Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1954, Page 160

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160 Proceedings of the Forty-Third Convention,

Pastor J. Rische was commissioned on March 22, 1953, in Grace
Lutheran Church, San Francisco, to start a congregation in Bay
View and to work among Negroes throughout San Francisco with
the hope of transferring people gained into their neighborhood
churches.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Holy Trinity, Springfield, Il.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Springfield, Ill, is one of the
few congregations in Central Illinois receiving support from the
Missionary Board. The congregation is being served part time by
Prof. Mark J. Steege of Concordia Seminary, who usually has the
assistance of a student of the seminary. In the past year his assist-
ant had to resign, and only temporary help was available. The work
carried on in the past year included making the necessary calls
in the congregation, conducting services, Sunday school, Saturday
school, and meetings, and getting in a few mission calls each month.
Most of the children served are from unchurched homes, making
the agencies truly missionary in character.

Vacation Bible School is conducted for several weeks, and the
number of mission calls made during the summer months is much
greater than during the school year, provided that a student can
be engaged for this work. The prospect list is fairly large, but
since fifteen other colored congregations are working on the un-
churched, there is a question of how much the Lutheran Church
will be able to accomplish in this area.

Though the congregation is over sixty-five years old, it num-
bers only 40 communicants and approximately 75 souls. Three
adults were confirmed in 1953. At present a class of 7 children
is being instructed for confirmation in 1955.

Contributions, church attendance, and Communion attendance
have increased slightly during the past year. We still look with
hope to a larger Negro congregation in Springfield.

Mark J. STEEGE
KANSAS DISTRICT
Faith, Kansas City, Kans.

During the past year the Kansas District has made it possible
for Faith Congregation to move to a permanent location in the
heart of a substantial residential neighborhood at a cost of $28,900.
A large mansion was renovated to serve as parsonage and educa-
tional building. Until a chapel can be built on the acre site, with
170-foot frontage on Quindaro Blvd., rooms in the house are serv-
ing as temporary chapel. Over $1,000 was contributed by neigh-
boring congregations for equipment. The Kansas District L. L. L.
is working on a special project to raise $2,000 for educational
equipment.

Organized in 1949, a member of Synod since 1951, Faith Con-
gregation has grown to include 73 baptized members, of whom
31 are communicants. Its ten voting members are well organized
and take an active part in the total program of the church. Contri-
butions for all purposes during 1953 amounted to $1,924.45. Kansas
District subsidy was $1,150, Missionary Board support $2,520.

An extensive educational program includes a Sunday school
of 65 children, a vacation Bible school of 161 children, and releesed-