Thrivent Action Teams
If you are a Thrivent member you MAY have up to TWO Thrivent Action Teams available to you EACH YEAR. Each action team is designed to bring volunteers together and provides $250 in seed money to complete each project (plus awesome t-shirts).
Consider using one or both of your Thrivent Action Teams to benefit LOMC!
Take a look below at our current needs and fill out the simple form below to let us know you can help. You will need to log into your Thrivent account to see if your profile/account has Action Teams available.
This Is Not the Official THRIVENT Web Page
To help other organizations, please visit Thrivent directly.
From Thrivent’s Website:
Thrivent Action Teams make it easy to live generously. It starts with a simple question: “Who can I help and how?”
Next, identify a community need and grab friends and family to form a volunteer team and brainstorm ways to address it. Thrivent provides a customized kit of resources to kick-start your fundraiser, educational event or service project. Your team provides the people power to bring it to life.
How To Help Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center
- Pick a Thrivent Action Team idea from below or come up with a new idea.
- Fill out LOMC’s form so we know who is creating which Thrivent Action Team.
- Sometimes we have more than one person submitting the same Action Team and one will get rejected.
- We will get back to you promptly to let you know if everything is a GO on our end.
- Go to Thrivent’s website, login and submit your Action Team.
- Thrivent wants Action Team leaders to be involved in the project.
- Thrivent prefers the Action Team kit be sent to the Team Leader.
- Feel free to add t-shirts and other items as a part of the Action Team. LOMC will use them.
Health and Safety
Property
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center in Oregon, IL needs help in directing guests. Some existing signs are too weathered to read and additional signs are needed to direct guests.
The seed money would be used to purchase both permanently installed and lawn signs that will greatly help visitors know where to go.
Volunteers will taking down old signs and assembling and installing new signs around the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center property.
In a very rural area, electrical power issues cause thousands of dollars of damage to equipment due to brownouts and power outages. At Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center, volunteers and staff have drawn up plans to protect equipment including: ice machines, fridges and computer equipment.
The seed money would be used to purchase surge protectors and devices to regulate voltage.
Volunteers will removing old (worn out) devices and installing the necessary equipment to keep LOMC’s electric and electronic equipment safer.
LOMC would like to turn grass on the slope between the pool and the Moline Dining Hall into native prairie.
Type of Project? Service Activity
Cause? Camps/Outdoor Ministry/Retreat Centers
How are you involved? Mark any that apply
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center is looking to turn a grass area into native prairie lands. A small space on a slope is currently seeded with grass and needs to be mowed constantly. Turning this area into a prairie area is better for the environment, restores prairie plants back into the area and provides an educational opportunity for visitors of all ages to LOMC. LOMC will be working with a local prairie grasslands group for guidance and resources. Volunteers will be working this multi-year project to remove the current/grass plants, replant with prairie seed and tend the ground and plants during growing season.
Associated with a church? No
Associated with an organization? Yes (search for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center)
Community Impact Card: Select $250
How will the card be used? Select Supplies. The seed money will be used to purchase tools and supplies needed to plant the new prairie.
T- Shirts: Select any amount of shirts you would like. You can select up to 25 sizes.
Other promotional Items: Select any items you would like. We love using notebooks!
Address: You can have the kit shipped directly to LOMC!
1834 S IL ROUTE 2
OREGON IL 61061
Technology
LOMC has a handful of buildings that could use some security features. The retreat center already has the equipment to handle more cameras (in part thanks to a prior Action Team) and the addition of a few more cameras will help keep things safer.
The seed money will be used to help purchase a camera to be installed on a building at the retreat center.
Volunteers will be ordering and installing the cameras at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center.
LOMC has many buildings that have wifi internet but there are a few outdoor areas that could benefit from having wifi. Some groups (churches, youth groups, etc.) often meet at LOMC’s pole barn or campground pavilion and ask if there is internet. This project will help us provide internet for groups to show presentations, stream video and more.
