# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S615
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

FINANCIAL MATTERS 615

Committee 12 reported:

Wuereas, Synod in 1944 adopted a resolution limiting the in-
come of a retired worker who is still engaged in some type of
church work in a limited capacity to $90.00 a month; and
_ Wuereas, No such limitation has been placed upon the person
who is engaged in some secular work after his retirement; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That paragraph three (3) under section: 10.47b,
Handbook, p.129, be amended to read as follows: “A worker re-
tiring at the age of 65 is entitled to receive his Old Age Benefit in
full,” and that the second paragraph three (3) be stricken.

ACTION
Synod adopted this resolution.

Lowering Retirement Age for Pensioners to 55
Widening Scope of Pensions
(Memorial 810)

The undersigned respectfully submits to the Honorable Mis-
souri Synod the following memorial relative to the Pension System.
Wuereas, The active ministry under present day conditions is
increasingly becoming more strenuous and will force some men
to retire at an earlier age than our workers formerly did; and

Wuereas, The Pension System has been adopted so that beg-
ging for support might not be necessary; therefore be it

Resolved, That a worker retiring at the age of 55 or over is
entitled to the old-age benefit in full without begging for it, pro-
vided his pension payments have been met.

Reason: Justice towards the worker demands that after he
has spent thirty or more years in the service of the Church, as
most pastors who at the present time are 55 years old have, he be
entitled to the old-age benefit. And

Wuereas, A pastor who retires from the active ministry at
the age of 55 is still, as a rule, able to render valuable service in
assisting active pastors in the ministry; and

Wuereas, Congregations do not expect that this service be
done free of charge; therefore be it

Resolved, That a worker retiring at the age of 55 shall be
entitled to receive his old-age benefit in full if his income from
church work does not exceed $600 per year.

Question: Will this not be too much of a drain on the Pen-
sion Fund? ,

Answer: It is not to be expected that every pastor at the age