are apart.

For the children and spouses of deployed military personnel, the months—sometimes years—that loved ones are deployed can be filled with longing, loneliness and sleepless nights. And though nothing can take the place of having Mom, Dad, husband or wife back home, the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (SJAFB) in Goldsboro, North Carolina, has developed a way for airmen and their families to hold each other close, even when oceans divide them.

Through the Readiness Emergency Sleep Tool or REST, Tech Sergeant Cindy Hartsfield, the officer in charge of the program, prints out photos of military personnel and iron-transfers them onto pillowcases and T-shirts to give to deployed airmen and their families. That way, children and spouses can sleep easier with their loved one beside them. Young children receive infant T-shirts with Mom’s or Dad’s picture so they can put it on a favorite stuffed animal and carry it everywhere. “It is something tangible that they can hug and talk to,” says Hartsfield.

When the Neuse River Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans heard about REST, which is supported by donations, they stepped up to help as part of their Join Hands Day project for 2006. Four of Neuse River’s six churches and their youth groups pooled financial resources, purchasing T-shirts and pillowcases and delivering them to SJAFB.

“I thought it sounded like a wonderful idea to be able to keep your family close by during deployment,” says Catherine Schweizer, who was Neuse River’s financial director when the project was implemented.

—Sarah Asp Olson

To make a donation to the REST program at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina, send checks made payable to “Friends of Airmen and Family Readiness Program” with REST program in the memo line to:

4 MSS/DPF
1200 Wright Brothers Ave.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
NC 27531

Or call: 919-722-1123

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A Lutheran Moment

Lutherans on the Hill

When the 110th Congress opened session on Jan. 4, 2007, nearly 3.4 percent of the seats were held by Lutheran senators and representatives. Rookie representatives Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) join the group of 18 Lutherans seated in both houses and on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. The group, which boasts three senators and 15 representatives, also includes veteran Norman Dicks (D-Wash.), who is in his 16th house term and has the distinction of being the longest-serving Lutheran representative.

View a complete list of Lutherans on the Hill.

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Fast Fact

Food for Thought

When we age, we just naturally grow more forgetful—right? Wrong! According to the Alzheimer’s Association, recent studies have shown that memory loss is not a normal side effect of aging—it can be prevented. Some of the same behaviors you may have adopted for weight management and a healthy heart may be just as good for your brain and could even stave off the development of Alzheimer’s or dementia as you age. Here are a few keys to keeping a healthy mind:

Get Moving!
Maintaining a healthy weight and getting daily physical activity tones your brain and your body. Studies show that people with high cholesterol and high blood pressure are six times more likely to develop dementia.

Eat Right!
A diet low in saturated fat (the bad kind: think animal fats or anything fried) and higher in mono- and poly-unsaturated fats (these are the good guys: think olive oil, nuts and fish) can boost brain health and keep your arteries free flowing.

Get Involved!
Socially active individuals have a greater chance of staving off dementia, especially when social interactions center on a physical activity—like a sports team or walking club.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

Learn more about Alzheimer’s at www.alz.org.

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Service Scene

Small Town, Big Hearts - Chapter event in Creighton, Nebraska, raised more than $16,000 for a girl in need.

As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” But for the residents of Creighton, Nebraska, it also takes a village to save one. Community members sprang into action when they heard about Kelsey Berglund, an 18-year-old girl with Hodgkin’s disease. The town of about 1,200 attracted 1,250 people to a fundraiser that ultimately brought in $16,500.

When Kelsey’s teachers heard about her situation, they decided to organize a bake sale. Zion Lutheran Church got involved, and the event grew to include a dinner and silent auction. Volunteers enlisted the help of the Antelope-Knox County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, placed notices in church bulletins and contacted churches in surrounding towns.

Organizers hoped for a good turnout, but the final count was “mind-boggling,” says John Binger, communications director for the Antelope-Knox County Chapter. “There was a block-long line of people, and it just stayed that way until it was over.”

