Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1954, Page 170

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170 Proceedings of the Forty-Third Convention,

Divine Mercy Mission, St. Louis Mo.

This mission also calls Mrs. Margaret Baehler, founder of
work among the Negro people, its founder. And rightfully so.
About the year 1930 Mrs. Baehler moved to the house on Bald-
win St., where we now worship, and promptly started gathering
children and adult women for her Divine Mercy Mission. Three
grown children, brothers, were baptized in November, 1931. But
Mrs. Baehler’s efforts here did not begin to bear larger fruits until
December, 1941, when a class of eight grown children was baptized
by Rev. Wilbert Fields. From the beginning, much of the work
was done by Concordia Seminary students. Supervision was by
the pastors of Transfiguration. In recent years the St. Louis
Women’s Auxiliary for Negro Missions has been planning and
working for a modest chapel for this mission. However, its plans
have not as yet materalized. One reason is the rapid advance of
industrialization in this area. Many of our large families, who
supplied our Bible school pupils, have moved out. Our young
people, too, have married and moved away. But the nucleus, com-
prising two families, still holds the mission together. Pastor
Groerich these past five years has been doing most of the work
himself, doing “doubleheaders” each Sunday morning, plus serv-
ices of evangelism. Most of the adults also attend Transfiguration
Church on Sunday evenings and Thursday evenings.

The statistics as of December 31, 1953:

Unorganized Mission Post, “Filiale” of Transfiguration

Baptized membership 30; Communicants 15 (5 absent in Armed Services)
Gains by Baptism and Confirmation 5; Infant Baptism 1

Losses by Transfer and Death 2; Communed 72; Sunday Bible School 35
Catechumens 3; Contributions $200 GERHARD GROERICH

Good Samaritan Lutheran Chapel, St. Louis, Mo.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Chapel is one of the three settle-
ment missions operated by the Lutheran Mission Association of
Greater St. Louis. In co-operation with the Lutheran Community
Center conducted by the Lutheran Business Women, the chapel
is open almost daily for religious instruction and recreational
activities.

Good Samaritan Chapel is located just north of the downtown
business section in an underprivileged area. Ninety-seven per cent
of the families with whom we work have been marred by abnormal
home conditions as divorce, desertions, and illegitimacy. The
people are now being forced out of the neighborhood, especially
because of-trucking-firm expansions.

During 1853 the average attendance at regular Sunday morn-
ing services was 146. Including eleven juniors confirmed on Palm
Sunday, the communicant membership stands at 59. A record
attendance of 278 was established on Easter Sunday, when 41 souls
were added by Holy Baptism.

The undersigned has served Good Samaritan Chapel on a part-
time basis since October of 1951.

G. H. Lresenow, Chaplain
Lutheran Mission Association
of Greater St. Louis