The seed money will be used to purchase outdoor wifi access points for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center’s Pole Barn and Tent & Trailer Pavilion.
Volunteers will be helping purchase the items and then installing them onsite.
LOMC has a good computer network and a few pieces of equipment are older and needing to be upgraded to make technology flow in outdoor ministry.
The seed money will be used to purchase a new Ethernet switch to help keep information moving along.
Volunteers will be helping purchase the items and then installing them onsite.
Program Needs
What type of project?: Education
Which cause?: Camps/outdoor ministries/retreat centers
Tell us how you will be involved in leading your project?: Check all that apply.
Actions and Outcomes: As an outdoor ministry, LOMC is putting together a program to help people learn more about the birds of northern Illinois. The team will be creating resources, purchasing and caring for educational resources and teaching people to love and respect the birds around us.
Associated with a church?: No
Associated with a specific organization?: Yes – Search for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center
Community Action Card?: Yes – select $250
Supplies
The seed money will be used to create educational resources to learn about birds as well as helping purchase an interactive bird feeder to observe birds up close.
T- Shirts: LOMC has quite a few already but feel free to select a few sizes to keep or give to LOMC.
Other Items: We love the small notepads!
Shipping: The easiest method is to have the box shipped directly to LOMC.
1834 S IL Route 2
Oregon IL 61061
This project involves us gathering items to put in a campfire kit to be used by families at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center. The kit will include everything from firestarters, lighters, campfire stories, family faith questions and more. Families will be able to to use the kit to have their own campfire complete with activities.
The seed money will be used to purchase all the items for the campfire kit including a bin to place the items into,.
The plan is for volunteers to purchase and volunteer items and then have them assemble the kit to be used at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center.
What type of project?: Service Activity
Which cause?: Camps/outdoor ministries/retreat centers
Tell us how you will be involved in leading your project?: Check all that apply.
Actions and Outcomes: LOMC is wanting to hold crafting retreats at its ministry location. Volunteers will be setting up and leading retreat for those wanting to find a peaceful place of community and working on their favorite crafting projects. The team will be helping promote the event(s), hosting groups and finding new ways to make participants feel equipped and comfortable.
Associated with a church?: No
Associated with a specific organization?: Yes – Search for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center
Community Action Card?: Yes – select $250
Promotion, Supplies
The seed money will be used for publicity and to purchase equipment to help participants with their crafting such as power outlets and desk lamps.
T- Shirts: LOMC has quite a few already but feel free to select a few sizes to keep or give to LOMC.
Other Items: We love the small notepads!
Shipping: The easiest method is to have the box shipped directly to LOMC.
1834 S IL Route 2
Oregon IL 61061
We are looking to create a Thrivent Action Team that helps LOMC (Oregon, IL) rebuild its fishing program. LOMC has a large pond stocked with fish and many guests enjoy the sport of fishing. A team is needed to repair old fishing equipment and set up new equipment as well as teach guests the basics of fishing.
The seed money will be used to purchase supplies to repair old rods and reels, purchase new poles and lures as well as seed money for creating a program to teach newcomers on how to fish.
The plan is for volunteers to help with the fixing and setting up of equipment and teaching guests on how to use the equipment.
This project involves gathering creating a geocache program at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (Oregon, IL) so that guests can hike the property to learn more about LOMC and discover special items in the hidden caches.
The seed money will be used to purchase waterproof container and small prizes to be put into the cache containers. Special handouts will also be created to share with LOMC guests that they will use to help them find the various geocaches.
The plan is for volunteers to purchase the supplies for each geocache, map the locations, create the handout and hide the geocaches around the LOMC property.
What type of project?: Education
Which cause?: Camps/outdoor ministries/retreat centers
Tell us how you will be involved in leading your project?: Check all that apply.
