Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-27
PROBLEMS OF
SMALL CHURCH
I ARE PRESENTED
"A. G. Hacke Gives Report at
Annual Congregationalist
Meet at Fargo. u

Fargo. N. D.. Sept. 27.-The imam
cial conditions. the problem Of the
small church and the need Of great
err cooperation In church nelds were
presented to the Forty-hrst annual
meeting Of the CONVERSATIONAL confer
ence of North Dakota by Superintend-
emit Augustus c., Eacke here today.
Mr.. r1acke, with the giving Of the re-
port ended tho first year in which he
has been at the head Of the work Of
the church in the state.
In the beginning Of his report the
Rev. Mr.. Hacke expressed regret that
more Of the problems of the church
In the state had not been solved in the
year Of work and appreciation of the
spirit Of loyalty Throughout hesitate.
with better crops throughout the
state this year, conditions are some
what improved" said Mr.. Hacke In
!, beginning his report. THE real A.
nancial strain will not be relieved for
with the many bad years for part Of
the state. accumulated taxes n In
terest will make this better year
serve only as arst-a aid relief. The low
prices are d~iscouraging to many who
must put their crops on the market.
However. 1 count ohe Of the best re-
suits Of these changed conditions. the
more optimistic spirit that one finds
in every community.
l.. Small Church Biz Problem.
II think our most serious problem
in the state Is the problem OF the
small church. These small churches
need Just as good preaching and pas
toral work az the larger ones. How
yer, it Is; difficult to get strong loader.
ship Tor these fields because Of the
Limitations both financially and other
wise. Our trend is toward fewer pas.
= A~s ot,A Ia ,Soo&. ma ,>iaHda Soma AZ Any
churches are realizing the superior
value Of a strong leader, even though
the number Of public services be a lit.
tie less. This Is the enlarged parish
as contracted with the larger parish
idea. This enlarged parish makes In
creased demands upon the pastor
physically, mentally ana socially
However. ii gives the rural, Or semi
rural minister the opportunity to ex
tend his influence. 50 that FREQUENT,
no has a much bigger field than hi
city neighbor. Progress is slow, bu
], once we get this cooperation between
churches, the natural. development
: will be towards stronger churches
!, that will become self-sustaining units
N Turning Is the question Of pastora
changes and pulpit supply. Mr.. Hack
continued:
. Workers Needed.
I'VE have had fifteen students a
work in the state the past summer
|service in many Of our vacant heldt
Some OF these fields should have per
mament pastors. We need more nher
able men, Thoroughly trained for tn
task Of leadership 81 these nelds.
: "The names Of, twenty churche
we're dropped from the roll o
churches this year. Many Of thes
fields have been without service TO
, several years and the organization
!. have lapsed. we have others wnsr
Y work IL practically Impossible uhde
E present conditions, but are retAiain
I them on the roll because Of ptopart
+ interests at these points, zone ne,
church has been organized during tn
: year. viz, the community Corgresa
i tionAl church Of .Alkalbo, which VA
4 organized on August 2oth Under tn
leadership Of 7ene Of our student
: Mr.. Ralph LOOMS Of oberlln. Th1
church wal organized with forty-fv
charter members and mas Applied e
y III. epite Of the dropping Of twent
v churches from our roll this year, "
t had an increase In church f1eraee!
8 ship OF Al; In Sunday school enrol
rasnt "a; ana in Young Peoples Il
ciety members Sig.
a Asks for Cooperation.
III closing his report. the superb
Ftsndent asked for greater co.opers
! ton between the pastors OF his ew
& church, especially those whose men
! bers moved frequently IN letting nair
: listers where members had move
know Of 1 naernbsr In their con1faut
ity, ana Of co-operAtioh b6tween II
ministers Of the state ana the pasttl
Il of.the Churches IN college toutns. j
!. especially impressed the eppottuni,
OF Keeping the young people IN touc
&, with tho church through co-operattt
nA1lAIA M a eos