# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S578
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

578 FINANCIAL MATTERS

E. In view of the facts set out under A and D and the demon-
strated value of executive secretaryships for other major areas
of church work, such as missions, parish schools, and youth service,
your Committee recommends that the Board of Directors, being
empowered to do so, create the office of Executive Secretary for
Social Welfare now.

F. Your Committee further recommends

1. That the executive secretary be a man theologically trained
and experienced in at least one field of social welfare;

2. That the board of directors of the Associated Lutheran
Charities, which has been providing effective leadership, though
in a very limited degree, since its members hold full-time posi-
tions in their respective institutions and agencies, be designated
the official social welfare committee or board of Synod; that this
group be augmented by two representatives chosen by the Presi-
dent of the Missouri Synod as synodical advisers with vote, who
are to report regularly to the Board of Directors of Synod on the
status of organized social welfare within Synod;

3. That Synod make available for the office of social welfare
annually the sum of $10,000. This amount has been arrived at from
a study of the present costs of a similar office in the United Lu-
theran Church.

G. The scope of activity and the duties and responsibilities of
the board for social welfare and the executive secretary are de-
termined by the needs as set forth under III D. The precise meth-
ods to be used to meet the needs listed there must necessarily be
devised by the executive secretary and the board under which he
serves.

Underlying the recommendations made above is your Com-
mittee’s conviction that it has become a matter of wise steward-
ship for Synod to lend its aid in preserving the truly Missouri
Synod character of the social welfare activities within Synod’s
borders and to enable them to grow inwardly and outwardly in
strict conformity with Synod’s doctrine and practice.

Since an annual appropriation of $10,000 was involved and
because of other implications the Board of Directors referred the
matter to the Fiscal Conference, without recommendation. The
Fiscal Conference did not see its way clear to make the appro-
priation and decided to ask Synod to give this matter further con-
sideration.

9. Synodical Seal.— (Cf. Proceedings, 1947, page 473.) The
committee appointed by the President submitted a number of de-
signs to the Board of Directors, from which the Board made its
choice.