Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1950, Page 89

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Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1950 89

side; the four members who had been won for the church through
the Ebenezer Mission were transferred to Peace Congregation.

Yet the fact remains that the south side, densely populated,
offers a great opportunity to our Church. It is perhaps an even
better locality in which to establish a Lutheran church than where
Peace Lutheran Church is located. Oh! that a man could be placed
into this field tomorrow!

Grace, Evansville, Ind.
The Rev. Lester L. Charles, Pastor

The Missionary Forward Movement, now known as the Lu-
theran Mission Society of Greater Evansville, is responsible for the
existence of our Grace Congregation. These Lutherans, backed by
our local churches, gave full support to the project until the effort
developed into a self-supporting congregation. .

The immediate beginning of this particular mission project was
made in 1934. However, as early as 25 years before, a mission
among the Negroes of Evansville was thought of by a layman,
Mr. John Heldt. Rev. C. A. Frank, then pastor of Trinity, also
often spoke of the field as a neglected one. It remained, however,
for the Rev. W. C. Brauer of Trinity and the Rev. T. W. Strieter
of St. Paul’s, together with their mission committee, to put theory
into practice, to put the wishes of God and good Lutherans into
concrete form.

In August of 1934 Candidate Theodore Hafner, a graduate of
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, was called to begin the actual work.
Since there was no congregation and no church building at that
time, Missionary Hafner spent the first six months in survey work.
Visits were made, contacts were established, the Lutheran Church
was explained, and an adult Bible class was temporarily organized
at the Carnegie Library Auditorium.

On Sunday, April 7, 1935, the first public service was held in
the library. The audience at first was small, but it gradually grew.
In the fall of 1935 the first adult class of five was confirmed. They
were the first Lutherans in this new field.

Through the effort of the Lutheran Forward Movement, lots
were purchased and a church erected, and on June 27, 1937, it was
dedicated. The congregation then numbered about 32 communicant
members. From then on the congregation grew to its present com-
municant membership of 150. On January 1, 1949, the congregation
declared self-support, and in June of that year was received into
membership of Synod.

Pastor Hafner, in December of 1945, accepted a call to St. Titus
of Detroit. The present pastor, the Rev. Lester L. Charles, has
served the congregation since February of 1946,

Our possibilities for future growth are great. There are pros-
pects on every hand inquiring about church membership. The
congregation has been having a good percentage of visitors. .The
possibilities can be seen in the fact that out of a communicant mem-
bership of 150 we are represented in 91 families of the city. This
means that in many families we can claim only one or two.

The church is well equipped to do its job. A parsonage was
erected in 1939 through the kindness of the Lutheran Forward
Movement. A new organ was purchased by the congregation at