Now is a good time to begin looking for 2009 chapter leader candidates
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS
Appoint Nominating Committee for annual chapter leader election
It's hard to believe, but the time period for this year's chapter leader elections is only months away. Many leadership boards already are discussing who they can recruit to fill positions in 2009, which is great. It's never too early to start looking for potential candidates. Keeping recruitment on the front burner year-rounds helps avoid scrambling for candidates at election time.
ACTION If your leadership board hasn't done so already, please:
Begin discussions, at an upcoming chapter meeting, about recruiting candidates for this year's chapter leader elections, and
Appoint your Nominating Committee* for recruiting candidates. The Nominating Committee should review the following guidelines, which will help prevent unexpected eligibility concerns that may arise at or after the election:
Checklist to determine eligible candidates for elected positions
Checklist of messages that must be shared with candidates
Candidate must be a Thrivent Financial benefit or associate member, age 16 or older.
Candidate must be from a different household than the other elected leaders (all elected leaders must be from different households)
Chapter leadership board members must be a member of that chapter.
There must not be a conflict of interest (e.g., Thrivent Financial representatives cannot serve in an elected chapter leadership role). See Volunteer leader eligibility (conflicts of interest) in CHIP for details.
Candidates for records director and financial director positions must have Internet and e-mail access. (It is strongly recommended that all chapter leader candidates have access to and are comfortable using e-mail and the Internet.)
Candidate's skills should match the requirements of the chapter leader role (use the Understanding Your Role quick-reference guides located on the Tutorials/Quick References page of your For Chapter Leaders section).
Potential candidate must consent to being a candidate for a chapter leader position and be ready to commit to serving the entire one-year term.
Potential candidate must provide agree (verbal) to have his/her name, address, phone number and e-mail address available on www.thrivent.com to Thrivent Financial members who belong to that chapter. (See Privacy - impacts on chapter-related issues in CHIP for a detailed table showing what contact information will be on www.thrivent.com and who can see this information.)
Potential candidate must agree (verbal) to have his/her name, phone number and e-mail address posted on the chapter Web site on Lutherans Online (public site). (See Privacy - impacts on chapter-related issues for a detailed table showing what contact information will be posted on the Internet.)
Chapter leader must be a Thrivent Financial benefit or associate member, age 16 or older.
Chapter leader term is one year (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31).
A chapter leader's name, address, phone number and e-mail address will be available on www.thrivent.com to Thrivent Financial members who belong to that chapter. See Privacy - impacts on chapter-related issues in CHIP for a detailed table showing what contact information will be on www.thrivent.com and who can see this information.
A chapter leader's name, phone number and e-mail address might be automatically posted on the chapter Web site on Lutherans Online (public site). See Privacy - impacts on chapter-related issues for a detailed table showing what contact information will be posted on the Internet.
The following information is not required to be shared with candidates, but is highly recommended:
What are the role requirements (hand the candidate a position description) and expectations of the chapter.
How much time per month will be required.
What kind of training will be provided.
See Recruiting tips in CHIP for more hints, tips and resources for recruiting chapter leader candidates.
* The above information and other details about the Nominating Committee are located in CHIP, your online chapter reference guide, under Nominating Committee & Recruiting Guidelines.
Bulletin insert templates available
Two bulletin insert templates are available to help your chapter recruit people for the chapter leadership board:
To use a template, click on the link above to open the document, fill in the appropriate contact information and print. The updated copies of these templates soon will be posted on the Order Chapter Supplies page (www.thrivent.com > Members/Chapters > Chapter Leaders Only > Chapter Leadership Administration Menu > Order Chapter Supplies).
Term-limit requirement
Your leadership board also should discuss how the term-limit requirement will impact your chapter next year. Remember, chapter leaders currently serving in their fourth consecutive year (i.e., they served in an elected position on the board at any time during the year in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) are not eligible to serve in an elected chapter leadership position in 2009 or 2010, but may serve in one of the advisory positions during those two years.
Many chapters stagger the terms of their chapter leaders (e.g., elect two new members each year to replace two current leaders) and are finding that it leads to new ideas and involvement from members who normally wouldn't have volunteered—resulting in better awareness of the chapter system, which in turn leads to more help for their communities. For more details about staggering terms and the term-limit guidelines, see Term limits - stagger terms for maximum benefit in CHIP.
