# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S36
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

36 Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

The congregation today numbers 80 souls, 54 communicants,
and 11 voters. The day school has an enrollment of 28, and there
are 64 in the Sunday school. P.R. Hunt, Pastor

Rosebud, Ala.

Christ Lutheran Church at Rosebud, Ala., is generally known
as the mother of the Alabama churches. The congregation was
organized on Easter Sunday, 1918, by the now sainted Pastor N. J.
Bakke. An interesting history of the beginning of this congregation
and of the Negro Lutheran Church in Alabama is found in Rosa
Young’s Light in the Dark Belt.

At this time the congregation has 148 souls, 69 communicants,
26 enrolled in the day school, and 45 in the Sunday school. Thirteen
are being instructed for confirmation.

Mrs. Augusta Griffin is the teacher of the day school.

Recently the congregation has repaired the foundation and
entrance to the chapel. Other repairs are needed.

The last adult confirmed (Palm Sunday) was convinced of the
soundness of the Lutheran doctrine by reading the Missionary
Lutheran. R. E. Nesey, Pastor

Oak Hill, Ala.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Oak Hill was organized on
April 15, 1916, as the second congregation on the Alabama field.
Mr. James McBride, who had been instructed at Rosebud, per-
suaded Director Bakke to start a mission at Oak Hill.

At present the records show 152 souls, 51 communicants, 32 in
the day school, and 50 in the Sunday school. Four were confirmed
in April.

Mrs. Daisy Paries is the teacher of the day school.

The congregation is contemplating the remodeling of the
chapel-school and the procuring of new seats.

R. E. Neety, Pastor
Holy Ark, Ala.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is a rural congregation, one mile
off U.S. Highway 82, about five miles from Vida, Ala. It was
organized in 1922 under Pastor G. A. Schmidt and at present has
166 souls, 66 communicants, and 24 voters. Only two of the
communicant members have not attended our Christian day school.
The day school has an enrollment of 30. There are 47 in the Sunday
school, At present the pastor is also the teacher of the school.
There is little prospect for growth from without. The congregation
purchased the church property in 1949. Chances of becoming self-
supporting are very dim. The congregation pays $32 a month
toward the pastor’s salary. C. L. GrarBer, Pastor

Joffre, Ala.

St. John’s Lutheran Church, a rural congregation, was organ-
ized in 1917 by the sainted Pastor N. J. Bakke. Because of migra-
tion to cities a once promising membership has been reduced to
seven communicants. It is hoped this small group will merge with
Bethlehem, which is only nine miles from the Joffre community.
All but one communicant member have attended the Christian day
school. C. L. GRAEBER, Pastor