Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 59

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Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1950 59

held to their Lutheran church during these nineteen years of
waiting for a house of worship. We have lost great opportunities
of having a very thriving and prosperous mission in Baton Rouge.
At one time many members of the faculty. of Southern University
were interested in the Lutheran Church. After many years of
waiting an Episcopalian mission was started, a church was built,
and we lost them for our mission. Baton Rouge is nearly in the
center of the State, and many of our members from our other
Lutheran congregations drift into Baton Rouge. They would like
to live here, but they soon move out because we have no Lutheran
church building. C. P. Taomeson, Pastor

Augustana, Alexandria, La.

I began work here on September 14, 1924, and in the spring
of 1927 our present church-school was erected with the help of
the Sunday school children of the English District of New York.
Today we have an enrollment of 78 pupils and two lady teachers.

Quite a few children were gained for our church through the
day school.

During the last two years 15 children were baptized, 12 adults
and children were confirmed. And even though many have moved
away, we have 112 members of which 54 are communicants.

Services are well attended. This year four catechumens were
confirmed.

The interior of our chapel was painted two years ago at a cost
of $90, and the congregation paid $426 for the pavement on William-
son St. Porches and steps of concrete were built to replace the old
wooden porches at a cost of $98.

The congregation pays $80 a month towards the pastor’s salary
and $25 a month toward the salary of one of the teachers.

The congregation is planning more improvements in the near
future. E. R. Bercer, Pastor

St. Philip’s, Jackson, Miss.

The present pastor was installed at St. Philip’s on January 29,
1946, During the last two years 13 souls have been added to our
list — 6 children baptized, 2 adults baptized, and 5 adults confirmed.

The congregation now numbers 48 souls, 29 communicants,
11 of whom are of voting age, and 19 baptized souls. St. Philip’s
has 29 contributing members. During the year 1949 these 29 mem-
bers contributed’a total of $719. The highest personal contribution
toward this amount was $124. This is a fortunate exception rather
than the rule, for our little flock is made up of people from the
laboring class. We have only a few professional and business men.
We also have a goodly number of mothers and school children who
have no personal incomes. We also have several blind people who
are very much dependent.

From its total contribution the congregation paid $387 toward
the pastor’s salary. The rest went for current expenses. Our
current expenses are exceptionally high because of the fact that
for the next nine years we must pay $205 plus interest each year
to retire a $2,000 debt for street improvements (paving, etc.). This
fact has also hindered the congregation in its efforts to raise funds
to build. Now we do not need a new church, nor, as yet, a larger
place for worship, but we do need very urgently a meeting room