Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1958, Page 71

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Lutheran Synodical Conference, 1958 q1

Looking over our field of labor in Louisiana and Mississippi
we can see that progress has been made in every congregation.
We can see also that the pastors and teachers and the members
have a mind to work and to press forward in the work of the Lord.

Looking over the accomplishments in the 12 congregations in
our Southern Field we find an over-all gain of 294 souls during
the past 2 years. St. Paul’s in New Orleans leads with its increase
of 102 souls; Bethlehem in New Orleans is next with a gain of 88
souls; then follows Trinity in New Orleans with a gain of 36 souls;
St. Philip in Jackson, Miss., with a gain of 28 souls; Mt. Zion in
New Orleans with a gain of 17 souls; Calvary in Baton Rouge, La.,
one of our young congregations, with a gain of 8 souls; St. Paul’s in
Mansura, La., with a gain of 7 souls; and Augustana in Alexandria,
La., and Concordia in New Orleans, La., with an increase of 4 souls
each.

St. Paul’s increase was due, to a large extent, to faithful work
done by the teachers in school who have found a large number of
unbaptized children in their classrooms. Much of the increase at
Trinity has been the result of the teachers’ faithfulness also. Beth-
lehem’s increase in membership has largely been due to the return
of members to the church.

A word should be said about Holy Cross in Shreveport, La.
This smallest of our congregations —it numbers only 18 souls —
received 3 children during the past year by confirmation. The con-
gregation is located among people who already have church con-
nections. For this reason it was thought best to begin work else-
where in Shreveport. There is much material in Shreveport.

Aside from thanking God for the progress which has been
made in the Field, we thank Him also for putting more money at
our disposal to erect churches and schools and to buy property in
such sections where work should be started very soon.

It makes our hearts rejoice that we are getting money to help
Concordia Congregation in New Orleans to build a much needed
church. The building Concordia Congregation is worshiping in at
the present time is so rotten that we have been unable to get bids
to repair it.— We also will receive money to buy a beautiful piece
of ground where we intend to begin work in New Orleans among
some 50,000 people, of whom many are without church connections.
It had been our desire to begin work in this section a long time
ago, but we could find no building in which we could have had
services.

There is much that could still be said to point out our forward
march in the deep South at the side of our Savior in the interest of
His people, but we shall let each pastor in the Field tell us himself
what blessings God has showered down upon him and upon his
congregation during the past two years, and what opportunities
surround him and his congregation.

There is only one thing which we still shall add. We miss
Pastor G. M. Kramer, whom God has taken to Himself in heaven
only recently after having given to him the privilege to work in
New Orleans more than fifty years. He has been a faithful worker
and all the work he has done through the years, even into his old
age, has been more than many realize. He has done much for
Jesus and he has done much for the people whom he so lovingly
served,