# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S586
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

I NS RE eo GE TS a ee aE ee

586 FINANCIAL MATTERS

are to be expected. But the Convention should know today
that these 39 per cent of our members have to date collected
$1,028,493.23 for a per-capita average of $2.61.

The information received by your Committee reveals some
astonishing examples of wholehearted participation; when, for
instance, one congregation in Canada (where European Relief
looms particularly large in the eyes of many of our members)
reports a per-capita average of $32.47, there is cause for rejoicing.
There is no District where high per-capita averages have not been

' reported, even though no American congregation has been able

to match the Canadian mark. We thank God for these repeated
evidences that clergy and laity united to carry through plans
which resulted in an extremely generous thankoffering — often
despite local situations that cried out for almost immediate at-
tention.

The information offered us also contains examples where local
groups did not reach their goal to the extent that had been an-
ticipated or where the entire project has been deferred until the
latter part of the year. These groups, humanly speaking, hold
the answer to the question as to the final total that will be at-
tained, whether the goal will be reached or whether the plans
for expansion in some areas of our church work will be handi-
capped to a degree. It is encouraging for our Committee to note
that this situation is recognized by not a few of the congregations
that are involved. We have in our files numerous assurances
that a systematic effort will be made in the fall of the year in
cases where the suggested date for the ingathering apparently
was not feasible. We have also, as stated before, scores of cards
telling us of plans to continue the Centennial Thankoffering until
the end of the Centennial year. And we have some communica-
tions — one of them comes from a Visitor in my own District —
notifying us that in view of the unsatisfactory experiences on
April 27 the congregation has voluntarily decided to repeat its
effort before December 31. These factors help to make it almost
impossible for your Committee to hazard a reliable estimate at
this time; but these same factors also contain the basis for an
optimistic view that the goal is not nearly as unattainable as
momentarily it may appear to be.

In conclusion our Committee wishes to express to Synod its
appreciation of the helpful attitude which has been evident so
often in many areas of our Church. These tangible proofs of co-
operation have served to diminish the problems and complications
(and they were not always of a minor character) which an effort
of this type involved at the present time within our Church.

W. C. Brexner

For CenrenntaL THANKOFFERING COMMITTEE