# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S889
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 889

Methodist Church in 1931, but nevertheless continued to do mission
work independently, supported by his own efforts and the gifts of
the congregation he had gathered. Until 1934 this small group of
Christians met in the home of one of the members in Deurne,
a section of Antwerp lying on the eastern outskirts. The work
progressed so well that at the beginning of 1938 they rented a
house in Deurne, which served as a parsonage, and converted the
garage into a small chapel. During these years Pastor Hellings
had made the acquaintance of the Rev. Olaf Aarvold, Pastor of
the Norwegian Lutheran Seaman’s Mission. In the conversations
Pastor Aarvold became convinced that Hellings was a Lutheran in
fact, if not in name, and urged him to become better acquainted
with the teachings of the Lutheran Church. Pastor Aarvold wrote
Dr. Fuerbringer asking him for English books of Lutheran theology.
Dr. Fuerbringer brought Pastor Hellings to the attention of the
pastors of the Free Churches, and thus it happened that Pastor
Wm. Oesch, at that time in London, made the first contact with
Pastor Hellings. Later on, conferences were held with the pastors
in Alsace and in London, as a result of which our Church assumed
the support of this mission.
PRESENT STATUS

During the war Pastor Hellings was cut off from financial
support and found it most difficult to maintain the property which
they had rented. He and his wife sold practically all of their
furniture, jewelry, and even their wedding rings, in order to pay
for the rent. But all of their heroic efforts to maintain their
property failed, and in September, 1941, they were forced to give
up the lease. From 1942 until October, 1944, they worshiped in
the chapel of the Norwegian Seaman’s Mission. When this was
destroyed by a V bomb, they were forced to move once more.
After holding services in the homes of members, they finally found
a place in a chapel in the reconverted coach house of the Swedish
Seamen’s Mission. Pastor Hellings was equally unfortunate in his
living quarters, being forced to move several times because of the
destruction of his residences by bombs. He finally found a place
15 km. from Antwerp. During this period, when there was no
support, Pastor Hellings was forced to earn a living for his family
by secular employment and finally worked as civilian clerk of the
Belgian army. Naturally all of these difficulties retarded the
growth of the Antwerp congregation.

Future ProcraM
An urgent necessity for the proper progress of the work in
Belgium is the purchase of a centrally located property which will
serve as a chapel, meeting rooms, and living quarters for the pastor.
Such a property can be purchased for approximately $20,000, and