On a corner of Delmar Boulevard where the street begins its climb west out of St. Louis, a stone chapel built in 1938 anchors the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, one of University City's oldest congregations and one of the most integrated parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. A longtime member once called the place "Holy Commotion," because "we're not afraid to laugh and to stand up for the rights of our neighbor." That mix of warmth and conviction still defines the parish: a worshipping community that has been baptizing, marrying, burying, marching, and serving its neighbors on this hilltop for more than 150 years.
From a Brick Schoolhouse to a Victory Church
Holy Communion was founded on January 24, 1869, by a group of 23 communicants who gathered in a brick schoolhouse near downtown St. Louis. Within months they called the Reverend P.G. Robert as their first rector, purchased a lot at the corner of Washington and Leffingwell, and began raising the walls of a stone chapel in 1870. The first service in that church was held on Easter Eve, March 31, 1877, with a baptism of 13 new members.
By the 1930s, members had moved westward with the city, and the parish found itself in serious financial trouble after the stock market crash wiped out the endowment Robert had begun. The Reverend William W. S. Hohenschild advised the vestry that the only way to survive was to move. In 1936 Holy Communion bought land at the corner of Jackson Avenue and Delmar Boulevard, the present site, and on September 11, 1938, the first services were held in a new chapel. For eight years the rector continued holding services at the old church as well, to minister to those unable to make the trip.
Plans to build the attached church facing Delmar were put on hold during World War II. The Sunday after the Japanese surrender in 1945, Hohenschild asked his parishioners to donate war bonds as a thank offering for peace. Within weeks the parish had raised more than $70,000. The undercroft was finished in 1947, the cornerstone laid on May 7, 1950, and the first services in the new church were held on Christmas Eve of that year. Burt Mayfield, still remembered as the parish's longest standing member, joined in 1946 after returning from the South Pacific, was married here in March 1951, and had both his sons baptized in the same font.
From its earliest days the congregation understood itself as more than a worshipping assembly. In 1875 Reverend Robert asked parishioners to bring silver, coin, and other treasured fragments to the altar so the parish could commission worthy sacred vessels; when he had no horse and buggy, the ladies of the guild bought him both. After the Vietnam War, Holy Communion helped settle a Vietnamese family that had sought political asylum. The parish was the first in the St. Louis area to celebrate an interracial marriage and once opened its doors to the Black Panthers to speak about their movement. Members joined Hands Across America in its day. The parish calls itself one of the most integrated congregations in the Diocese of Missouri, and today that legacy shapes everything from its preaching to its justice work.
Two Sunday Mornings, One Family of Faith
Worship is at the heart of life at Holy Communion, and the parish gathers twice each Sunday around the table.
At 8:00 a.m., the rector's self-styled "Lord's Breakfast," a small group gathers for a peaceful, meditative Holy Eucharist. There is no music, and the service usually ends around 8:45. It is the kind of morning that suits those who want a quieter, more contemplative rhythm or who need to be at work or with family by midmorning.
At 10:30 a.m., the larger congregation fills the pews for a fuller celebration: readings, prayers, sermon, and Holy Communion, led by the Holy Communion Choir with organ and instruments. Children are invited out to Children's Chapel after the Gospel and return at the Peace. The service runs between an hour and an hour and ten minutes. Both services use a printed bulletin that follows the service step by step, so anyone unfamiliar with Episcopal liturgy can follow along easily. The parish tends to use gender-inclusive and expansive language, drawing on selections from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as well as Enriching Our Worship.
Worship at Holy Communion is described as liturgical worship that has been adapted for contemporary life, sometimes called "ancient liturgy for modern people." The space itself is flexible: at times the church is arranged so everyone faces forward, and at other times the congregation gathers in a three-quarter round around the altar table. The rector, the Rev. Brenda Sol, often preaches and presides at the 10:30 service, while the deacon, the Rev. Chester Hines, regularly preaches as well.