Questions?
If you have questions about chapter leader eligibility, please contact the Fraternal Service Center at 800-236-3736 or fraternal@thrivent.com.
Six simple steps for reporting your JOIN HANDS DAY activities
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS
Follow step-by-step instructions to ensure quick, easy and correct reporting
ACTION REQUIRED: Soon after eligible Thrivent chapter JOIN HANDS DAY activities are conducted, remember to report the results in the Chapter Leadership Administration Area on www.thrivent.com. If you do not report the activities online, our records will show that none of your $1,000 of JOIN HANDS DAY seed money was used by your chapter.
Reporting is easy, but it's different from reporting Care Abounds in Communities® activities Before reporting the JOIN HANDS DAY activity results, review the step-by-step instructions located on the Join Hands Day page in your For Chapter Leaders section online (www.thrivent.com > Members/Chapters > For Chapter Leaders) and linked to below.
JOIN HANDS DAY activities are not reported the same way you report Care Abounds in Communities® activities. The guide will help you to quickly, easily and correctly complete the six simple steps for reporting JOIN HANDS DAY activities. It also includes important reminders such as only reporting those expenses covered by the $1,000 of JOIN HANDS DAY seed money available to your chapter. (Do not report expenses that were paid by someone else.)
After reviewing the instructions, if you still aren't sure how to report the activity correctly, please don't guess. Before reporting anything, call the Fraternal Service Center at 800-236-3736 and a customer service advocate will be happy to help you with reporting the activity.
More time allowed to update chapter meeting minutes
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS
Chapters now can update minutes 120 days after original entry date
Based on constructive feedback from chapter leaders, the length of time a chapter can update the online chapter meeting minutes after the original entry date is 120 days. Previously, the system only allowed 30 days.
Reminder: Chapters can nominate candidates for 2008 national board of directors election
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS
May 31 deadline to submit nominations
This year, three benefit members will be elected to the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Board of Directors to serve four-year terms. Between April 1 and May 31, chapters have the opportunity to nominate candidates for the 2008 national election of the board of directors.
Nomination guidelines
Chapters wishing to nominate candidates must do so at chapter meetings held between April 1 and May 31, 2008. Nominations made at meetings held outside of this period will not be accepted.
The following materials will help you with the nomination process:
If your chapter chooses to submit a nomination, please get permission from the nominee. Then complete the Call for Nominations form in full and submit it via U.S. Mail postmarked no later than May 31, 2008. Nominations submitted in any other manner will not be accepted. Send the form to:
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Attn: Teresa J. Rasmussen, Corporate Secretary
625 Fourth Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Remember, the nomination(s) must occur at a chapter meeting.
Please have the nominee complete the Biographical Information form and submit it to the same address as above no later than June 16, 2008. All nominees must submit this biographical information.
Questions?
If you have questions about the nomination process, please contact Cindy Nigbur at cindy.nigbur@thrivent.com or 800-THRIVENT, ext. 38322.
Top of pageThe following articles also are posted for congregational coordinators.
Awareness of what we do is best way to gain support from elected officials
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS AND CONGREGATIONAL COORDINATORS
Use helpful tools and resources when inviting elected officials to your chapter events
Thrivent Financial’s not-for-profit status enables our members, through participation with their local chapters, to make a difference in our communities. Therefore, it’s critical that Thrivent Financial and our chapters are supported by elected officials both locally and nationally — they have tremendous influence over our ability to serve our members and communities.
Elected officials who come to know our organization and what we do are likely to
support us. Therefore, local contact at the chapter level is the single most important thing we can do to ensure that elected officials continue to support us.
If we take simple steps to invite elected officials to chapter-hosted activities (e.g., JOIN HANDS DAY activities, chapter member events, chapter election meetings), we can go a long way toward ensuring that Thrivent Financial can provide the dollars and resources our members can use to improve lives and communities.
Note to congregational coordinators: If you are involved in or know of a Thrivent chapter activity that you feel would be a great opportunity for building awareness among elected officials, please notify your chapter leadership board and ask about the possibility of inviting elected officials to the activity.
