Contacts:

ALOA, Carol Murphy, Operations Manager, aloa4u@gmail.com, 800-930-2562

Dave Rustad, dave.rustad@thrivent.com, 612-844-7037, 612-240-2264 (cell)

Thrivent Financial Foundation grant benefits Adult Lutherans Organized for Action

APPLETON, Wis. (February 28, 2018) ̶  Adult Lutherans Organized for Action ̶ ALOA, which operates out of Clearwater, Florida, recently received a $25.000 challenge grant from the Thrivent Financial Foundation. The grant will help assist ALOA in its Equipping 21st Century Disciples program being implemented to energize and help to equip adult Lutherans for lives of discipleship and service in their families, communities and churches.

“There’s an ‘Age-Wave’ before churches with people over age 50 making up a third of the U.S. population and some churches even higher. With this most-skilled, committed and healthy generation, it is more important than ever that churches and congregations band together to mobilize middle and older age laity for effective ministry,” said Dr. Robert Hughes, project director and past-president of ALOA. The 25-year old organization is a Recognized Service Organization of the LCMS and an affiliated Social Ministry Organization of the ELCA.

“We are delighted to assist ALOA through this grant, said Laurie Wilkinson, director of Church Relations at Thrivent Financial. “We trust that this support will strengthen ALOA’s outreach and ministry to those it serves.”

The grant is part of the foundation’s Lutheran Grant Program. This program is designed to assist Lutheran organizations and those they serve in achieving economic security and sustainability.

Eligible grant applicants include: Lutheran congregations, regional divisions of the three largest church bodies, small church bodies, high schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, camps, campus ministries, social ministry organizations and other independent Lutheran organizations or institutions.

ALOA’s mission is to equip persons in the second half of life as disciples of Jesus Christ for their service to family, church, community and world. For a quarter century, ALOA has been a beacon of hope and source of expertise as older Lutherans ask questions of meaning while dealing with complex life changes in employment, housing and health. These challenges intensify the need for the church to reach out, equip Lutheran adults for active ministry and provide strong spiritual support. Interested people can check out ALOA at aloaserves.org for more information on programs and resources.

The Thrivent Financial Foundation is a private foundation funded by Thrivent Financial. As a 501(c)(3) organization with its own board of trustees, the foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary and educational purposes and makes grants and gifts to 501(c)(3) exempt organizations. The foundation does not provide grants to individuals. To learn more about the foundation and its grant programs, visit thriventfoundation.com

About Thrivent Financial

Thrivent Financial is a financial services organization that helps Christians be wise with money and live generously. As a membership organization, it offers its nearly 2.4 million member-owners a broad range of products, services and guidance from financial representatives nationwide. For more than a century it has helped members make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com/why You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Thrivent Financial is the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI.

For additional important disclosure information, please visit Thrivent.com/disclosures