Actions and Outcomes: LOMC is gathering a team to create an interpretive nature trail for visitors and guests to learn more about God’s creation all around the camp’s site. We are working to have a trail with various stations/kiosks where people of all ages can learn about the flora, fauna and geology of the immediate area. Volunteers will be creating nature and scripture resources that will be housed in the trail kiosks that hikers can take advantage of.
Associated with a church?: No
Associated with a specific organization?: Yes – Search for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center
Community Action Card?: Yes – select $250
Supplies
The seed money will be used to help purchase the kiosks and producing materials that hikers can use to learn more about birds, animals, plants and more.
T- Shirts: LOMC has quite a few already but feel free to select a few sizes to keep or give to LOMC.
Other Items: We love the small notepads!
Shipping: The easiest method is to have the box shipped directly to LOMC.
1834 S IL Route 2
Oregon IL 61061
The Nelson Program Center is a year-round building at LOMC primarily used by children and youth. The multi-purpose building could use some new resources to teach everyone about God’s natural world. We want to add books and other resources to help us in teaching about the environment.
The seed money will go towards purchasing books, kits and other educational resources.
Volunteers will be sorting older resources and helping lead environmental activities with groups.
Retreat Cabins
LOMC has two wonderful meeting buildings adjacent to the cabins but it needs some decorative improvements. LOMC would like to hang photos that have been taken around the property to brighten their Perch and Roost buildings.
The seed money will help purchase canvas prints to hang in both buildings.
Volunteers will be ordering the prints and hanging them in the buildings.
Current and Recently Completed Action Teams
Bathroom Safety
Rob Gieraltowski has organized a Thrivent Action Team for Retreat Cabin bathroom safety. The team will be looking at improving the safety of our Retreat Cabins and specifically installing additional electrical outlets with GFP. (February 2022)
COVID Training
Thank you to Margi and Mike Ficken for organizing a COVID-prep Action Team. The Action Team will help with training meetings for staff and volunteers. The Action Team helped purchase COVID test kits, hand-washing signs, KN95 masks and more! (January 2022)
Emergency Supplies
Dan Dilbeck came through for LOMC once again and organized an awesome Thrivent Action Team to help with emergency needs. The Action Team allowed LOMC to purchase first aid kits and LED lanterns to be used around LOMC in case of emergency. (December 2021)
Perch Painting
Margi and Mike Ficken created an Action Team to repair and repaint our Timbers Village Perch building. The Perch is a meeting room building that compliments our guest groups experience by providing an open space to meet in. This Action Team will allow us to repair walls and repaint the room to make the space cleaner and looking fantastic. (April 2021)
Freedom Tree Amenities
Dan Dilbeck created an Action Team to replace and add to the experience guests have at Freedom Tree Village. Replacement andirons for the fireplaces, new games and other additions will continue to help create a peaceful, restful and special place for groups to retreat to. (October 2021)
5K
Michelle Wandersee organized a Thrivent Action Team to support the Donut Fun 5K at LOMC. Volunteers and teams are being gathered to help create a special event to help raise funds for LOMC. (October 2021)
Archived Action Teams
Rob Gieraltowski led an Action Team to help with the Autumn Fest Craft Fair. Various supplies will be purchased to accommodate our craft fair booths. The fees collected from the booths will help support LOMC. (October 2021)
Audrey Adams led an Action Team to support our all-ages pumpkin carving activity this fall. Pumpkins will be purchased locally and volunteers will be helping setup and run this very popular activity at LOMC. (October 2021)
Linda Patterson led an Action Team to head-up a very unique and tasty activity at LOMC! Volunteers will be operating the cider press helping make fresh cider for visitors this fall. The wonderful funds from Thrivent will help purchase apples, cider straining bags, cups and more. (October 2021)
