# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1941_S187
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Reports on General Missions 185

Synod resolved that the amounts held in the different Districts
‘of. Synod should be published, together with the amount of delin-
uent notes. These figures have been given in past years, and
this year we are showing in one column the amounts borrowed by
the Districts as organizations and also the amounts held by congre-
'gations within the Districts, together with the delinquent amounts.
The amounts delinquent have been reduced annually for the
last five years; in 1935, 52 per cent. of our loans were delinquent;
today only 43 per cent. are delinquent. There is a constant im-
provement, and this has been due to personal pleas made at various
occasions to the congregations involved and to the increased ac-
- tivity of District officials. We look forward to the time when
almost all our accounts will pay promptly. It is natural that in
some cases the hopes of congregations were not realized and that
some congregations are loaded with a heavy debt that seems beyond
their ability to repay. In the business world such accounts are
sometimes compromised by canceling a part of the indebtedness.
The Church Extension Board has resolutely withstood every at-
tempt at debt cancelation as long as a congregation still existed,
because we felt that it would be unfair to other congregations that
made herculean efforts to meet their obligation. The wisdom of
this course has been demonstrated time and again when accounts
that were delinquent for many years suddenly showed life and
began to pay. Here and there a request for debt reduction or
cancelation reaches us that has some special merit, and one of
these is the account at Norfolk, Va. We do not wish to give the ©
lengthy details of this request in this report, but will present the
matter to a committee, which will make recommendations to Synod,
since Synod alone can reduce or cancel a debt to its Church Ex-
tension Fund.
We have refrained from asking an addition to the Fund, be-
cause we have been able to maintain a balance sufficient to take
care of the pressing needs of our mission-churches. However,
if a large and persistent effort is to be made in the mission activity
of our Synod, it may be necessary for us to liberalize our ad-
ministration of the Church Extension Fund, and the cash at our
disposal would soon be used, making it necessary for Synod to add

to our capital through a budget appropriation.
Rev. F. Nrepner, Chairman

Report of Committee 2
Resolved, That the General Church Extension Board be com-
mended for the introduction of the feasible payment plan and that
the District Church Extension Boards and congregations be urged
to repay regularly, so that other missions needing assistance can be
helped; and furthermore be it