Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 17

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Ev, Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1950 17

board of control at Alabama Lutheran Academy, and being con-
yinced of the necessity of a classroom and administration building,
humbly petitions the Synodical Conference to authorize the erection
of and to provide the funds ($20,000—$25,000) for such a building.

Statistics

The statistics of the home field are presented in the reports of
District and field representatives, These statistics cover only those
stations that are receiving a subsidy from the Synodical Conference.
Congregations that are fully supported by a District are listed in
the District tabulations.

New Subsidization Plan
A. Annual Request Forms

It has been the policy of the Missionary Board heretofore to
grant a subsidy to mission congregations annually on the assump-
tion that the same amount would be required for the ensuing year
to carry on congregational work, unless a congregation specifically
indicated that it was increasing its contribution toward the pastor’s
or teacher’s (s’) salary and was thereby reducing the subsidy
allocation of the previous year. At frequent intervals the Mission-
ary Board would address itself to congregations and inquire
whether or not a reduction in the allocated subsidy was possible.

There is no denying the fact that such a mode of procedure
was not conducive to instill in a congregation the feeling of respon-
sibility over against its workers. The congregation neglected to
evaluate its own financial potentialities because it took for granted
that the Missionary Board would subsidize the congregation with
the usual amount.

The Missionary Board felt the need of improving this situation
and, at the same time, to make the congregation realize its duty
to do its full part in the conduct of its congregational affairs.

The Plenary Board passed two separate resolutions bearing
on this matter. The first resolution covered congregations, particu-
larly in the South, which are not under the supervision of a Dis-
trict board. These congregations were approached directly by the
Missionary Board and petitioned to prepare a subsidy request
form, as provided by the Board, and to mail same to the office of
the Missionary Board after the request form had been approved
and recommended by the Superintendent of the field. The reso-
lution covering the above reads as follows:

“It was resolved to inform the congregations subsidized by
the Missionary Board that henceforth they shall be required to
make annual requests to the Missionary Board as to their par-
ticular financial needs.”

This resolution in essence also covered those congregations
which were under the supervision of District Mission Boards;
however, since the Missionary Board does not deal with congre-
gations directly, but only through the District Mission Boards, it
was deemed advisable to formulate a second resolution which
pertains to such situations. The second resolution reads: “It was
further resolved that the respective District Boards submit similar
questionnaires to congregations under their supervision and forward
them to the Missionary Board.” Under this new setup the District
Mission Board, through its Executive Secretary or Mission Director,