The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1926, Page 185

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

185

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The Northern Illinois District Acts.

Last spring the Northern Illinois District,
through its committee, was ready to begin building
operations in behalf of our colored mission in Chi-
cago. A suitable corner lot, in a suitable neighbor-
hood, was purchased. The lot is at the corner of
St. Lawrence Ave. and 64th St., in the section of
the city known as Woodlawn. Approximately 2,000
colored families live there. There is just one small
church-building for our people in this section.
Of course, many of these people already belong to
churches which are closer to the down-town section ;
but they do not attend the services there because
these churches are too far away. Many of them

a noted artist of our local Lutheran circles. It has
been estimated that 1,200 to 1,500 people were
present. A third of these were colored people.

Building Committee.

The Building Committee appointed by the
Northern Illinois District at first consisted of
Pastors Aug. Burgdorf, E.G. Jehn, and Leo
Schmidtke. Later Pastor Schmidtke had to go to
South America to look after the missions of the
Missouri Synod down there. Pastor O. Fedder,
formerly of Seattle, Wash., who had just accepted
a call to this city, gladly took the place of Pastor
Schmidtke on our committee. Pastor Burgdorf,

On the Day of the Dedication of St. Philip’s Church, Chicago.
The overflow crowd, which could not get into the new church during the dedication service.

say they are coming to our church because it is
nearer. We hope that later they. will come for a
better reason.

Ground was broken for our church during the
latter part of May. The corner-stone was laid on
the 6th of June. The missionary moved into the
parsonage on the 20th of September. The 17th of
October was Dedication Day. Dear reader, if you
have heard of pastor and people of St. Philip’s
experiencing a happier day, kindly write and tell
us what day that was. The weather was beautiful.
Amplifiers carried the service to the overflow crowd
in the streets. The Rey. C. F. Drewes, of St. Louis,
Director of Missions, was the speaker. He preached
a forceful sermon on Ex. 20, 24b. ‘The service was

beautified by the singing of Mrs. H. F. Rohrman, ”

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‘who started the ball rolling for us, was ill during

a great deal of the time that the plans were being
carried out. Pastor Jehn acted as treasurer. We
need not tell you that in that capacity he had to
bear the burden and the heat of the day and endless
cares by night. But he was always cheerful and
patient and wore a smile more regularly than he
did his hat. :
Outside Gifts.

Our building cost considerably more than the —
$15,000 so enthusiastically granted by the Northern
Illinois District. During the past two years the
local missionary, aside from trying to keep the
local mission going, has traveled in our circles to
collect funds to aid the cause here. Our plant,
when everything is figured, will cost between