# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S978
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS ' 897

[1018]
REPORT

of the

Department of Publicity and Missionary Education
on the establishment of

A Visual Education Department

SYNODICAL RESOLUTION

The Fort Wayne Synod resolved:

1. That thls department (Department of Publicity and Missionary Education)
be encouraged and authorized to develop visual educational material as soon as
possible and as permitted by funds allocated by the synodical Board of Directors;

2 That this department (Department of Publicity and Missionary Education)
also be instructed to lay plans for the establishment of a Visual Education Depart-
ment under its direction and to submit a program or survey for this Visual Edu-
‘cation Department to the next triennial convention; :

3. That the Department of Publicity and Missionary Education be asked to
compile, publish, and distribute a list of available and suitable films, slide lectures,
and photographic materials;

4. That the Department of Publicity and Missionary Education issue material
for the instruction of those who take motion pictures or who prepare visual-
education material for synodical, District, or church purposes, and that the
Department of Publicity and Missionary Education act as a clearing house for

whe need information or can offer help regarding the production of such
materials.

“THE POWER OF GOD”

CONGREGATIONAL One of the first things done toward the
SHOWINGS development of a visual education pro-
gram was the production of “The Power
of God.” Released in the fall of 1941, this film was shown in
3,187 congregations of Synod, with a total attendance of more than
495,000 people. The film was very favorably received and has
done much for the development of visual education in Synod.

SHOWINGS FOR In reply to urgent requests received from
SERVICEMEN chaplains, twenty prints of “The Power of

God” were purchased for exclusive showing
to men and women of the armed forces. Since Janiary, 1942, the
Visual Education Service has sent these prints of “The Power of
God” to Army and Navy posts in the United States, to camps in
Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, South America, New Guinea, Africa,
Australia, the West Indies, Canal Zone, India-China Transport
Command. Chaplains of all churches have given “The Power. of
God” nothing but the highest praise as a religious training film.
In one camp “The Power of God” was regularly shown to inductees
- asa part of their induction training. There have been about 1,200
showings to unknown thousands of servicemen. ,

OUTSIDE Churches of other denominations became interested
SHOWINGS in showing “The Power of ‘God.” -Because of an
increasing demand, rental arrangements were made