The Omaha guide., 1945-06-23
NEW ERA S. S. AND B. T. U.
CONGRESS OF NEBRASKA
w II GIrc n


Union, which was held at Salem
Baptist Church, 18th and Decatur
SITS, closed its twenty-seventh an
nual session Tuesday, June II,
1915. The Presidents annual mes
sage is being published for the
benefit Of those who were not able
to attend.
BY the grace of God, we were
permitted to meet in this our
twenty-eighth annual session of
the New Era Sunday School and
B. T. u. Congress, our fourth var
time Congress.
Since our last annual meeting,
many unusual events have taken
place which have affected us as a
nation and a people. On April
18th, the president of our United
States passed to the great beyond,
the seventh to pass while in office.
In many of our homes, our boys are
still being called to the armed
forces of our country. Our nation,
as a whole, has been called to
prayer, during the past twelve
months, o than in any other
period in history. Nations of the
universe have become more close
ly united than at any other time.
On May 9Th, victory was declared
in Europe, which ended a war that
caused more casualties than any
other wal in u history. Race
relations have made wonderful
progress. Our churches are be-
coming more "Christian education
minded" than at any other time
in the history of our convention.
Our National S. S. and B. T. u.
official staff of instruc-
tors have toured many states and
conducted more leadership train
ing Institutes than in any other
previous year.
Indeed, time passes on, and many
rapid changes are made. AS l
look back over the years of this
convention, it appears to me that
much progress has been made.
This progress has been made be-
cause of your loyalty and CO.
operation and too, the labor and
cooperation of those who have
gone before US. May I thank each
of you for your loyalty and en-
enlargement. You are to be COM
mended for the contributions you
have made for the promotion of
this great work.
Our Local Organizations
1 will not attempt to enumerate
the contacts made with the local
s. S. and B. t. us. | have tried
to keep in touch with each of you.
| note that many of our Sunday
Schools are well organized and
have a splendid teaching program.
The B. T. US are improving. We
should remember that the B. T. U.
is a training organization and not
an entertaining organization. May
/ also remind you that these are
progressive organizations and de-
mand progressive leadership, lead
ers who are willing to sacrifice for
the work. | find that many of our
leaders are willing to sacrifice
everything but pleasure, often sin
full pleasure. Many of US are not
willing to sacrifice our time to
study and attend leadership train
ing schools. We cannot rise above
our leadership. We must keep be-
fore u growing minds, as we'll as,
adult minds, the best we have,
those who are willing to improve
themselves through prayerful study
and leadership schools.
We should be more community
minded with our program. l would
like to see each S. S. set aside one
month each year to canvass its
own community and enlist every
child that does not attend Sunday
School. We should make a clean
sweep Of our own community. Our
program should not stop with our
own church membership but should
reach out and touch every person
in our community. If necessary,
we should attend to the physical
needs of the unfortunate, that they
may be in condition to attend Sun
day school and church. There are
many homes that are not able to
prepare the child for church. There
are other homes with careless and
u~nconcerned parents. This offers
a great opportunity for community
work for u Sunday school and
B. T. U. workers. BY SO doing,
we will help to make our COM
munity a better place in which to
live and be doing our bit in reach
ing the unreached.
Rehabilitation Program
When our boys return home from
the armed forces, they will not be
the same as they left US. We
must begin now to think Of the
effects Of two, three or even four
years away from normal life; en-
vironments of other religions and
non-Christian groups; bored with