# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1084
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

i

876 MISSIONS

in North and South America
(Memorial 402)
During the Past triennium the followin
your Board for Missions in North and South Amerj
Messrs, Henry Blanke, Walter E.Dorre, Arthur H a
V. Haserodt, Geo. Kuechle, Messrs. E. T. Sch
Paul G. Vetter, and O. J. Steinwart. “m

Your Board met every other month for a
order to carry on its work,

The total cost of operating this department for the three-y,

Period was as follows: 1959 — ; _
$092.30005 $583,466; 1951 — $657,648. 1952 —

subsidy, amounted to only $328,707,
The same ratio Prevailed for the year 1951. Durin

MISSIONS 877

able at this writing. However, we can report that Synod’s
(Mission Board subsidized the Districts to the extent of

ng the year 1952 the Ontario District joined the ranks of
: dized Districts because it needed assistance to meet the many
Aunities arising, particularly from the large influx of D. P.’s,
Texas District was given a grant to assist in the opening of
» new stations.

The twelve Districts being subsidized at the present time are
ollowing: Alberta and British Columbia, Atlantic, California
Nevada, Colorado, Florida-Georgia, Manitoba and Saskatche-
Montana, Northwest, Oklahoma, Ontario, Southeastern, ‘and
thern California.

a {The Home Mission program of our Synod covers the work at
oe: ‘congregations and 267 preaching stations. These are served

by 782 pastors.

Home Mission Expansion ;

a! During the four-year period 1948—51 we opened 395 new
“” Home Mission stations in the United States and Canada. This gives
“gs an average of 99 new stations annually.

We have very carefully studied the possible expansion for the
next four-year period and believe that a goal of 480 new stations
is attainable. In arriving at this figure we considered the follow-
ing factors:

1. The average number: of stations opened in each District
during the past five years.

2. A five-year program submitted to us by the District mission
boards in the spring of 1952.

3. The opportunities prevailing in the various areas of our
country. It is said that each year over 50 new suburban com-
munities are springing up in our country. “America today is on
the move, thirty million strong each year.” By the end of the year
1956 we shall have 9,210,000 more people than we have today,
according to the present rate of increase, All of this means new
cities, new communities, each of which constitutes an invitation to
open a church.

4. It appears that the larger graduating classes during the com- _
ing years will make more men available also for the Home Mission
fields of our Synod. During the four-year period 1953—1956 it is
expected that on the average we shall have 45 more graduates
available each year than we had in 1952.

5. The only area which constitutes a hurdle in attaining this
goal lies in the availability of Church Extension funds. But it is
our hope that some immediate courageous action will be taken to