# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S379
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Miscellaneous Matters a ~ 879 -

has of necessity gone side by side with the work
elism of conserving our own Lutherans. Gripping
ne stories of winning souls for Christ during these
years by individual laymen and women, by pastors, by con-
tional’ effort, and by District planning are recorded in
en for all time. One congregation reports an accretion of
58:by baptism and by confirmation within one year. — Sunday
ls report an increase of unchurched children of anywhere
com.25 to 200 and 800 per cent. There has probably never
en a time in the history of our Church in which evangelism
the approach to the unchurched has received greater
ention than during these past two years. In the work of
nservation and evangelism ours is truly | a Church at work
a world at war.
+The Emergency Planning Council takes this opportunity to
feexpress its appreciation to the Central District Mission Board
al for the loan of Rev. W. C. Birkner in

survey, Rev. Birkner did yeoman serv-
= ices in surveying, planning, and‘ con-
ting with many of the District Mission Boards and mission-
aries in phases of mission work which had never before con-
ronted them. He served from May to October,, 1943.
=. Jt is impossible to secure statistical data. On the one hand,
~Wwe are very much discouraged because we know that thousands
upon. thousands of our fellow Lutherans are being lost to our
Church. It would be unwise stewardship not to face this loss.
Some members of our Church did not do what they
Results could have done to keep their moving members with
: the Church. We have heard too many instances.
where members have been gone from their congregation six
nonths to two years and have never made contact with the Lu- .
-theran Church in the community to which they have moved.
thers are very infrequent in their attendance at worship, Others.
‘attend church promiscuously, sometimes in other Lutheran
churches, even though a Missouri Synod church is available, and
sometimes in churches of other denominations. ©
- On the other hand, we believe that there is no church body
in ‘the world which has been more blessed in its work of con-
serving its membership in these days of world turmoil than our
~ -own Missouri Synod. Our Council takes no credit for this. Next.