# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S429
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 429

by $10,000 annually. Thus if the economic conditions continue
favorably, by the time the loan is repaid, the Free Churches will
have almost reached self-support.

During the past triennium the following subsidies were granted
for work in Germany:

1953 __ $77,654 1954 __ $64,326 1955 _.. $58,836

France

During the past triennium considerable emphasis was placed
upon the development of a French ministry. A “House of Theo-
logical Studies” was dedicated at Chatenay, a suburb of Paris, in
the fall of 1955. This was built with a special grant of $75,000 from
the “Conquest for Christ” offering. Pastor Wolff has moved to
Chatenay to take charge of the training of future theological
students. In the meantime two young French pastors from the
Paris Synod, Rev. Marc Splingart and Rev. D. Pourchot, came to
us by colloquy. With the dedication of the “House of Theological
Studies” the announcement could be made that the two pastors
would immediately begin conducting divine services and carry on
regular church work. Sunday school for children and a Bible class
for adults were organized, and a Christian day school was opened.
Thirty-four children are now enrolled. Their tuition of 2,000 francs
a month makes the school a self-supporting undertaking.

A third pastor, Rev. L. Dhallenne, was gained through the Lu-
theran Hour and is the first fruit of the new ministerial training
program. He has been placed in charge of the work in Rouen.
The little group gathered by Rev. J. Bricka, now in Mulhouse, con-
sists of 33 souls. Twelve children and five adults are now receiving
instructions. It remains to be seen how successful these new mis-
sion ventures in France will be.

The Lutheran Hour continues to attract many listeners and
brings many inquiries. In a recent Lutheran Hour Rally there
were 50 present whose first contact with the Lutheran Church was
through the Lutheran Hour.

The strength of the French Free Church is in Alsace, and
principally in the Schillersdorf parish, which Pastor A. F. Michalk
has faithfully served since 1948. His leadership will be greatly
missed when he returns to the States in July of this year.

Statistics: 9 pastors, 10 congregations, 680 souls, 424 com-
municants.

Receipts in 1954: 3,550,000 frs.; 1955: 4,356,403 frs.

It is encouraging to note that the receipts from the members