Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 46
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 46

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

46 MISSIONS

— Missouri Synod. First, reports will be given detailing
Church Extension areas of responsibility. Second, at-
tention will be given to those areas to which added
emphasis and attention must be given. Finally, the
necessary financial statements are included to indicate
the extent of activity within the past biennium.

Board Personnel

Election results for the Church Extension Board
showed the following candidates elected for 4-year term:
Rev. A. W. Born, Detroit, Mich.; Teacher Paul Kosch-
mann, Leavenworth, Kans.; Mr. Herbert Hast, Denver,
Colo.; Mr. Edgar Parent, St. Louis, Mo.

At its first meeting the board organized itself in the
following manner: chairman, Rev. A. W. Born: vice-
chairman, Rev. Herman Zehnder; secretary, Mr. Henry
C. Rupp. Executive Committee: Rev. Armin W. Born,
Mr. Herbert Hast, Mr. Fred Schindel.

Other board members are: Teacher Henry C. Rupp,
Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mr. A. W. Krieger, Bridgman, Mich.

A vacancy occurred in staff personnel when Assis-
tant Executive Secretary W. J. Barge accepted the ap-
pointment as administrative assistant to the Executive
Director of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.
He left the department on May 31, 1968. Plans are being
finalized at the present time to obtain a replacement for
Mr. Barge. The board acknowledged the faithful and
loyal services of Mr. W. J. Barge.

Church Extension Objectives

Section 8.53 of the Handbook refers to two facets
of Church Extension: acquisition of sites and erection
of facilities. Amount of available funds controls the
extent of activity in site acquisition and totals avail-
able for the financing of parish facilities. Both aspects
of the program are important since they aid in supply-
ing the physical needs for congregations in programs of
preaching, teaching, reaching, and serving.

Certain portions of the Church Extension program
were delayed or halted during the past biennium.
Amounts for capital investments were not available, and
this made postponements necessary. Circumstances pro-
vided for no other alternatives. There is little evidence
of any improvement in this area. No plans for a solu-
tion to this problem have as yet been adopted. We must
continue to plan for these programs related to capital
investment needs of the budget, so when funds are
available, additional time for the continuation of work
will not be necessary.

Loan Services

Loans available to Districts are the following:

1. Church Extension Loans. These are loans to newly
established congregations with normal growth and good
income potential.

2. Service-Charge Loans. These are loans for spe-
cialized ministries that have a good growth potential
but are very limited in income potential.

Loans available directly to congregations are:

1. Department of Investment Loans. These are loans
made on a secured loan basis. Eligibilty is determined
by the following factors:

a) Growth potential in membership;
b) Necessity of new or additional facilities:
c) Ability to repay.

Site Acquisitions

Loans were made to Districts for site acquisitions in
both the Church Extension and Service-Charge loan
categories. No investments were made by the synodical
board to obtain additional advance site properties.
Neither could additional studies be undertaken to plan
for site acquisitions in new metropolitan areas because
of the unavailability of capital funds. Options and al-
ternatives are being considered not to unduly delay,
because prolonged delays would be costly in relation-
ship to studies already made. Reduction in desirable
acreage available, as well as the entry of corporations
and industry in real estate investments, has added com-
plexities and competition to an effort limited in scope
and area.

Board Functions

One of the functions of the board is to give time and
attention to fund growth. While a mere measurement
of dollar volume will constitute a segment of information
for assessment, there are still other facets that must be
considered to analyze effectiveness of involvement.

Total assets as of Jan. 31, 1967, were $42,695,570:
total assets as of Jan. 31, 1969, were $50,934,198; an in-
crease of $8,238,628 in two fiscal years.

The total number of notes issued as of Jan. 31, 1967.
was 14,398. Communicant membership at that time was
1,860,949. This constitutes 0.77 percent of the member-
ship participating in the synodical fund program.

The total number of notes issued as of Jan. 31, 1969,
was 15,006.

Few congregations have assumed responsibility for
planning and programing annual loan goals for invest-
ment support of both District and synodical Church
Extension Funds. Until this practice becomes more
widespread, percentage of participants will be excep-
tionally small.

Motivating for investment participation is another
assigned function of the board. During this past bien-
nium, plans were completed to produce promotional
materials for all Districts with a common message, pro-
fessionally planned and prepared and centrally pur-
chased to make attractive promotional materials avail-
able to District boards at costs their respective budgets
could afford. Another step is to encourage Districts to
plan and arrange for times of emphasis and attention
on their calendar of activities for Church Extension pro-
motion in all congregations.

Periodic attempts are made in meeting with District
committees to encourage fund growth, strengthen man-
agement concerns, and unify basic policies. This can
best be accomplished through the development of a
“Policy Manual” for District Church Extension Funds.