6.4 The Philadelphia Central Fund for Preachers

be re-elected. The board appoints, from among its members, an executive committee consisting of 5 persons. The board also appoints its chairman and vice chairman.94 No woman is represented on the board. The average age among the regular members is 51 years and among the deputy members 43 years.

Of the regular members there are 5 managers, 1 painter, 3 pastors, 1 office secretary, 1 businessman.

6.4 The Philadelphia Central Fund for Preachers

(Here called the Assistant Fund.) At the Preachers meeting in the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm in December 1945, ‛matters of the utmost importance for the revival‛ were discussed. Thus among other things, ‛the question of support of needy preachers, missionaries and evangelists within the Swedish Pentecostal Revival,‛ were discussed ‛and the problem of widows and children under age.‛

The discussions led up to a ‛resolution to recommend to the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm to form a foundation with the objective as stated above‛. The policy for that foundation was compiled by a committee appointed by the Preachers meeting. The proposal was carried. At ‛the regular administrative meeting on the 29th April 1946, ‛the Philadelphia Church decided to ‛form a foundation‛ , and to decide the regulations for this foundation.

6.4.1 The Foundation’s Board

The purpose of the foundation is to fulfil the objectives presented at the preachers meeting. From the regulations, in paragraph 4, it is evident that the work should be economized by ‛gifts and other contributions from private individuals and Christian Churches.‛

The board should have seven members appointed by the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm at its yearly administrative meeting. Two of the members should be members of the Stockholm Philadelphia Church, the remainder can be chosen from ‛other Pentecostal Churches in Sweden‛ . We furthermore read in paragraph 6 that the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm can ‛dismiss board

_________________ 94 Regulations, ’Allmänna Spar- och Kreditkassan’, 5.9.51.

members.

‛ The mandate runs for two years. It appoints a ‛chairman and a vice chairman‛ from among its number each year. It is competent to act ‛when at least half of its members are present and if they are in agreement.‛ The Philadelphia Church in Stockholm appoints auditors for the economical stewardship of the foundation and the board is responsible to this Church.

95 In 1947 19,647:17 kronor were collected and in 1972, 171,742:46.96

6.4.2 Administration of Government Grants

Since 1953 the Assistant Fund also administrates a so called general life Insurance for employees in the Swedish Pentecostal Movement. In 1971 the preachers meeting at the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm ruled that the Assistant Fund should also administer ‛the money given by the Government consisting of 500,000 kronor‛ . 97 (The budget year 1971/72.) This also refers to the share of the governmental subsidy given to the free denominations that discover the Swedish Pentecostal Movement.

In the royal letter, which regulates the distribution of that grant, it is stated that a specific committee should administer between the various denominations. This committee was appointed by the government by proposal from the Swedish Free Church council.98 On this board there are two pastors from the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm (one as a deputy member). The one who has suggested that they sit in that capacity cannot be ascertained from the document available.

At the preachers meeting in the Philadelphia Church in Stockholm in 1970, the question of Government Grants was already up for discussion in connection with a debate concerning the employers’ tax to the State. At that time a committee was appointed to examine the question. On the 21st September 1971 this committee sent a letter, in form of a questionnaire, to all the Pentecostal Churches in the country‛ . 99 Out of the total number of 560 Churches ‛approx. 380 Churches answered the questionnaire‛, that is 68 %. Of those, 96 %

_________________ 95 Regulations, ’Filadelfias Centrala Hjälpkassa för Predikanter’, 29.4.46. 96 Administrative reports, ’Filadelfias Centrala Hjälpkassa för Predikanter’, 1947 och 1972. 97 Evangelii Härold 5.1.72, Arne Eklund, ‛Eko från predikantdagarna‛ . 98 Public acts, ’Kungl. Maj:ts regleringsbrev’, Dnr 2134/71, 4.6.71. 99 Letters, Samuel Edestav ... 21.9.71.