LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1965, Page 194

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iS A rants onsd GAR H MSG Oh et Src ATR SN

194 RESOLUTIONS — COMMITTEE 16

and intensive use of the Holy Bible in the homes,
schools, and churches of the Synod.

Action: This resolution was adopted.

Nore: In connection with the presentation of Resolution
16-01, the following “Comments” were made available
to the delegates:

The special committee appointed to represent The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod in the 150th anni-
versary of the American Bible Society was interested
and concerned when the attached figures were made
available to them from the resources of the American
Bible Society.

We assume that the rank and file of our church’s
membership would be concerned to find that in 1963
only 659, and in 1964 only 809 churches from a total of
5,810 sent in contributions.

1. While figures are not always accurate and un-
doubtedly some congregations may not have been re-
corded, it would seem that a rough average would show
only 1 out of 9 congregations sent in contributions.

2. It should be noted that in certain Districts, i.e.,
the Central District (now the Indiana and Ohio Dis-
tricts), this average is much higher, while certain other
Districts show not a single contribution.

3. Please note the addenda, which gives sums of
money sent in from Districts but does not list the num-
ber of churches rendering contributions.

4. Please note in the addenda that the highest sum
recorded as having been received from one church was
$229.87 (probably a special offering).

5. Among the congregations listed, many individual
congregations sent in several contributions throughout
the year, but we have no record of single or total
amounts contributed.

6. Working only from the facts given, the committee
notes that out of a total of 5,810 churches in 1963, only
659 congregations sent in a gift to the American Bible
Society. In 1964 we have the recorded total of 809 con-
gregations contributing to the American Bible Society.
According to the records available, this leaves us with
the startling conclusion that more than 5,000 churches
of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod failed to
send in any contribution to the American Bible Society.

If The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod offers
special envelopes to all congregations for the 150th an-
niversary of the American Bible Society and if all
congregations make a gift, The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod would take a big step forward in meeting
the proposed goal of the American Bible Society for
1966.

If this goal is to be achieved, all denominations rep-
resented on the Advisory Council of the American Bible
Society should average a triple increase in their total
church contributions as of those given in 1963.

Your committee is confident that if this convention
acts favorably on Overture 16-01 and this resolution is
properly implemented, The Lutheran Church — Mis-
souri Synod will more than exceed this goal.

Statistics furnished by the American Bible Society
regarding the number of contributing churches in The
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod:

No. of Churches No. of Churches
(from Statistical Contributing in

Districts Yearbook) 1963 1964
Alberta and British Columbia 118 — —_
Atlantic 228 60 62
California and Nevada .. _ 188 17 35
Central 345 117 98
Central Illinois _ - 137 56 54
Colorado _... . 127 —_ —_—
Eastern _. 165 9 2
English _ 204 33 * 49
Florida-Georgia _- 96 4 4
Iowa East _.._... . 109 43 35
Iowa West . 166 _— —_
Kansas once 164 1 * 3
Manitoba and Saskatchewan 109 —_— —
Michigan 290 75 47
Minnesota - - 453 _— * 434
Montana __w 59 14 11
North Dakota _ 123 — *
North Wisconsin ..... . 225 _- 40
Northern Illinois __. 235 30 * 44
Northern Nebraska .................. 143 — _
Northwest oes eeeenenes 213 36 46
Oklahoma _ _ 73 * 16 20
Ontario _....... - 96 _— _—
South Dakota ...... eeseceneeceenenneeene 123 — *
South Wisconsin . . 184 44 48
Southeastern 2... 141 8 —_
Southern 94 _— _—
Southern California . 170 * 19 13
Southern Illinois _....... . 104 29 30
Southern Nebraska .- 154 — * _
Texas 257 — * 42
Western _....... . 334 48 83
Latin America 0. 183 _ _
TOTALS Wo. 5,810 659 809
* See addenda below.
Addenda

English District — 49 churches contributed $1,487.22 in 1964:
a) 1 church contributed $200
b) 3 churches contributed $100
c) 26 churches contributed between $10 and $20
d) 18 churches contributed between $1 and $10
e) 1 church contributed 25 cents
Kansas District — total of $7.00 for 1964 (no churches listed)
Minnesota North District — total of $167.63 for 1964 (no
churches listed)
Minnesota South District —43 churches contributed $824.64
in 1964:
a) 1 church contributed $229.87
b) 1 church contributed $100
c) 14 churches contributed between $10 and $20
d) 25 churches contributed between $1 and $10
e) 2 churches contributed less than $1
North eee District — total of $279.07 for 1964 (no churches
iste
Northern [Illinois District — total of $25.00 for 1964 (no
churches listed)
North Wisconsin District total of $185.30 for 1964 (no
churches listed)
Oklahoma District —no contributions for 1964 but total of
$26.10 in 1963 (no churches listed)
South ee District — total of $2.50 for 1964 (no churches
iste
Southern California District — no contributions for 1964 but
total of $83.25 in 1963 (no churches listed)
Southern Nebraska District — total of $1,340.62 for 1964 (no
churches listed)
Texas District — 42 churches contributed $838.27 in 1964:
a) 1 church contributed $134.26
b) 1 church contributed $112.26