Francis address we are approximately 5 miles north of the city of St. Francis and approximately 5 miles east of the city of Zimmerman. If you put our address in your GPS you should reach us just fine. We can't wait to meet you! Our mission is to seek the lost and strengthen the saved. The congregation is not the mission, but it used by God to accomplish the mission (1 Corinthians 9:22, Philippians
2:1-4). We believe that every Christian is called by God to live a life of eternal significance and is uniquely gifted for service (Romans 12:1, 1 Peter 4:10). Our History
The desire to meet for public worship in the German settlement of Crown began as far back as 1870. Worship was held in the homes with the sermon being read by a layman. A traveling missionary was sent in 1872 followed by the first pastor in 1877. His first official entry into Church records was a baptism performed on January 28, 1877. The first church, a 20x30 foot frame structure was dedicated in 1879. Pews, pulpit and altar were all handmade by members. This building venture cost approximately $250. Pastors traveled in the area serving Princeton, Crown, Bradford and Twin Lakes. The first parsonage, erected in 1883, was a log house. The pastor at that time agreed to teach school 3 months every year. Special collections for Synod were received on Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and Thanksgiving Day. Mission festivals were held as early as 1887, inviting neighboring churches. In the fall of 1890 a new parsonage was built and more benches were made for the Church to take care of the overflow of people on Sundays. In 1902 plans were made for a new Church measuring 50x30x16 feet. The Church was dedicated to the glory of God on February 22, 1903. On that day two services were held, one in German and one in English. This same year the congregation joined the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, now know as The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Pastor's salary at this time was $300 per year plus wood for fuel and hay and feed for his livestock. The old Church was now transformed into a school equipped with school benches costing 50 cents apiece. In the fall of 1917 the Pastor's part-time helper was hired to teach school for a period of six months. In 1921 English services were conducted on a trial basis and were later held the first Sunday of the month. This was changed to the first and third Sundays in 1929. Pastor Kramer arrived in 1922 and volunteered to teach school 5 days a week. The following year two services were held every Sunday, one in English and one in German. A Sunday School was also formed. In the year 1943 the weekly envelope system was introduced and the Ladies Aid joined the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. A new school was built in 1954 at the cost of $27,000. It was destroyed by fire on December 28, 1962. On October 27, 1963, a new school was dedicated at the cost of $90,000. The present parsonage was built in 1960 at the cost of $20,000 with much donated help. The old parsonage was sold for $1,100 and moved to its' present site in Crown. A complete renovation was done to the parsonage in 1998, again with much help donated. A lobby was added in 1977 in time for our 100th Anniversary. A two-manual Wurlitzer electronic organ was purchased by the Ladies Aid and dedicated at this time. The gym, kitchen and two classrooms were added in 1990. The congregation presently numbers 273 communicant members and 345 baptized souls. We give praise and thanks to God for sustaining us these many years. Our school has seen a significant increase in enrollment since 2017.
