St. Paul's History

The roots of our congregation go back to a faithful Christian band of German pioneers who settled in the vicinity of what is now known as Des Peres, Missouri in 1836-37 and established a church there a year later. By 1843, a number of families had become dissatisfied with the traveling distance to Ballas and Manchester Roads, the site chosen by the majority of the original congregation. They purchased a one-acre plot of ground for twenty dollars and erected a log structure on “the Bonhomme Road,” at what is now the intersection of Olive Boulevard and Warson Road.

Senior Pastors

Rev. A. Mark Friz	1994-Now
Rev. Jesse L. Pollmann	1982-1993
Rev. William C. Gabler	1946-1982
Rev. E. L. Mueller	1916-1946
Rev. Emil Stech	1905-1916
Rev. Th. O. Uhdau	1889-1905
Rev. S. Fayn	1881-1889
Rev. M. Kruse	1871-1881
Rev. A. Kitterer	1868-1871
Rev. W. Schuenemann (second time)	1859-1868
Rev. J. F. Koewing	1854-1859
Rev. C. Weitbrecht	1852-1854
Rev. W. Schuenemann	1850-1852
Rev. John Wettle	1846-1850
Rev. Jacob Knauss	1845-1846
Rev. E. Arcularius	1843-1845

Assistant / Associate Pastors

Rev. Greg Volpitto	2004-Now
Rev. Daniel H. Walter	2001-Now
Rev. Herbert Stemler
(Pastoral Care)	1996-Now
(Visitation-Part)	1993-1995
Rev. Daniel Peterson	1990-1991
Rev. T. Scott Baker	1986-1989
Rev. William C. Gabler (Visitation)	1982-1986
Rev. Rodney W. Wells	1972-1973
Rev. Raymond H. Zeitinger	1969-1971
Rev. N. Stan Geiger	1963-1967
Rev. Paul L. Schmidt (Visitation - Part)	1958-1969

Pastors Emeritus

Rev. Jesse L. Pollmann	1996-Now
Rev. William C. Gabler	1986-1999
Rev. E. L. Mueller	1946-1962

You can see an interactive photographic slideshow of our history that was produced for our 160th anniversary in 2003 by clicking here.

The original name of this church was the German United Lutheran-Reformed St. Paul's Church in Central Township, St. Louis County, Missouri. The first congregation numbered 25 families and was served by Rev. E. Arcularius. Thus began the direct history of our present congregation, many of whom are descended from members of St. Paul's early years.

At first the congregation was served by pastors of the mother church and later by pastors of the Zion congregations, which had also broken away from the mother church (in 1848). Zion is now known as Parkway United Church of Christ at Ballas and Clayton Roads.

The first parsonage was built in 1857. In 1859, Pastor W. Schuenemann was called to St. Paul's to serve as both pastor and teacher in a day school for educating the youth of the congregation. During this year the church became self-supporting. A school building was later erected during the 1880s.

In 1892 a new brick church building was erected at a cost of $8,075 to serve the 39 families in the congregation. This building served our congrega-tion well until the completion of our present sanctuary in 1961. The old church was razed at that time. When the old church cornerstone box was opened in April 1961, the gathering included 14 persons associated with the congregation at the time of the cornerstone laying in 1892. The $405,000 mortgage on the sanctuary built in 1961 was burned at a special service on Thanksgiving Day 1977.

An attached Educational Building (including our present auditorium and dining room) was built in 1937 and added to in 1955. The widening of Warson Road necessitated the removal of the brick parsonage built in 1922. The construction of a new parsonage across Warson, north of the church, was completed in 1967.

Many changes have taken place in the surround-ing area since the founding of our church. The original small one-acre plot of ground has been considerably expanded over the period of years as the congregation prospered. In 1901 ten acres were purchased to be used for cemetery purposes. Perpetual care was initiated in 1927.

The language used progressed from the sole use of the German language to the practice, beginning in 1923, of holding English services two Sundays each month and German services on the remainder. Later the German language was used once a month, then only for communion, and finally to the sole use of the English language in the late 1940s.

At the time of the 65th anniversary (1908) electric lights had been installed in the church and parsonage. The congregation consisted of 80 voting members, including seven widows. During the pastorate of Rev. E. L. Mueller (1916-46) the membership had grown in 1939 to 270 voting members, with all women now voting. At the end of December 1999, our membership included 687 voting members and approximately 150 junior members (children under confirmation age).

The pastors of the church have been active in the Biblical Witness Fellowship since its inception in 1978. The congregation is also a charter member of the Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches.

In September 1998, following more than two years of study, the membership voted to leave the United Church of Christ. In March 1999 St. Paul's became a member of The Evangelical Free Church of America.

Now over 160 years old, our history continues to be written in the twenty-first century. In 2006, we completed and dedicated a large expansion aimed providing the room and services needed for St. Paul's to continue serving our members and community for years to come. We welcome you to join us in writing a new chapter in St. Paul's history!

Posted by Timothy R. Butler on Feb 25, 2007 at 14:2:21 | Article Path: Home: About Us: St. Paul's History