Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 82

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Sse Proceedings of the Forty-First Convention,

ical Conference in Cincinnati that year. Pastor Kase held services
and adult classes in this lady’s home for several years until a suf-
ficient number showed interest and the Federation of Lutheran
Churches here purchased and renovated an old city bath house.
The church was organized in 1926 by Pastor Kase, and a school,
later closed during the depression, was begun by him, with Mr. Kla-
witter as its teacher. Immanuel has had five ministers: Pastors
Kase, Schauer, Rau, Runge, and the present incumbent.

Present baptized membership is 230, with an active communi-
cant membership of 116.

Physical property, owned by the Cincinnati Federation of Lu-
theran Churches, Missouri Synod, includes a church building and
the house in the rear. First floor of the church contains a Sunday
school room about 30 by 34, kitchen about 12 by 15, and an office
of the same size across the hall, small rest rooms for men and
women, and a small closet for janitor supplies. The church proper,
on the second floor, is 30 by 51 and seats about 200 comfortably.
Heat is supplied by a coal furnace, with blower in the half base~
ment. House in rear (7 rooms and bath) is rented out by the
Federation at present. Because of the present plans of the city
to tear down much of the West End for housing units, we do not
know whether we will be located here much beyond several years.

With approximately 70,000 Negroes in Cincinnati, the possi-
bilities for growth are good. We have added approximately twenty
a year to our communicant list, many of these being young married
couples. God willing, we hope to begin work in Walnut Hills and
other outlying areas later.

One of the greatest helps to the work, we feel, is that we are
living in this part of town with our people. It has helped to bring
about a solidarity and love such as did not exist before, because
of the feeling of apparent aloofness induced when the pastor lived
out of the area, even though relations for the most part have been
very cordial with all who served here.

St. Philip’s, Cleveland, Ohio
The Rev. L. Robinson, Pastor

In 1910 Cleveland had a Negro population of about 15,000.
Fifteen years later, in 1925, this figure had increased to 65,000.
This increase had been due mainly to the great Negro migration
from the South to the large Northern industrial centers during
the first World ‘War and the postwar years. Since then the
boundaries of the Negro section have been extended even more.

During the year 1913 St. Peter’s Lutheran Church had con-
structed a large brick church on the corner of East 79th St. and
‘Sherman Ave. Twelve years later this white congregation found
itself in the heart of Cleveland’s largest Negro section. As the
Negro population increased, opportunities to minister to their spir-
itual needs became more apparent. St. Peter’s Church saw the
need and in the fall of 1925 formally resolved to begin work among
Negroes in Cleveland. On December 27, 1925, a Christmas service
was held, and Negroes were invited. About twelve accepted the
invitation.

During the spring of 1926, five score of St. Peter’s members
engaged in a house-to-house canvass. The result of the canvass