# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S34
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

34 Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

Birmingham, Ala. Congregational Reports

Pilgrim Congregation was started with several Lutheran fam-
ilies who migrated to this city from Lutheran congregations in
the rural districts of the Alabama field. These families were served
for a time by various missionaries on this field; and then in 1923
a missionary, Rev. I. S. Holness, was called to serve these families,
and a congregation was established. Pastor Holness served until
September, 1925, when he was called to serve as a teacher in
Alabama Luther College at Selma, Ala. Then the undersigned was
called to serve in Alabama and was sent to this congregation in
October, 1925. The congregation at that time numbered 49 souls.
Services were held in a brick store-front building about five years.
There we had our first Christian day school, taught by Mrs. Chi-
netta Riley. The attendance increased so rapidly that within two
years a second teacher was employed. At that time we had an
enrollment of more than one hundred children. In 1930 the Mis-
sionary Board provided for us a modern chapel and classroom.
This building is about three miles from the old location. The class-
room seats forty children, though we have admitted as many as
fifty. Because of overcrowded conditions we now admit only forty.
Quite a number of the children followed us to the new school
building and completed their studies. Today many of them are
married and are faithful members of Pilgrim Congregation.

In some instances where children were sent from non-Lutheran
homes, whole families were gained. Many children who desired to
become Lutherans were prevented from joining by their parents,
who were members of other denominations. However, some of
these children, when they grew up, came back and became mem-
bers of the Lutheran Church. So we find it with many adults,
who readily admit that our teaching is true and that they like the
church, but their ancestors belonged to this or that denomination;
so they choose to be what their parents were. Then there are those
who gladly accept the truth and become members of the Lutheran
Church.

Pilgrim Congregation now has 252 souls, 146 communicant
members, and 18 voters. Progress has also been made in church
support. The congregation has taken care of all expenses and
upkeep of the building. The pastor’s salary was paid in part by
the congregation for a number of years; but for the past five or
six years the congregation has paid the salary in full, and it is
now laying aside money to be used toward the purchase of the
church property. Mrs. Chineta Lawhorn is the teacher of our day
school. W. T. Eppteman, Pastor

Selma, Ala.

Trinity Ev. Lutheran Congregation had its beginning in 1922
in a dwelling at 825 First Ave. This building also served for class-
rooms for the Academy founded the same year and for the home
of the male instructors. In 1925 the church followed the relocation
of the Academy to North Green Street, seven blocks away. The
early missionaries that served this congregation were Pastors E. B.
Cozart, R. O. L. Lynn, and P. D. Lehman. In 1925 the records
showed a total of 55 souls, 47 of whom were communicants. Rev. A.
Dominick served this congregation as pastor from 1934 to 1947,