# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S717
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 717

furned to the “Conquest for Christ” fund through income re-
ved from the pilot-film showings. .:
‘The funds for the second fiscal year of operation, extending
February 1, 1953, to January.31, 1954, are to be provided in
Hie following way: The Fiscal Conference of September, 1952,
Mocated a total of $400,000. This amount is to be supplemented
an additional total of $300,000, to be secured from sources like
e following: The sale and distribution of prints; the income from
m rentals; direct fund solicitation.

Our Present Status

The blessing of the Lord of the Church has rested upon the
r activities of your Lutheran Television Productions Committee in

fhas gained a tremendous amount of public acceptance.

F From the viewpoint of distribution, “This Is the Life” is cur-
: rently carried by 81 stations. After having carried the series during

d the fall of 1952 and the spring of 1953, virtually all of these trans-

k mitters are reshowing the first 26 films during the summer of 1953,

F until the time when they will begin to carry the new, or second,

R. series of 26 films. It should be specifically pointed out that all of

F the time is granted free of charge by the television stations, on

; a sustaining basis. The value of the time thus represents an annual

s; cost of $1,275,000.

: The scheduling of the programs represents. a very complex
operation. The prints are “bicycled” from station to station so as
to secure maximum use of a limited number of prints. Three
special programs, one for Thanksgiving, 1952, another for Christ-
mas, 1952, and a third for Easter, 1953, were prepared. The Christ-
mas and Easter films employed the format of Biblical drama.

The mail response has been most gratifying. As of this writing,
140,000 pieces of mail have reached television headquarters in the
Lutheran Building, requesting copies of the eighty -four-page book-
let This Is the Life.

In a special project called “Telemission,” your Committee has
arranged for a thorough and systematic follow-up plan. This is
conducted through the synodical Board for Home Missions, within
the framework of the District Mission: Directors. Every name re-
ceived at television headquarters is thus visited by the nearest
pastor, with a view toward bringing him into closer touch with
the congregations of our Synod.

Close touch is maintained with the television stations through
a monitor system, conducted through the co-operation of the

.Church’s Department of Public Relations.

:
é
*

Foverflowing measure. Begun as a venture of faith, the program