Through the Care Abounds in Communities® program, Thrivent Financial contributed $1,000 to the $15,500 raised as a result of the event. The family used the funds for travel expenses to and from the University of Nebraska Hospital in Omaha, where Kelsey continues to receive treatments.

And, Creighton residents haven’t stopped giving. Within a month of Kelsey’s fundraiser, they joined forces with Thrivent Financial to host another event for two young boys whose father died in a car accident. The community raised another $15,000. “We’re giving people,” Binger says. “In a small town, it seems like whenever there’s a chance for someone to help out, they do.”

—Kara Eliason

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Moving Forward

Taking Control - A California woman finds financial security and personal empowerment as a single parent.

Amy Yazzetta, the mother of two teenaged sons, needed to look out for their future and adjust to her newfound role as a single parent after experiencing a divorce in 2003. Though she felt unsure and unsettled, she knew the first step was to get her financial house in order. “I no longer had my husband’s benefits and retirement to rely on,” recalls Yazzetta, now 52.

Members of Yazzetta’s church, Salem Lutheran in Glendale, California, recommended that she consult with Melanie Meyer, a Thrivent Financial representative based in Burbank. Yazzetta, who manages a store and is a partner in a music-instruction company, came to Meyer with her share of funds from the settlement. She also had her own IRA, her sole source of retirement funds because her jobs do not offer a pension plan or 401(k).

Yazzetta admits that she knew very little about the financial tools and resources available to her when she met Meyer, but that quickly changed. After outlining the merits of a moderate asset allocation fund, Meyer also suggested that Yazzetta purchase life, disability income and long-term care insurance to protect her assets and provide for her sons.

Crediting Meyer for empowering her with information to make choices for her and her family, Yazzetta has been able to create a more secure financial future. “I have such confidence in her,” Yazzetta says. “I know she has my best interests at heart.”

—Holly O’Dell

Ask Thrivent Financial

Q: I recently completed the ThriveQ questionnaire. Now what do I do?

A: Your ThriveQ score gives you a glimpse of your personal readiness for retirement and recommends actions, financial and personal, to help you reach your goals.
 
For instance, you may need to spend more time thinking about what you want to do in retirement—do you want to travel the world, start a new business or spend time volunteering?

Or, your ThriveQ recommendations might suggest giving more thought to which charities you want to support, or how much of an inheritance you want to leave for your children. A conversation with your financial representative can ensure that you have the financial programs in place to support all your goals.

ThriveQ is also a way to check up on your progress over the years. If you saved your score, you can go back and take the quiz again to see if you’ve made progress toward your retirement vision. You can even request a reminder to let you know when it’s time to take the quiz again.

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Foundations

Natural Beauty - St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Columbus, Indiana, is a testament to the unifying power of good design.

The tall copper spire of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church stands like a beacon on the Columbus, Indiana, skyline, welcoming lifelong parishioners and newcomers to enjoy its simple beauty. Not only is the church a work of art, but its innovative design makes it a perfect gathering space for worship and fellowship.

Designed by Latvian architect Gunnar Birkerts and completed in 1988, one of the most striking elements of the church is the circle-within-a-circle design that creates its inner and outer sanctuaries. “When you sit in the smaller circle, you get a small church feeling,” says David Florine, director of operations for St. Peter’s. “When you are in the larger circle, you can have a sense of full worship.” The two sanctuaries give parishioners a space that is both community-oriented and an intimate place to worship.

The lighting in the church is also distinctive. “Birkerts is very well-known for his manipulation of natural light,” says David Force, a local architect who worked with Birkerts on St. Peter’s. “The church is remarkably simple; the light comes in from different angles, which tends to soften and modulate it.” The sunlight pouring through large windows, combined with the sanctuary’s tall ceilings, white walls and clear-finished maple accents, makes the space seem almost heavenly, according to Florine. “The sun washes over the building at different times of the service,” he says. “St. Peter’s really feels like a house of God.”

—Erika Lewis

Read More
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Columbus, Indiana, is just one of several notable pieces of architecture in the city.