Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Corporate News - Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Salvation Army Heretics:
Your Thrivent Premiums at Work

Their all-religion stained glass window.
Does anyone wonder why Appleton Lutherans are so mixed up?



Corporate News - Thrivent Financial for Lutherans


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Another $125,000 match in the making this year

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announces $125,000 Red Kettle Match Day Challenge



APPLETON, Wis. (Nov. 17, 2010) – On Dec. 3, quarters dropped into The Salvation Army red kettles throughout the Fox Cities, Wisc. could result in a quarter-million dollar contribution, thanks to the seventh-annual Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Red Kettle Match Day Challenge.

Thrivent Financial will match donations dollar for dollar up to $125,000 at more than 50 Fox Cities Salvation Army red kettles on Friday, Dec. 3. If all $125,000 is matched this year, Thrivent Financial and the Fox Cities community will hold the national record for Salvation Army giving a third-consecutive year. Thrivent Financial’s Red Kettle Match Day Challenge remains the largest matching day event for The Salvation Army.

This pledge sets the stage for an even bigger challenge to the community - repeating the results from the historic match days that occurred in 2008 and 2009, when community contributions, combined with the Thrivent Financial match, set and maintained the national record for single-day giving for The Salvation Army.

Match day tradition approaches $1.5 million mark
Thanks to community response each year, what started as a $25,000 match grant in 2004 has increased to $125,000 in 2008, 2009 and 2010. According to The Salvation Army, it is also the largest continuous community match day in the United States.

To date, Thrivent Financial match days have generated nearly $1.3 million. A full $125,000 match would bring that amount to over $1.5 million.

“Thrivent’s Red Kettle challenge inspires people to give generously,” said Peter Gianopoulos of Thrivent Financial. “We know that the funds raised help the Salvation Army serve many people in need – and that strengthens our community for everyone.”

Employee, community volunteers
Bell ringers play an instrumental role in the success of the Thrivent Financial Red Kettle Match Day as donations are much greater when a volunteer is present.

Thrivent Financial employees will be among those volunteering to ring bells in the community and
(more)
at area Thrivent Financial facilities on Dec. 3. This will also be the fifth year for the Thrivent Financial “Red Kettle Idol” contest. “Red Kettle Idol” is a friendly, festive competition for Thrivent Financial employees to help trigger donors to drop a few more coins and bills into the red kettle.
Participants will showcase their talents by singing or playing holiday songs, demonstrating unusual skills or simply dressing up in holiday costumes.

Thrivent Financial employee Sue Uitenbroek was on a winning team in last year’s Red Kettle Idol competition, dressed as a mismatched Christmas present in a group called the “Musical Misfits.” She encourages anyone in the community to get involved in bell ringing on this year’s match day and throughout the holiday season.

“Ringing the bells is rewarding in so many ways,” Uitenbroek said. “It’s a great feeling to spread holiday cheer and see the outpouring of support come from community members at the kettles, and it’s a lot of fun.”

How to donate, ring bells
There are several ways to donate to The Salvation Army – Fox Cities red kettles - either in person at one of 50 sites across the Fox Cities, online at www.safoxcities.org or by calling 920-734-3324.

To become a bell-ringer, you can sign up for a kettle site at www.safoxcities.org or call the bell-ringer coordinator at 920-955-1225. Those interested can also host a virtual kettle online to encourage friends and family to contribute.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the Christian church. As a faith based organization, The Salvation Army also provides physical aid such as food, clothing and shelter, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Nearly 29 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army - Fox Cities has been located in Appleton since 1917. They serve the Fox Valley area in Neenah, Menasha, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Combined Locks, Larsen, Grand Chute, Little Chute, Appleton and Darboy. The Salvation Army - Fox Cites is not a participating United Way agency. For more information visit us on the web at safoxcities.org

About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit, Fortune 500 financial services membership organization helping approximately 2.6 million members achieve financial security and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial and its affiliates offer a broad range of financial products and services including life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, disability income insurance, bank products and more. As a not-for-profit organization, Thrivent Financial creates and supports national outreach programs and activities that help congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. Also, you can find us on Facebook andTwitter. 

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GJ - LCMS, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic) support the Salvation Army, which is a church teaching heretical ideas about Christ.

But they do a lot of good things.


And they have jumped into Church Growth too, so they must be good.