# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S8 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 8 MISSIONS dollars below required funding to prevent further mission retrenchment. However, some new developments in extra- budgetary funding, some new ways found to accomplish essen- tial programs for less, and a good measure of faith in God’s continued, undeserved grace cause us to say, “We are now holding our own, and we will move ahead with confidence into 1973 and 1974.’ But much will be required of God's people as enablers of Christ's mission in all the world. 2. Where We Are Now A major factor which threatened to cripple the overseas planning in 1972 was a projected large exchange loss occasioned by dollar devaluation overseas following the world monetary crisis late in 1971. Fortunately, the Board of Directors of the Synod recognized the necessity of protecting overseas mission budgets against these unavoidable dollar exchange losses. In March 1972 the Board of Directors established a reserve fund for ‘dollar exchange loss” and authorized Synod’s Stewardship Department to solicit extra-budgetary funds for this purpose. Several other extra-budgetary sources are also now available to the Board for Missions which should help to avoid the kind of crisis we experienced during the 1970 cutbacks. One of these sources endorsed by the Board of Directors is the Mission Patrons program—under which an individual commits himself to a contribution of $100 per year for missions over and above his regular congregational, District and synodical giving. The Patron Fund is used upon resolution of the Board for Missions for urgent mission programs which cannot otherwise be funded from the regular mission budget. Contributions received in the Fund totaled about $42,000 in 1972. The Board for Missions also maintains a listing of unfinanced needs that cannot be financed by the current operating budget. This listing is used primarily in responding to donors (individ- uals, groups, congregations) who specifically seek an oppor- tunity to contribute to a project not funded in the operating budget. These extra-budgetary gifts thus help make up part of the difference between total mission needs and available regular budget income, as well as also make possible capital projects. Approximately $230,000 in such above-budget mission gifts were received during 1972, not including Mission Patron contributions. One gift deserves special mention: The Iowa East District, after meeting their total commitment to the Synod in 1972, forwarded an additional $15,000 in specific response to Milwaukee Res. 1-20—to enable the Board for Missions to fund some program or project in 1973 that could not otherwise be financed within the '73 budget. Hopefully, gifts to the 125th Anniversary Thank- offering in ‘73 and ‘74 will also enable many new creative mis- sion programs and urgently needed capital projects to ‘get off the ground” and become a reality. In 1973 overseas missionaries received their first salary increase since 1970. The increase was really only a stop-gap measure pending the introduction of a whole new salary struc- ture for overseas workers of the Board for Missions. Ministers to the deaf in the U.S. were also given a minimal cost of living salary increase in 1973, but the deaf budget was not increased. Deaf congregations were informed that they should make every effort to finance the salary increase locally. It is now estimated that the U.S. dollar devaluation an- nounced by the Nixon Administration in mid-February 1973 will result in at least $100,000 exchange losses overseas that will have to be absorbed by the Synod. This added cost to the 1973 synodical budget would have been even greater had it not been for the fact that the entire 1973 foreign currency subsidy of the Japan Lutheran Church was transferred to Japan ten days prior to the announced devaluation. It was converted to yen at the predevaluation rate of exchange and placed in a time deposit in the Fuji Bank of Tokyo for release in monthly increments to the Japan Lutheran Church. This move, which saved the Synod at least $75,000 (and possibly as much as $150,000) was suggested by the General Secretary of the Japan Lutheran Church be- cause of predictions in Japan concerning possible revaluation of the Japanese yen. The transfer was made possible by the cooperation of the Board of Directors and the Treasurer of Synod. At the present time it appears that Hong Kong, New Guinea, Ghana, Lebanon, Taiwan, and several other fields will suffer 1973 exchange losses. In New Guinea, the Australian dollar has already undergone two significant revaluations since December 1972; and there is a possibility of an additional monetary crisis there related to a probable conversion from Australian dollars to a new national currency. Any revaluations which result in an appreciation of the U.S. dollar with respect to a national cur- rency will be credited to the special exchange loss fund admin- istered by the Synod’s Treasurer. 3. Trends in Giving “Our Silver and Gold” a. In the Districts. During the period from 1968 to 1971 while the synodical mission budget was declining, District mission expenditures rose from $12.4 million to $12.9 million. More spectacularly, District expenditures for missions and special ministries have risen from about $5 million in 1959 to the current rate of almost $13 million. This would indicate that Districts are taking ‘“‘home missions” more seriously. If this trend continues and we find it possible to gradually reduce synodical subsidies ' to Districts, another $3,000,000 now required in the Synod’s budget for “home missions” might be released for further outreach overseas and for deaf, blind, campus, and other special ministries. b. Overseas. Sister churches overseas are also taking their “home missions” seriously and increasingly giving ‘‘according to their means” and ‘beyond their means” in the support of Christ’s mission in their land. In Taiwan, India, and the Philip- pines, for example, long-range target dates have been set for the attainment of self-support. In these churches, as in Hong Kong and Japan, annual increases in contributions range from 10 percent to 20 percent. St. Paul said: ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich.” Obviously, many people in the Synod and in related churches overseas, knowing and remembering that grace, are increasingly being moved by the Holy Spirit to say to the Lord: “Take my silver and my gold, / Not a mite would I withhold.” 4. Where the Money Goes The following tables and pies give the overall financial pic- ture of Board for Missions operations, and how the money is used. Board for Missions Budgets. 1968 — 1972 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 World Areas $ 5,029,000 $ 5,411,000 $ 5,613,000 $ 5.455,038 $ 5,353,500 N. Amer./Sp. Min. 4,480,000 4,080,000 3,670,000 3,827,333 3,940,300 Pers./Admin. 615,000 614,000 586,000 586,124 692,000 Totals $10,124,000 $10,105,000 $ 9,869,000 $ 9,868,495 $ 9,985,800 “Take My Intellect and Use..." Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘For consider your call, brethren, not many of you were wise according to worldly standards . . . but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise . . . so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. . . .He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom. .. .” (1 Cor. 1:26-30) In order to make the very best use of the funds available, Synod’s Board for Missions in 1970 instituted a planning, pro- gramming, and budgeting system which seeks to plan together with local people. Staff attempts to work in advance with North American Districts and overseas mission leaders to develop long-range objectives and strategies for all areas. Each year, synodical staff counsel with North American Districts in national and regional planning conferences as Districts map out their own specific mission plans and strategies for the coming year. World area secretaries work together with overseas churches as they develop and evaluate goals and specific programs to meet those goals. Few of us—on Synod’s board or District mission boards, over- seas church councils or boards of elders at home —can claim to be wise according to worldly standards. But our Lord has prom- ised to give us His Holy Spirit. He is with us in His mission, at local and national levels alike, and provides the needed wisdom for His work. V. OUR WILLS AND OUR HEARTS: MISSION ISSUES CONFRONTING THE BOARD FOR MISSIONS AND THE SYNOD Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine: Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.