Homegoing of Retired Missionary

Mrs. Thelma Mae Braun, former missionary to Congo, entered into the Lord’s presence on August 13, 2009, in Wilmore, Kentucky.  She was 89 years old.

Thelma M. Still was born on September 14, 1919, in Mansfield, Ohio. At the age of five, she started learning how to play the piano, followed by flute, violin, accordion, and church organ. Public playing was accompanied by singing and testifying. These led to preaching opportunities, and Thelma participated in many evangelistic campaigns in the Midwest that prepared her well for missionary service. She attended Wheaton College where she met Willys. They married upon graduating in 1941. Together they proceeded to the Missionary Training Institute in Nyack, New York, after which they pastored a small church in Nyack.

In 1945, the Brauns left for Congo where they served in preaching, directing the inter-mission printing plant and supply house in the nation’s capital, teaching at the Bible Institute, and holding youth conferences in many of the field’s centers. The Brauns organized Sunday school contests and sponsored a Congo-wide contest in all the major languages. In 1954, they outfitted a gospel tent for large evangelistic campaigns throughout the field that continued for many years with amazing fruitfulness.  They were also involved with the printing of tracts, publishing and sale of spiritual books, recording and distributing gospel records, and producing daily Kikongo radio program. 

In addition, Mrs. Braun served for 16 years in a teaching and administrative capacity in the Congo schools, having taught French, math, social studies, music, and religion. Mrs. Braun’s service was commendable, and her work was much appreciated by government authorities and church leaders. 

The Brauns returned to the United States in 1970 for a year of home assignment and then were on loan for two years to Church Ministries to assist in the Key 73 evangelism project, similar to the Evangelism-in-Depth program that Rev. Braun established in Congo. The Brauns concluded their ministry with The Christian and Missionary Alliance on December 31, 1973, and planned to return to the field to serve with the Ford Philpot Evangelistic Association.  When those plans fell through, they moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where they founded Evangelism Resources in 1976. 

Working out of their home in Lexington, the Brauns traveled widely throughout Africa, holding church growth conferences, distributing gospel tents and other evangelism tools, and encouraging denominational leaders to accelerate evangelism in their communities. 

Mrs. Braun is survived by her two sons, Christian (Marcia) and Paul (Nancy) and five grandchildren. A memorial will be held Sunday, August 16, at the First Alliance Church, 2201 Old Higbee Mill Road in Lexington, Kentucky at 2:30 p.m. Dr. Harold Spann will be the speaker, and Rev. Steve Elliott will officiate. Interment will follow at the Wilmore Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, 3421 Harrodsburg Road in Lexington on Saturday evening, August 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Braun Memorial Scholarship Fund being established at Evangelism Resources in Thelma’s memory.  Cards can be sent to Rev. Chris Braun, 200 1/2 W Linden St, Wilmore, Kentucky 40390.

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