# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1225
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

734 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 fo,
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 Stow 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.

i. 10. Charter of Synod. — The last convention passed a resolu-

FINANCIAL MATTERS 735

in (Proceedings, page 475) enabling the Board of Directors to

“mend the charter of Synod or eventually obtain a new charter.
“The need for such action did not arise during the triennium, but

we assume that the resolution is still in force. Such questions as

‘, new charter in Indiana and incorporation in Illinois are in the
a

ds of our attorney.
at Synodical Office Building. — Partly because of the high cost
‘of building operations and because the money was more urgent y
needed elsewhere, the interior arrangements in our downtown fe) ce
puilding in St. Louis were delayed. But because the growing nee
for space in connection with the requirements of Concordia Pub-
hing House made it quite imperative to complete the project,
a chiefly because of the advantage of having at least most of
the synodical departments together under one roof, the eat
decided to let the contracts for the interior office arrangements in
our building on South Broadway in the business section of St. us.
The offices for the Armed Services Commission and the Department
of Public Relations are to remain in Washington and New York,
respectively, at least for the present.

12. Voluntary Co-ordinating Council. — The Board of Directors
took the initiative in making arrangements that representatives or
the various synodically recognized agencies who expect Suppo
from Synod at large will meet as necessary to discuss their P ans
in order to avoid overlapping and friction in connection wit! e

collection of necessary funds.

Seminaries and Colleges

13. Under the rules as they obtain at present, the Board of
Directors gave considerable time to matters pertaining to the
physical equipment, repairs, and other building matters in con
nection with our colleges and seminaries under consultation an
in conjunction with the Board for Higher Education, into we ose
hands Synod has been giving increasingly greater responsib ties
in connection with our educational institutions. Action on such
matters, including particularly special items referred to the Board
of Directors and/or the Board for Higher Education, will be o
flected in the reports of the various institutions and the report 3
the Board for Higher Education. We assume that this will inclu e
recommendations as to uniformity in the retirement provisions for
our professors. .

14. The introduction of the new cost accounting system at our
institutions, which was agreed upon jointly by the two boards, is
being instituted gradually according to synodical resolution. (Pro-
ceedings, 1947, page 225.)