# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S398 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE 385 January 31, 1973, more than 11 million dollars over cost. The market value of Equity Investments exceeded book value (cost) by more than $17,000,000, while the market value of Fixed Income Investments (Bonds etc.) was approximately $6,000,000 below cost. The investment policies of the Board of Trustees provide for investments in fixed-income securi- ties and equity securities of investment quality, with equity investments limited to a maximum of 70% at market value of the total fund. In addition, investments have been made in church loans in accordance with criteria established by the 44th convention of the Synod. The Board of Trustees has been investing an increasing proportion of the funds of the Pension Plan in investment quality common stocks for a number of years. The invest- ments in these eauity securities had resulted in a market appreciation in this segment of the fund. In order to distribute some of this appreciation among the active mem- bers and the retirees. the Pension Plan was amended in 1969 to provide that 50% of the unrealized appreciation in the Equity Investments of the Pension Fund as of January 31, 1969, should be proportionately allocated as of that date to the Pension Reserve Account (the total of active mem- bers’ accounts) and to the Annuities Account (the total of all remaining balances of retired members’ accounts). The amount added to the Pension Reserve Account was further proportionately allocated and added to the active members’ individual accounts as of January 31, 1969, and this resulted in a credit to the members’ individual accounts of approximately 4.9%, increasing the accounts’ balances as of January 31, 1969, by such amount. The amendment to the Pension Plan further provided that if the appreciation in Equity Investments should increase as of the fiscal year ending January 31, 1970, or any subseauent fiscal vear, over the appreciation previously recognized for all prior years, then 50% of such increase in appreciation should be allocated between and added to the Annuities Account and the Pen- sion Reserve Account (and further to the individual ac- counts of the members) proportionately to the balances in the accounts as of the beginning of such fiscal year. How- ever, if at the close of any fiscal year ending January 31, 1970. or thereafter, the market value of the Equity Invest- ments should be less than the sum of the book value of the Equity Investments and the Equity Appreciation previously allocated, then the amount of the reduction shall be allo- cated between and deducted from the Annuities Account and the Pension Reserve Account (and further to the indi- vidual accounts of the members) proportionately to the balances in said accounts as of the beginning of the fiscal year. However, the sum of all such reductions is limited so as not to exceed the sum of all allocations of Appreciation. The investment results for the two years ended January 31, 1973 were very favorable and resulted in the following credits to the members’ account and the Annuity Account: Year ended Year ended January 31, January 31, 1972 1973 Credit from earnings (Interest, dividends, net gains from security sales, ete.) . 4.84% 4.96% Credit from 50’. of increase in appreciation of Equity Investments . 2.130 4.24% Total 0.0... -.. ce 6.97": 9.20% Through the compounding of credits of earnings and equity appreciation, account balances as of January 31, 1969, have been increased by 32.72% in the four years ended January 31, 1973, from the initial equity appreciation allocation and the investment results of those four years. Some fluctuation in equity appreciation can be expected within the limits set forth in the amended plan. The Board has also continued ifs program of fixed-income investments. As low interest rate securities and loans have matured, the Board has been able to reinvest in higher yielding securities, and has been able to obtain good re- turns on short term temporary investments. Moreover, the maturity schedule of fixed income investments is structured so that more than 30% of all fixed income investments ma- ture within five years and more than 50° with the next 1G years. This affords great flexibility to the Board in seeking the most favorable investment opportunities in either equity investments or fixed income investments from time to time. L. L. L. Endowment Fund The LLL Endowment Fund was established in 1918 by the Lutheran Laymen’s League as a permanent endowment fund with the purpose of furnishing income from invest- ments to be used in the assistance of payment of annuities to retired pastors and teachers. All the income from this fund is used to assist the Synod in the subsidy payments made to retired pastors and teachers. Income earned by the fund amounted to $121,793 in the fiscal year ended January 31, 1972, and $122,815 in the fiscal year ended January 31, 1973. The following is a summary of the in- vested assets of the Fund showing each class of securities at cost at the beginning of the period and the end of each of the two fiscal years: Jan, 31, 1971 Jan. 31, 1972 Jan. 31, 1973 U.S. Government and Federal Agency Bonds .. $ 943.925 $ 928,372 $ 857,894 Utility Bonds 2 |. ...-------- 304,733 304,732 304,732 Railroad Bonds 97,495 97,496 97,495 Industrial Bonds 55,000 55,000 55,000 Private Placements -- 35,004 34,302 33,567 Common Stocks ee . 1,435,522 1,422,151 1,414,826 Cash and Temp. Invest. ....-. 684 19,457 90,269 $2,853,783 $2,872,363 $2,861,510 The Board of Trustees applies the same investment prin- ciples and policies in the investment of this fund as it does in the investment of the Pension Fund. At January 31, 1973. the total market value of the fund was $3,238,000. Sundry Trusts The Board of Trustees is also charged with the manage- ment. conservation, and responsibility “for all legacies, be- ouests, devises. endowments, foundations, annuity gifts, and all other trust funds of the Synod and of Synod’s institutions and activities: (Section 9.27 of the Handbook of the Synod). Prior to February 1, 1968, all individual trust accounts which were unrestricted as to investment were combined in a single pooled fund known as Sundry Trusts Fund, and the income from the fund was annually allocated ratably to the various synodical activities such as missions, colleges, seminaries, and special ministries which were the designated beneficiaries of the numerous funds, gifts, legacies, bequests, devises, and annuities comprising the Sundry Trusts Fund. In an effort to more closely suit the investment requirements ef each new individual fund or trust account received with its purpose, or the direction of the beneficiary of this account, the Board of Trustees established three common investment funds as of February 1, 1968, designated as: Fixed Income Account “A” Equity Account “B” Mixed Account “C” in which each individual fund or trust account is represented by units of participation. All additions to or withdrawals from each of the three common funds are calculated at market value on a quarterly basis. As of February 1. 1968, all the assets then contained in the Sundry Trusts fund became assets of the common fund Mixed Account “C.” Most of the investments in this fund were made prior to 1959 and are primarily AAA rated in- dustrial and public utilities bonds yielding approximately 31.4, which was favorable at the time of investment. How- ever, new accounts were averaged with older accounts, and unable to obtain higher yields or increasing income which current investments could obtain. Consequently, this fund was “frozen” and no new accounts were added to this fund after February 1, 1968. The fixed-income investments of this fund will be allowed to mature, and, on request or at such time as the market value of all assets equals cost value of the fund, accounts will be liquidated in this fund and trans- ferred to Fixed Income Account “A” and/or Equity Ac- count “B.” All new monies received after February 1, 1968, for the various trust accounts are invested in either Fixed Income Account “A” or Equity Account “B” or a combination thereof, as requested by the donor or beneficiary as the case may be, or as determined by the Board of Trustees to best serve the purpose of the individual trust. The revised structure of these funds, which was the result of an ex- tended study. is intended to give each new trust an oppor-