For those who cannot be present, services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook, and weekly bulletins are posted for every Sunday.
A Choir and an Organ Built for the Room
Music is central to the parish's identity. The Holy Communion Choir, led by Director of Music Mary Chapman, an award-winning vocalist and choir director, is widely regarded as one of the finest church choirs in the St. Louis region. The choir sings a broad range of repertoire drawn from the hymnal, folk, and spiritual traditions, including anthems and congregational hymns. Organist Earl Naylor plays a recently rebuilt instrument that incorporates pipes from the 19th century alongside 21st-century technology and is considered one of the most playable in the area. Those interested in joining the choir can contact Mary Chapman; weekly rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings, and a Pick Up Choir gathers on the first Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m. for anyone who would like to sing that morning without committing to a weekly schedule.
Children, Families, and a Sensory Room
Holy Communion intentionally makes room for children, and the parish's philosophy is that "we like everyone to act their age." Coloring sheets, crayons, and pencils are available at both entrances. At the 10:30 service a Pray Ground near the front of the nave offers soft toys, fidgets, cushions, books, and foam building blocks for children who worship best while playing; after the Gospel, kids process out to Children's Chapel for a time of formation during the sermon and return at the Peace.
Godly Play, the parish's primary children's spiritual formation program, meets on the second Sunday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the Children's Chapel for children generally in preschool through third grade. Rite 13 is offered for 11- to 13-year-olds. Storytellers like Grace Gorski, trained as a Godly Play educator, lead the program with a curriculum designed to help children discover their own relationship with God. The parish also sponsors a Sensory Room staffed by trained team members, offering a quiet, regulation-focused space for children with neurodivergent or specific needs so their caregivers can worship without worry. The Sensory Room initiative is supported in partnership with The Synapsory.
HoCo PACK (Parents and Caregivers of Kids) gathers families with young children for monthly events that blend fellowship, Bible study, and service. Throughout the year, children participate alongside adults in the parish's wider life: the Christmas Pageant, the Epiphany procession, the Easter Alleluia, Blessing of the Backpacks, Blessing of the Halloween Costumes, Blessing of the Pets, Día de los Muertos, the Pride Interfaith Sunday service and parade, Laundry Love, the Community Care Cupboard food drive, the community garden, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. At the 8:00 service, the few children who attend are warmly welcomed, even when they are boisterous or fussy.
Adult Forum, Bible Study, and the Rhythm of the Week
Formation for adults is a daily practice at Holy Communion. On Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., the Adult Forum meets in Mitchell Hall for breakfast and conversation about faith, life, politics, justice, art, ethics, and theology. Recent forums have included a Black History Sunday presentation, a Lent series with visiting clergy, a Prison Ministry reflection, an Advent Wreath Making workshop, and a discussion of gun safety.
Wednesday is one of the most active days on the campus. At 11:00 a.m. in the Vestry Room (also called the Parlor), parishioners gather for Bible Study on the lectionary passages for the coming Sunday. At noon a small congregation gathers in the Chapel for the Noonday Eucharist. In the lower-level Vestry Room at 7:15 p.m. (with a Zoom option), the Contemplative Prayer group meets for a twenty-minute meditation followed by group reading and faith sharing. Beginners are welcome at any time.
Other regular gatherings include the Second Half Book Group (1st and 3rd Thursdays at 1:30 p.m.), Sages (a retired parishioners' luncheon every four to six weeks at a local restaurant), Men's Prayer (1st Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.), the 20s and 30s brunch (3rd Sundays after worship), and Theology on Tap (monthly evenings at a local pub). The parish also offers a Pilgrimage class for newcomers interested in membership.
Justice and Outreach on the Streets of St. Louis
Holy Communion's justice work is as much a part of its identity as its Sunday worship, and the parish has organized itself around several long-running partnerships.
