# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1967_S77 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ES ROERTRELON I SONNY ELIT ELE TIO EL TIT TENT SOT OGLE LONI MTT ALONG BENET EAE BS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT 77 1. Have we appreciated as we should what great things God has done for us and for all men in offering us forgiveness and freedom and new life in Jesus Christ? 2. As individuals, have we set our mind above every- thing else on God’s kingdom, on being His children and living under Him in His kingdom and being witnesses of His goodness to an increasing number of others in word and deed? 3. Has every one of our congregations put the proc- lamation, demonstration, and propagation of the saving Gospel above everything else, or has concern about the prestige, the organization, and the physical property of the congregation become our ruling passion? 4, Is every one of our congregations, gathered around and equipped by the Word and the sacraments, a veri- table community of healing by the power and grace of the Lord our Healer and sent out, healthy and strong, to a broken and ailing world? COMMUNICANT GAINS 1951—1966 (U. 5. ONLY) VE 5. As a church body, have we here and there devoted more time to suspecting and finding fault with one another than to uniting in being Christ’s witnesses sent into the world? Have we been willing to lose our life for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Gospel? But what of the future? God has given us a great work to do. To do it in a way that pleases Him and His good and gracious will, we must embody the great heritage of our Synod in such a way as to use it on behalf of God’s tomorrow rather than as an insulation or isolation against the future and the changes it will surely bring. This is what your boards and commissions, officers and workers all try to do faithfully in your service. We have a great work to do. We have a good work to do on an even larger scale. May the mighty God for Jesus’ sake enable us all to do it with all our might. W. F. Wowsrecut, Executive Director COMMUNICANT LOSSES 1951—1966 (U.S. ONLY) Vil JUNIORS CONFIRMED PER 1000 COMMUNICANTS An NNHOO ORORONHORO EEE =~ dnYOe HOORO CUED QUOTE HYPER AL HHO CUE COND QUOD ANNOOAtEEY = TENURE ee HNO HORA REOUE CORON vOneR Conn avNOE AtAOC REA = inne HORAO CUE Cnn OnNNO RONEN AN => 195156 1956-61 196146 19Si—S6 195601 196166 UU LULU LU THOT AAR APE MnP HHOE ttE HtNE! ~~ HHNdE AONE HUTA HRN HRHTE NT ~~ NET GAIN PER 1000 COMMUNICANTS DEATHS PER 1000 COMMUNICANTS one HNN one —] HHYYEIIEY = ee woe PHINNEY >> ome] HN HE mou] HHI one HITTITE HIE dnnad CnNYO HON PPRT monn | AVRO TOCHD HORE HHPHE == 1956—61