# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S262
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

314 YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK

request that the necessary sums be placed in the synodical budget,
your Board made this request in 1949, and the Fiscal Conf

allowed the sum of $3,000 for this program. Mindful of the resolu.

tion of Synod to conduct such a leadership training Program, your
Board together with the Walther League laid plans to conduct one
such two-week training conference during 1950; however, the

of Directors of Synod declined the request to carry out this leader.
ship training meeting “until our people realize more fully their
stewardship obligations and we are assured that the nece:
funds are forthcoming, first of all to meet our missionary obliga.
tions and to provide the needs of our educational program.” Be.
cause of this shortage of funds in the budget treasury, your Boarg
finds itself in this situation that, after seeking to carry out the
resolution of Synod, after following the request from the field to
place this program in the synodical budget, and after making a
request for as large an amount as $3,000 for the first time in the
thirty years of the Board’s existence, it is unable to carry out
this training program with budget funds.

Lutheran Service Volunteer Schools

A third area of youth leadership training is the training of
youth itself. This phase of leadership training is carried out in
the Lutheran Service Volunteer Schools throughout Synod, jointly
by the Walther League and the Board for Young People’s Work.
Twenty-one such schools are planned for this year. Words here
cannot describe the value of these schools. We can only say: Ask
anyone who has attended one of these schools to determine their
value. To help defray expenses of these schools, your Board spon-
sored special offerings for this program among youth on May 23,
1948. Many of the congregations responded, for which your Board
is very grateful as are the young people who were served. This
fund is now exhausted. Rather than to have special offerings in
the future, your Board is of the opinion that a sufficient amount
should be budgeted to the Board for Young People’s Work annually
by the Fiscal Conference, so that special collections are not
necessary.

Youth Conferences

Pursuant to a synodical resolution in Saginaw, 1944, your Board
has arranged annual Lutheran Youth Conferences, attended by the
synodical District Youth Committee chairmen or their alternates.
These District youth leaders met in Chicago in January, 1948, for
two days, one day alone, and the second day together with the
Walther League district presidents. In January, 1949, they met
alone in St. Louis. In January, 1950, they met in Chicago, one day

YOUNG PEOPLE'S WORK 815

together with the pastoral members of the Walther League district

oo tive boards, and the second day also with the Walther League

District presidents. These meetings have proved a source of real
blessing in the youth program in our Church.

Publications

The Walther League Messenger is a potent medium in the pro-
gram of our youth, It provides reading matter for young people and
is read by many entire families or other individuals no longer among
the youth. It is a uniting link among our youth, sharing experi-
ences from the various sections of the Church. The Messenger can
take its place in any home, but should certainly find its way into
every home where there are young people. Your Board recom-
mends that congregations and youth societies seek to provide this
youth magazine as a special gift to the newly confirmed and to
all the young people in the congregation.

The Cresset holds a distinct place in the literary world. The
enlightened Christian will find on its pages information and analysis
of current issues from a Christian point of view.

The Workers Quarterly is designed to help the society .in
carrying out a well-rounded youth program as outlined in the
Walther League program chart. Your Board recommends that it
be used by youth societies.

The ABC of Youth Work is unique. It is a real encyclopedia
on youth work and is helpful in other areas. Your Board recom-
mends that this volume be provided for the youth societies.

Bible Study

Synod has stated that “Bible study is the most important ac-
tivity in a youth program. The Bible is to occupy the most impor-
tant place in the program of all young people’s work. Every young
people’s society should be a Bible study group” (Handbook, p. 109,
7.63). Your Board is happy to report that the study of the Word
of God is a part of the program of most of our youth societies,
that this program has been discussed at the conferences of District
youth leaders, that the Walther League also considers the study
of the Word of God a prime purpose of its program, that one of
the program sessions at the International Convention in Houston
in 1949 dealt with Bible study. The Walther League has since
1922 published the Bible Student as a guide in Bible study, and
this publication continues to serve many members of the Church,
Mindful of Synod’s outline of a youth program, your Board has
kept discussions on the need of the study of the Word of God on
the agenda of meetings which it has held with youth leaders, urg-
ing that this activity of the youth program be not neglected. It is