# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S629
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

644 FINANCIAL MATTERS

congregations, stressing especially th

bership in a Christian congregation.
3. The planning of solid spiri

spiritual programs in our ;

tions, geared to meet the spiritual needs of our memb. 5 nerega-

community where the church is located. ers and the

ig our members f, iri .
and through our congregations. or spiritual service in
5. Fully informing our me ‘ '
; ‘ mbers of their local :
work and its missionary outreach in District and Synod. egation’s
6. Giving our con i isi ;
. gregations a vision of th »
Christ and how they can supply that need, € world’s need of
7. Instructing our peo
prospered them.

e privileges and duties of mem

ple in the grace of giving as God has

These, and other related needs, the newly organized

ship program of Synod strives to supply. Steward.
Giving to Missions
(Through Synod)
B
193 8ynod's Goal iar a . (ree Conn.)
iene = —— $2,200,000 $2,312,409 $2.09 +
ioae 2,500,000 2,580,628 2.32
ipso a 2,500,000 2,776,985 2.36
tae —-—-—. 2:750,000 2,864,601 2.47
1947 ———— 2,900,000 2,916,171 2.49
tose ———. 3,600,000 3,467,171 2.90
rr — 4,000,000 3,634,787 2.91
4981 4,250,000 4,250,135 3.33
1951 ________"" 4,750,000 4,645,950 3.72
1952 3.250,000 4,933,625 3.88
. , ? 5.18 (needed)
er-communicant giving to Synod’s Kingdom program:
1927 $2.73 1952 — $3.88

Considering the devaluation of th |

‘on e dollar,

giving more to missions than they did in 1927? Sux People actually
ih Our budgetary Soals from 1943 to 1948 were far too low. Onl

' e “Pecial offerings through the Peace Thankoffering the Cen.
enni tap ankoffering, and the “Building for Tomorrow” offering
prevented a severe lag and bog in our Church’s over-all program

Synod’s goal for 1953 is $1,250,000 higher than it was last year.

of Synod for the next three years atleast $1
In other words, our Church should have available a minimum of

$7,750,000 for 1954 $9,000,000 for 1955 $10,250,000 for 1956
through regular budgetary channels.

FINANCIAL MATTERS 645

®iThese figures should make us think as well as blink. When the.
E nvention of Synod voted the “Conquest for Christ” offering,
L<perhaps without realizing it — also voted for considerable in-
in the future budgets of Synod. You cannot invest thirteen
on in capital expenditure without appreciably increasing cur-
costs. And the Lord has supplied our people with the means
Bsdo so. Surely with a per-capita income of approximately $2,000
Fe 1952 our people cannot plead poverty. Last year the average
Mnmunicant member gave to the Lord about $3.00 for District
“poses, $3.88 to Synod’s mission program, and $10.87 to the “Con-
est for Christ” effort. That’s a total of $17.75. This year a mini-
¥ of about $8.54 per member is asked of the average member
We meet District and Synod’s missionary needs. That’s a little less
ay half of what the average member gave last year. Surely we
do better than that!
We cheer the man who, tired of the pro and con of debate
¢ cerning his congregation’s giving to missions, stood up in the
Yneeting and cried out: “Mr. Chairman, I move that in Christ’s

ame we finally begin to move the world!”

Recommendations

1. We urge that all congregations of Synod seriously study the
newly launched Synod-wide stewardship program with the view in
mind of adopting it and adapting it to their own peculiar needs
and circumstances. The program includes stewardship education
for all of life, missionary education, and growth in the grace of
giving to Kingdom purposes in the parish, the District, and
Synod. The organizational plan is closely tied in with that of
Synod itself.

2. Mission Call is a mission publication covering all of the
missionary work carried on by Synod at home and abroad. Efforts
should be made by our congregations to see to it that this new pub-
lication is read by as many of their members as possible. Mission
-Call will give our members the information they must have if we
expect them to give more liberal support to missions. This bi-
monthly publication costs only 75 cents per year. In bulk it costs
only 50 cents per year if mailed to a single address. e

3. To better inform our people about the mission work of
our Church, the new mission movies on New Guinea, Nigeria,

India, Guatemala, Mexico, etc., ought to be shown in the con-_

gregations of Synod. More movies will be available soon. Use
these films! ;

4. Many of our congregations have only one mission festival
each year. We urge the observance of two mission festivals, one

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