Archived Action Teams
Carol Walter set up an Action Team to improve the John Califf Memorial Garden that is located near the Moline Dining Hall. The seed money helped purchase supplies to fix an eroded drainage ditch and make other improvements to the garden. (August 2021)
Margi Ficken created an Action Team to help LOMC add needed signs to our trails and buildings. This Action Team will place a new “Meadows/Timbers” trailhead sign behind the Moline Dining Hall and an additional “Levi’s Cave” sign to help with directing hikers to the awesome sandstone formation. (April 2021)
Rob Gieraltowski organized a Thrivent Action Team to help with our “Sundae on Saturday” and Hike-A-Thon events. Funds from the Action Team will help enhanced our fundraiser and provided a new geocache course at LOMC! (February 2021)
Becky Hayden has created an Action Team for a group to remove old CO2 and smoke detectors at Marander Lodge and replace them with new ones. Batteries were also purchased to ensure safety in other working detectors. (April 2021)
Pr. Carla Thompson Powell organized a Thrivent Action Team to update artwork in our Hawkins Hospitality Center. In late January we hung new canvas-wrapped photo artwork in the Hospitality Center! (January 2021)
Dan Dilbeck organized a Thrivent Action Team to have our Hospitality Center painted. The entryway needed some repairs and paint and the main room will get a fresh treatment soon. (December 2020)
Bob and Sue Gingras organized a Thrivent Action Team to upgrade our Tim Geissler Memorial Archery Range with a new target and additional supplies. (November 2020)
Michelle Heinrich organized a Thrivent Action Team to create bird houses. A family attending a Household Getaway at LOMC helped get the bird houses ready for new occupants. (November 2020)
Audrey Adams was able to organize a Thrivent Action Team to help add to our October Outings. Pumpkins and other gourds decorate the LOMC Office and Dining Hall. In addition, each household will be able to take a pumpkin home. (October 2020)
Archived Action Teams
Sue Gingras organized a Thrivent Action Team to protect and display our nature posters in poster frames. (January 2021)
Pr. Carla Thompson Powell organized an Action Team to clean-up and improve the Prayer Labyrinth. (May 2021)
Audrey Adams was able to organize a Thrivent Action Team to help add to our October Outings. Pumpkins and other gourds decorate the LOMC Office and Dining Hall. In addition, each household will be able to take a pumpkin home. (October 2020)
An Action Team was created by David Adams to add signage to our trails. Wonderful trail direction signs and posts were added to our Meadows and Timbers Villages. Additional signs related to COVID-19 safety will also be placed around LOMC. (August 2020)
An Action Team was created by Dan Dilbeck to change out all our old flood lamp bulbs in Dody House with new and efficient LED indoor flood lamps. In addition, we were able to get regular LED bulbs to use to replace around LOMC. (July 2020)
Thanks to Margi and Mike Ficken for applying and receiving a number of Action Teams for LOMC. This is the first completed Action Team they led… new entrance signs out on Route 2. They came out awesome!!! (6/8/2020)
Thanks to Margi and Mike Ficken for applying and receiving an Action Team to replace our outdated vertical blinds in Freedom Tree with curtains. They look great and much improved! (7/9/2020)
An Action Team was created by Margi and Mike Ficken to repaint hallways in our Retreat Cabins. There is nothing like a fresh cost of paint to make an area look fantastic! (Summer 2020)
Thanks to Audrey Adams (LOMC registrar/bookkeeper) for leading this Action Team to make cookout kits for our Family Getaway experience. New cooking grills, cooking gear and place settings were bought! Awesome!!! (5/20/2020)
Thanks to Michelle Heinrich (LOMC Program Director) for applying and receiving an Action Team to add some nature artwork to the Norman Nelson Program Center. Michelle used Mr. Rob’s photos from around LOMC to create canvas prints that were hung in the Program Center. Looks great!!! (6/9/2020)
An Action Team was received to help raise money on Tuesday, May 5 2020 for LOMC’s spring Giving Day. The fundraiser helped purchase needed cleaning equipment and general funds to help LOMC. Over $9,000 was raised!
