# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S714
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

16 PRESIDENT’S TRIENNIAL REPORT

ful to God for His blessings upon the efforts to win more and more
unchurched children for our schools, our Sunday schools, Saturday 4
schools, and vacation Bible schools. It is a matter of encourage- .
ment also to note that our congregations are placing greater
emphasis upon the establishment of Bible classes for the newl
confirmed, for young people, and for the adults. Another feature
of Christian education which should call forth special gratitude to.
God is the fact that greater and greater interest is shown in the
establishment of Lutheran high schools.

An area of expansion for which we are deeply grateful is the
work done by our student pastors under the able guidance of our
Student Service Commission. More and more of our young men
and women in secular colleges and universities are kept with the
Church. Some are regained. A goodly number of unchurched -
students are being won for Christ.

During the past triennium regular meetings of the Fiscal
Conference were conducted. A few years ago finances presented
no special problem. During the ‘past two years, however, the ~
raising of the budget became more difficult. On account of this
difficulty a special meeting of the Fiscal Conference was held
during the early part of 1949. The Fiscal Conference asked the
Board of Directors of Synod to give special attention to the matter
of a Department of Stewardship and to engage sufficient manpower
to carry on this work. The report of the Board of Directors indi-
cates what was done. This convention must determine whether or
not a Department of Stewardship should. be created.

The raising of finances for the work of Synod has become more
difficult because costs have risen, and as a result our budget is
higher. Furthermore, the expansion of the work with which God
has blessed us means greater costs. A Stewardship Council was
appointed and instructed to acquaint our people better with the
work of the church at large. We still have much to do in most
of the congregations of Synod to arouse a greater stewardship
consciousness in the hearts of our members. God does not ask
more of us than we can do. When He graciously presents oppor-
tunities for the expansion of His kingdom, He also provides His
people with the necessary funds to support’ that work. However,
we must lead our people to realize that God has entrusted these

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