# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S282
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

282 MISSIONS

Chaplain is published six times a year, and Double-Time:
times. Thousands of our prayer books and tracts have been:
tributed among the service personnel.

Service and Parish Centers

There are 45 such centers in operation, and some more a
be added. These are operated jointly with the National Lut
Council so far as the physical property is concerned. We bear
of this cost. Each group serves its own people in a spiritual.
We believe this plan is a part of good stewardship. There are af
600 military installations in this country. :

Finances

At the close of 1952 our financial resources were abou
hausted. The Board of Directors proposed to the Fiscal Confe;
that the expenses of the Armed Services Commission becoy
item in Synod’s budget, since the work appears to be of a pern
nature. But the Fiscal Conference felt that the inclusion of
items proposed by the Board of Directors would make to
a budget, and then authorized a special Mother’s Day co
We hope our Christians will contribute liberally toward this
lection. We not only need $320,000 for the work of the
Services Commission and $132,000 for the activities of the Lu
Service Commission during 1953, but we ought to collect fs
to take care of expenses until Mother’s Day, 1954, plus
$150,000 for the purchase of an office building in Washingtg

Chaplains

We have 102 chaplains on active duty: 3 in the Navy; 38°
Army; 48 in the Air Force; and 3 are in the Canadian Army.
people get their pay from the Government. We also have
time and 10 part-time Veterans Administration chaplains
salaries are paid by the Government. We also have 3 ft
V.A. chaplains who have been called by us, and these a
pay roll. There are also 136 hospital pastors who serve
V.A. hospitals when the names of such patients are bro
their attention. These get no pay, only expenses.

The procurement of chaplains presents somewhat of a
today. The Commission has now adopted a policy of also.
qualified men rather than waiting for pastors to make ap;
Thus we hope to be able to supply our quota of chaplains.

It would be well for the convention again to remind our
of the importance of sending the names and addresses o
personnel and V. A. patients to our Washington office.