# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1265
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

786 FINANCIAL MATTERS

priation from Synod’s treasury for Support. Just how long this
will take we are not prepared to state or even predict. We do
know that the participation of workers in Synod is continuing at

a satisfactory rate, although there still are almost 1,000 workers

in Synod who have not yet joined the Pension Fund. Following are:

Pension Fund Statistics

Total Registration on January 31, 1950
Pastors — 3,927
Teachers

Total Active Members...
Congregations Enlisted anne
Institutional Boards 00 CS
Synod’s and the Districts’ Salary-Paying Boards __
The percentage of participation on the part of our workers

is about 86 per cent. This is much more favorable than the par-
ticipation of ministers in other Protestant church pension groups,
which is only 60 per cent. In only a few of the Protestant denom-
inations is participation obligatory.

The participation of our congregations is also improving and
at present stands at about 80 per cent. It has been our observation
that a congregation will seldom refuse to participate in the Pension
Fund if the matter is presented properly. Here again it is inter-
esting to observe that only 60 per cent of the congregations in other
Protestant groups are participating, with the exception of two large
church bodies in which the congregations are obliged to take part.
The fact that our pastors and teachers are participating in such
a favorable manner is very commendable. However, Synod as such
and we as a Board of Synod are most desirous of winning all
workers and congregations for the Pension Fund.

A number of reasons are given for non-participation: Financial
inability to make personal contributions because of low salaries,
the assertion that commercial insurance provides better benefits,
contracting for sizable insurance benefits prior to the inauguration
of the Pension Fund, and the failure of our Pension Fund to assure
to the disabled worker under age 65, or to his widow, a definite
and fixed pension. Under our existing regulations a disabled
worker is eligible to receive only his earned annuity and must make