# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S273
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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336 MISSIONS

[403]
Abolish Board of Missions for North and South America
and Set Up Two Boards

Because of the fact that there is a great deal of work to be
done in the field of missions in both North and South America, and
also because of the fact that the nature of the problems Presented
in these two areas in the field of missions are vastly different and
require special understanding and techniques,

We respectfully request Synod to abolish the Board of Mis.
sions for North and South America as now constituted and to set
up in its place two separate and distinct boards, namely, a Mis.
sion Board for North America to have charge of all synodica}
mission work in the United States, Canada, and Alaska, and also
a separate board for the Lata American countries to have charge
of all synodical mission work in the countries south of the southern
boundary of the United States and in all extraterritorial missions,

We further request Synod to implement these two boards with
adequate funds and all other facilities to enable them to carry out
the purpose of these resolutions,

We further request Synod to direct each of these two boards
to elect its own Executive Secretary, who is to act as Director of
Missions for, and be responsible to, the board by whom he is
elected, and also to employ such other personnel as is needed to
function properly within the limits of the funds allocated to each
board for its operations.

- THe EvanceticaL LuTaeran Cuurca or. THE EPIPHAny
Derrorr, Micx.
E. T. Bernruat, Pastor
Geo. F. Orumxe, President
Epwin Nietsen, Secretary

[404]
Report of the General Church Extension Board

The General Church Extension Board has carried out its duties
during the past three years in an endeavor to serve the Church
in the way prescribed by Synod. The regulations imposed on the
‘Board require the Board to consider all applications for loans for
the purpose of building churches, schools, parsonages, and teacher-
ages; such applications must emanate from Districts or Mission
Boards of Synod; and these must be willing to sign notes for the
amount of the loans. No other security is asked. By authority of
Synod an administration fee is collected at the rate of one per
cent a year, calculated on the unpaid balance on the loan’s an-

MISSIONS 337

Yersary. The Board has the responsibility of determining the
“gflocation of the sums in the Church Extension Fund, in order that
he money may be used at places where it will serve the most
‘advantageous purposes. ;

‘4... For some time the General Church Extension Board has dealt
cenly: with Districts which guarantee the repayment of all loans to
the General Fund. This method has proved to be a sound business
procedure. There are no arrears in any of the District accounts
at the present time.

“There are, however, still a few accounts on our books dating
back to the time when loans were made directly to congregations,
Through the persistent efforts of the Fiscal Office these have been
again materially reduced during the past triennium. In its report
to the convention the Fiscal Office will bring one such case of long
standing to your attention, that of Grace Lutheran Church, Nor-
folk, Nebr.

During the past three years hundreds of applications for loans
in varying amounts were received and considered by the Board.
The largest application asked for $60,000, the smallest for $700. The
total amounts requested at a single meeting frequently exceeded
$150,000.

While many of the applications had to be denied, it was still
possible for the Board to grant the ones that appeared to give the
greatest promise for success in God’s kingdom. The denial of an
application does not mean that the Board believes that the place
for which the loan is requested has no prospects for growth,: but
that there are other applications that for the moment seem ‘to
warrant more favorable consideration. The granting of so many
loans, and the relatively large amounts requested, have brought
about a gradual depletion of the liquid capital of the Fund. Unless
the capital is greatly increased, little can be done in the future
for the congregations in need of funds for building purposes.
For that reason the Board wholeheartedly supports the resolution
of the Board of Directors which makes special recommendations
to Synod regarding the expansion of the Church Extension Fund.

Through a resolution of Synod at the last convention the
method of the administration of the Fund was changed. From its

undersigned accepted that responsibility in 1926 and kept it. for
21 years. The Secretary of Missions of Synod now has the duty
of carrying on the correspondence of the Board, a task which he
and his staff have undertaken and carried out faithfully, and the
Board expresses its satisfaction with, and its commendation for, the
consistently careful and painstaking activity of its executives.
Heretofore our regulations permitted us to lend to Districts