# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S429
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 429

und of the Gospel, but also to stimulate within our own people
astors, teachers, and laymen) an ever-growing missionary con-
iousness. The total enrollment of the vacation Bible schools
r 1946 was 45,287; for 1947 it was 71,852; for 1948 it was 97,272.
Unofficial reports for 1949 put the total well over 100,000. We can-
yt but add a word of commendation both to the Board for Parish
Education and to Concordia Publishing House for the excellent
‘and attractive literature offered for use in these vacation Bible
schools. This literature did much to help create a widespread
terest and enthusiasm for these summer schools.

Sunday School by Mail.— This is an effort sponsored by the
Board for Missions in North and South America in co-operation
with the Board for Parish Education and the Lutheran Hour.
It was inaugurated in order to bring the Gospel to the inaccessible
child—-the child who, because of illness, distance, impassable
roads, or other valid reasons was unable to attend a regular Sunday
school. The guidance and direction of this effort is in the hands
tof Pastor William Hillmer, Assistant Executive Secretary of the
> Board. Sunday School by Mail Directors have been appointed in
; each synodical District, who help expedite this far-flung program.
The present enrollment of the Sunday School by Mail is 3,100 (as
of March 1, 1950).

Promotion of Evangelism. — This is a new endeavor on the
part of your Board for Missions in North and South America.
Soon after the launching of the “Each One Reach One” movement
:- in 1946 it became evident that our pastors and people were eager
i to receive help in the development of the all-important grace of
® Christian witness-bearing. More and more of our people were
' eager to do personal mission work and looked to their pastors
and to their synodical servants for guidance. In order to develop
this important phase of our home mission program, a special
— Department of Evangelism was begun and placed under the super-
:. vision of Pastor William Hillmer.

During the past few months Pastor Hillmer has conducted
21 “Conferences on Evangelism” in four Districts with a total
attendance of 2,336, which included 194 pastors and teachers.
p.' In each instance our people expressed their gratitude for the
inspiration, help, and guidance which they had received. Invitations
from three other Districts have been accepted for the fall of 1950.
It is the intention of this department to assist our District Mission
Boards in the promotion of personal evangelism (personal mission
work) in their respective Districts.

During. October, 1949, an experimental “Women Mission
Workers’ School” was held in Detroit, under the direction of