Laundry Love, founded locally in 2017, takes over Classic Coin Laundromat on Balson Avenue on the third Tuesday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. Volunteers distribute quarters, detergent, and dryer sheets and share pizza and conversation with neighbors who use the laundromat. The parish is affiliated with the national Laundry Love movement, which began in Los Angeles.
Trinity Hot Lunch is a monthly commitment: on the third Sunday of each month, a group from Holy Communion prepares and serves lunch at Trinity Episcopal Church's soup kitchen in the Central West End. Parishioners also contribute non-perishable food through baskets in the narthex. Scott Ferguson has long coordinated this ministry.
Community Care Cupboard is a year-round food drive that fills the UCity School District's food pantry, helping students who experience food insecurity. The superintendent of the University City School District has publicly thanked the parish for the scale of its contributions.
Faithful Action is the parish's collective for justice and community organizing. Members have worked on sensible gun reform, immigration and refugee advocacy, and racial justice. After the 2016 conceal-carry expansion in Missouri, the vestry declared Holy Communion's property a weapon-free zone. Every t-shirt sold through the parish's Threadless shop purchases a free gun lock through the Women's Voices Raised "Lock it for Love" campaign. The parish actively opposed Missouri legislation that would have allowed concealed weapons in houses of worship and was part of the interfaith coalition that helped defeat the bill in 2018 and again in 2023. The parish's LGBTQ+ affirming work has included partnership with PROMO Missouri and a multi-media campaign to affirm trans and queer neighbors in response to legislative attacks.
Three times a year a team of parishioners hosts birthday parties for youth at the St. Louis County Juvenile Detention Center, providing games, attention, and hope during a difficult chapter. Holy Communion is also part of the Community of Hope, a lay ministry of compassionate listening, with members visiting those in prison through Prisoner Visitation and Support and offering a listening presence to anyone in need.
Pastoral Care Across a Lifetime
The ministry of pastoral care at Holy Communion is woven through every part of parish life. Clergy are committed to visiting anyone who lets them know they need a visit; one priest is always on call, and the office phone message provides the emergency number after hours. The parish keeps an active prayer list published in the bulletin and online.
Trained Lay Eucharistic Visitors bring communion to those who are hospitalized, homebound, or in nursing homes about once every four to six weeks. A Meal Ministry organizes fellow parishioners to cook for those recovering from surgery, the birth of a child, or an illness. Clergy are available for House Blessings and for a brief service of Thanksgiving following the birth or adoption of a child. The clergy also offer the sacrament of Reconciliation (commonly called Confession) and informal spiritual direction.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
Weddings at Holy Communion follow the Book of Common Prayer with the recently adapted, more inclusive marriage rite. The parish celebrates both same-gender and mixed-gender marriages, and the same preparation is required of everyone: a wedding application at least 90 days in advance, several meetings with the priest, and pre-marital counseling as required by the canons of the Episcopal Church. Couples do not write their own vows; vows must be taken from the Prayer Book or the adapted service. Photography guidelines keep the focus on worship, and receptions may be held in Mitchell Parish Hall, though Saturday evening events beyond 6 p.m. are discouraged to preserve Sunday worship.
Funerals and memorial services are offered for members, their families, and others. The funeral planning form and a document of recommended readings, hymns, and fees are available from the parish office. In keeping with the ancient Christian tradition of burial at the church, Holy Communion maintains a columbarium in the St. Francis Chapel, separated from the nave by a glass partition. Niches there are intentionally priced affordably for members and their loved ones, and the urns are specially made for the space. The columbarium is named for the dove (columba in Latin), a traditional symbol of God's love and peace.
The Beloved Community Commitment
Holy Communion's commitment to being a "Beloved Community" was made by the congregation at the 2018 annual meeting. The parish explicitly names itself anti-racist, open to people of every racial, ethnic, cultural, political, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and committed to breaking down the walls that separate people. It celebrates and affirms LGBTQ+ members, partners, and leaders, and the parish was one of the early adopters of the expansive-language marriage rite. Sacred Ground, the Episcopal Church's film- and readings-based dialogue series on race and faith, has been offered in small groups; Trans 101 training has been offered as well. Members participate in Dismantling Racism work alongside the Becoming Beloved Community initiative of the national church.