Whom can you invite during an election year? During an election year, it is appropriate to forgo inviting incumbents or challengers in particularly divisive races, or inviting any candidate close to election day. Please keep the following guidelines in mind as you consider inviting election officials during an election year:
Incumbent (current holder of a political office) – The incumbent can be the sole invite or can be invited along with other candidates for his or her office.
Non-incumbent (running for office but not the current office holder) – The non-incumbent can be invited only if all other candidates for the office also are invited (i.e., he or she cannot be the sole invite).
No candidate (incumbent or non-incumbent) can actively campaign or give political speeches at the event, nor can the event be a fundraiser for any candidate.
Tools available to help chapter leaders invite elected officials to chapter activities
Several tools are available to help chapter leaders identify and contact elected officials, which will help increase this critical awareness of how your chapter helps to improve lives and communities:
A link to a Web site to easily find the names of elected officials in your area.
Five simple steps that covers creating a list, prioritizing events, sending the invitations, follow-up, and sending a thank-you. This section includes sample invitation wording that you can copy and paste to get you started.
Helpful hints on what to do when elected officials attend your event.
Other tips and hints to make the process easier for you.
CHIP, your online chapter reference guide provides guidelines and tips for inviting elected officials, as well as background on its importance.
Questions?
If you have questions about inviting elected officials to chapter events, or need some additional hints and tips, please contact Maria Gaulin at 800-236-3736, ext. 3533, or maria.gaulin@thrivent.com.
Volunteer Excellence Award recipients live out Thrivent Financial’s mission
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS AND CONGREGATIONAL COORDINATORS
This year’s national recipients announced as part of National Volunteer Week
If you want to see excellent examples of Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s mission of caring for others, look no further than this year’s Volunteer Excellence Award (VEA) recipients.
Among the 12 VEA recipients honored during this National Volunteer Week, four are members who make a significant difference volunteering with Thrivent chapters, both in their congregations and their communities. They, along with four Thrivent Financial representatives (FRs) and four corporate employees, have demonstrated their commitment to helping others around them.
“Each year, as an organization, we’re consistently amazed at the vast amount of impact that Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s members, employees and financial representatives have on their communities,” says Brad Hewitt, who leads Fraternal Operations. “We applaud their generosity, commitment and dedication to the mission of Thrivent Financial.”
Congratulations to the following members who were chosen as this year's national recipients in the four member categories (click on the names to read more about their volunteer activities and accomplishments in 2007):
Matt Wilhelm, Northeast Region; New Hampshire Chapter, Youth Category
Bill Manth, Northeast Region; Niagara Falls Chapter, Adult Category
Marie Waltermire, Pennsylvania Region; Somerset County Chapter, Retired Category
Each recipient receives a cash award to donate to the nonprofit organization(s) of his or her choice. They also will be recognized at an awards banquet on Aug. 6 in Minneapolis.
See thrivent.com to read about other recipients
Go to our Volunteer Excellence Award page on www.thrivent.com (Fraternal Programs > Volunteer Excellence Award) to:
See the list of regional member recipients of the Volunteer Excellence Award for each of the four member categories. The national recipients were chosen from this pool of regional recipients.
Congratulations to our national and regional recipients, and thanks to all of you for the great work you do with and through Thrivent Financial to help individuals, families, congregations and communities.
Watch a 'Blitz Build' live on www.thriventbuilds.com next week
—·FOR
CHAPTER LEADERS AND CONGREGATIONAL COORDINATORS
Two Thrivent Builds homes will be framed in one week during special event in Milwaukee
If you are curious how a Habitat for Humanity "blitz build" is done (building the entire house in one week), go to www.thriventbuilds.com between May 5 and 9 next week to see a live video of two homes being framed during those days.
The "blitz build" is one of many events taking place during "Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity Week" in Milwaukee, which begins Monday. Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are hosting this special week that will make a tremendous impact on partner families, volunteers and the community. [Read more details about the events]
Action Requested: Share with congregational champions and members Please pass information about the “blitz build” live video to your Thrivent Builds congregational champions and to Thrivent Financial members. It's a fun opportunity for them to see how a build is done and watch fellow members making a difference. And, it's a great way to get people to our Web site to learn more about Thrivent Builds and how they can be part of something special.
