LCMS. Fiscal Conference

At the 1926 convention, the Synod declared that the fiscal officers of each district meet annually with the Board of Directors to decide the annual budget, to review its financial situation and to help the districts solve their financial problems. This began the Fiscal Conference, whose membership included the district presidents and one of each district’s financial officers. The Synod charged the Board of Directors and the Fiscal Conference with setting the annual synodical budget.

Prior to this there was no budgeting procedure in place. Each department often held its own treasury, and the Synod approved special allotments at conventions. By 1924 the financial secretary realized the need for a more comprehensive, uniform and centralized fund-raising procedure. Mr. Theodore Eckhart called a meeting in St. Louis of district financial officers for this purpose in October 1924.

By 1956 the Fiscal Conference membership included the president, the vice presidents, the Board of Directors, the district presidents and two additional representatives from each district. The Synod required one of these representatives to be a fiscal officer and one to be a layman. Each triennium the conference elected a chairman from among the vice presidents and a secretary. The Synod paid all meeting expenses. The Fiscal Conference fixed the synodical budget after the Board of Directors submitted a recommendation to them.

The 1961 Fiscal Conference recommended to the 1962 convention that changes be made in the process used to determine the Synod’s budget and programs. The most important reasons included the following: the growth of the Synod, the need to bring income and expenditures into closer balance, changes in district budgeting practices and specific suggestions submitted by the 1960 Stewardship Conference. The 1962 convention approved the resolution to form the Work Program Conference and to dissolve the Fiscal Conference.

For more information please see the Synodical Handbook and the LCMS. Work Program Records.