Visiting Holy Communion
The church sits at the corner of Delmar Boulevard and Jackson Avenue in University City, one block east of Hanley and three blocks west of Big Bend. Street parking is available all the way around Mooney Park; many members find the easiest route is to follow Jackson to the end of the park, turn right on Vanderbilt, and come up the level street toward the church, since Jackson itself climbs a steep hill. Three accessible parking spaces are reserved on the sidewalk in front of the church on Sunday mornings, and a disabled drop-off is available on Jackson in front of the office entrance. The exterior doors at Jackson and the main door on Delmar have push-button access, and an ADA-compliant elevator serves all floors.
Two wheelchair-accessible entrances with ADA door operators welcome visitors, and the parish has one wheelchair-accessible restroom with an ADA door operator. Designated seating in the church is reserved for those with mobility limitations, and a rocking chair and fidgets in the chapel offer quieter seating for neurodiverse members and visitors. Audio enhancement equipment is available at the Welcome Table, and large-print materials are available on request. The nursery space across the lounge from the church is available for families to use for quiet play or the changing table. Gender-neutral single restrooms are located in the Parish Lounge to the right of the main door, and all restrooms are stocked with menstrual hygiene products.
Latecomers are welcome; the "West" door, the large red double doors facing Delmar, is often the least obtrusive entrance. Ushers greet everyone at the door with a bulletin and answers to any questions. What to wear is not prescribed; members and visitors dress in everything from jeans to Sunday best. Children are welcome at both services and are encouraged to participate as they are.
Public transit riders can take the St. Louis Metrolink Blue Line to the Forsyth station and walk about nine blocks west to the church, or ride the #97 bus, which stops on the corner of Delmar.
Clergy, Staff, and Leadership
The parish is led by the Reverend Brenda Sol, who serves as rector. She is supported by the Reverend Chester Hines, who serves as a deacon and is regularly present at Sunday services and Wednesday Bible study. Affiliated clergy include the Reverend Hope Welles Jernagan, chaplain of Rockwell House Campus Ministries, and the Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson, the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Missouri.
The music program is led by Mary Chapman, Director of Music, and Earl Naylor, Organist. Darcy Brainard serves as Parish Administrator (Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), and Erin Meadows serves as Financial Administrator. The vestry, the parish's elected governing body, is led by Senior Warden Joe Donahou, Junior Warden Heidi Volkl, Treasurer Jim Wire, and Secretary Pat Redington, along with members Tim Anderson, Bex Comas, Nancy Donohoo, Gloria Grenwald, Karen Payne, and Rudy Walz. The vestry typically meets on the fourth Monday of each month.
The Building, the Art, and the Next 150
Holy Communion's building was constructed in at least three stages, joining formerly independent structures, and the parish publishes ground-level and lower-level maps to help visitors navigate. A set of Stations of the Cross by the African American artist Allan Rohan Crite hangs in the church, depicting Jesus as a Black man walking through an African-American neighborhood; these are copies, made with permission, of the originals now housed at All Saints and Ascension Episcopal Church in Northwoods. Near the high altar is displayed "Mama" by iconographer Kelly Latimore, a contemporary pieta inspired by Crite's eighth station.
The parish recently concluded a "Next 150" capital campaign to prepare the campus for its next century and a half. Annual giving supports the ongoing ministry of the parish through cash, check, securities, and online pledges. Holy Communion is a 501(c)(3) institution under the Internal Revenue Code; all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For more than 150 years, Holy Communion has been a house of prayer on this hill, and it remains, in the words of one member, a place unafraid to laugh and to stand up for the rights of its neighbors.