Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 79

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Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1950 719

begun a-none-too-gradual emigration to another section of Tulsa.
More substantial homes have been built in this new locale. A tre-
mendous new high school is nearing completion here. Smaller
business and shopping centers have already been established, and
more are being contemplated for the immediate future. An im-
portant feature of this mass removal to the newer section of Tulsa
is this, that most churches of the community have made no plans
to adjust either their programs or locations in order to meet the
challenge such a change inevitably presents. Only the Roman
Catholics, the Episcopalians, one insignificant and independent
Baptist group, and the Christian Scientists have been alert to the
‘possibilities and have already established themselves here.

Tulsa Plan

Opportunity for successful work here is also enhanced by. the
possibility of conducting the work in close collaboration with the
congregation already established in Muskogee’s Negro Community.
This could be so transacted that—if not financially, at least in
terms of service —Hope Church, Muskogee, could sponsor the
Tulsa project. Were Hope’s pastor to be given, at least for the
start, a student assistant who could help him in Muskogee so that
no work need be forfeited in that important field, and who also
would under the supervision of Hope’s pastor spend most of his
‘time in the Tulsa field (the Muskogee pastor would also do actual
work in Tulsa), we feel that many difficulties and perhaps even
mistakes could be avoided. In addition to this, the Muskogee parish
could also supply each Sunday an organist and Sunday school
teachers, to provide and guarantee an important factor —- a nucleus
of interested and active Negro laymen. This would not be difficult,
because Muskogee is only 60 miles distant from Tulsa.

Work in Oklahoma City and Tulsa Advisable and Justifiable
on Basis of Muskogee’s Record

Work in Muskogee for the past ten-odd years has certainly
revealed the possibilities for mission work among the colored ‘in
Oklahoma. The first five years of Hope Church’s history were
probably not so eventful as they might have been, for the work was
done only on a part-time basis. Nonetheless, the congregation now
numbers more than a half-hundred active communicants and more
than 100 baptized souls. The church is well known and respected
in the community and has even already made important contacts
in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The Sunday services only five
years ago enjoyed.an average attendance of less than thirty —
attendance on recent Sundays has been above the eighty mark,

Pastor Lutze, who is stationed at Muskogee, has indicated in
reports that by and large there may be a greater percentage in
the Negro community who have church affiliations, but — largely
because of an inadequately trained clergy serving the community —
he has repeatedly found people who are thirsting for the true Word,
which the Lutheran Church possesses and administers.

The Muskogee Negro population has been more or less static
through the past twenty years and will probably remain between
the eleven- and twelve-thousand mark. The church has reached