LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1929, Page 187

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Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. 1929. . Lo

and fewer notes to meet, and this ought to mean more money
‘ rposes.

eynodica i yespondence likewise shows that the typical congre-

; 2) ses to build as cheaply as possible and that it tries to do this

fon a down on materials rather than upon size and ornament.

by cot ectural committee is able to show methods by which a much
; - pstantial church may be had for the same amount of money,
sor’ he such methods as more compact planning, the elimination of
jeoements where basements are really not needed (a finished basement
umes one-fourth of the entire building fund), the elimination
ora towel (which often consumes another fourth of the entire fund)

‘ Ore a congregation is financially unable to build a tower, the use

° of temporary glass, and even of temporary, but well-designed fur-

“pishings. In this way a church of durable construction may be built

for even less money than a flimsy one, and such things as towers and

permanent stained glass may be added at a later date.

A cheaply constructed church means large outlays for repairs

and depreciation, and if this item were cut down, much money might

be saved, and diverted for synodical purposes, which is not spent
patching up flimsily constructed buildings.

3) Many of our congregations have erected two churches within
the past thirty years and in a few cases even three churches. This
means a perpetual burden of debt, and with the result that synodical
budgets are seldom met. Through a proper educational campaign,
congregations may be taught to build in a more lasting manner, so
that it is not necessary to wreck and replace a church-building so
frequently. An architectural committee is able to show congrega-
tions, methods by which a church can be built with the idea of future
enlargement in mind, and to build lastingly, adding to the church
as more room is needed. The staggering burden of debt, due to fre-
quent tearing down and replacing of buildings, might be substantially
: lessened. ;

4) While nothing can possibly take the place of Word and
Sacraments, yet it is likewise true that a cheap, shabby, forbidding-
looking church-building might prove to be a thing that would not
attract the lukewarm and indifferent. A shabby church is a poor
missionary asset. With proper attention to better construction, this
might be largely remedied.

Report of the Committee.

Your Committee recommends that Synod pass resolutions —

1) Ordering that the report of the Committee on Church Archi-
tecture be embodied in the record of the proceedings of this con-
vention;

2) Thanking the members of the committee for their painstaking
work;

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