The Rooster Church on Church Street
Immanuel United Church of Christ stands on Church Street in Ferguson, Missouri, a short walk from I-70 and a longer memory's reach from the German-speaking farming community that gave the town its first house of worship. The congregation is locally famous as the "Rooster Church," a nickname that traces back to a weather vane rooster that once topped the original frame sanctuary. That weathered iron bird is now preserved in the archive room beneath the sanctuary, a reminder of how far the church has come since nineteen charter members signed its constitution on Dedication Sunday, June 3, 1888.
More than a century later, Immanuel UCC still gathers on the same block of Church Street. The current building, dedicated in March 1930, replaced the early "Old Rooster" sanctuary and cost sixty thousand dollars to construct. A Reuter pipe organ, given by the Henry J. Bangert family, anchors worship to this day. In 2026, the congregation marked its 138th anniversary, a milestone that reflects both the long memory of its members and the steady turnover of a community that has welcomed each new generation into the same pews. The descendants of some of the original charter families still sit in those pews.
That continuity is paired with change. In 1962, the congregation formally became Immanuel United Church of Christ following the 1957 merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. The German-language services that characterized its early decades ended during World War I. The eleven sons and daughters of Immanuel who have gone on to ordained ministry suggest a church that has always taken its role as a wellspring for wider Christian service seriously.
Senior Pastor Deon A. McKenzie and the Staff
In January 2023, the congregation unanimously called Reverend Deon A. McKenzie, M.Div., as its thirteenth pastor, a historic appointment: he is the first African American to serve in this role in the church's 134-year history at the time of his call. A native of Nassau, Bahamas, raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and a retired United States Army veteran with thirty-six years of honorable service, Pastor McKenzie holds a Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies from the University of Arkansas - Grantham and a Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary. He answered his call to ministry in February 2002 and has previously served congregations in Chicago, Long Island, and Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant, where he served as Interim Pastor during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He shares life and ministry with his wife, Minister Kimberly, and they are the parents of three adult children and grandparents of seven, with another grandchild on the way. Pastor McKenzie's pastoral letter to newcomers is direct and inviting: Immanuel's doors are always unlocked, its minds are open, and its hearts are full. The church practices open communion, meaning anyone who is spiritually hungry or thirsty is welcome at Christ's table.
Around him, a small staff carries the day-to-day work. Jennifer Jansen has been the Financial Manager since 2012, handling accounting and payroll. Linda Stoecklin, R.N., serves as Parish Nurse, acting as health educator, personal counselor, referral agent, and health advocate; she is also a licensed pastor, which allows her to bring communion and anointing to homebound members when she visits. Sarah Ewald is the Youth Coordinator, a North County native who previously worked as a special needs minister for children with severe autism at Hope Church and as a PSR teacher at St. Ferdinand Catholic School. Shamar Jordan serves as Minister of Music, a pianist, choral director, vocalist, and workshop clinician who has been making music for more than three decades, ever since he began playing for Liberty St. Baptist Church in Murphysboro, Illinois, at the age of twelve. He and his wife Angela have two daughters, both of whom have performed at Carnegie Hall.
Sunday Morning Worship in the Sanctuary
Worship at Immanuel UCC happens at a single, predictable hour: 9:30 a.m. each Sunday, in person in the sanctuary and broadcast simultaneously via Facebook Live for those who cannot be present. The service is described as traditional, and the music is led by the Sanctuary Choir under the direction of Minister of Music Shamar Jordan. The choir, primarily an adult ensemble that welcomes motivated youth, sings from September through May and provides music for Lent, Easter, and Christmas, with weekly rehearsals on Thursday evenings.
A second musical group, the Crescendo Ringers, is the congregation's handbell choir. The bell choir performs about once a month, is again open to motivated members of any age, and rehearses on Wednesday evenings. The first volunteer choir at Immanuel was formed in 1902, the first orchestra in 1949, and the handbell choir in 1974, so music has been woven into the congregation's life for more than a hundred years.
Children are welcome in worship, and a nursery is provided for infants during the service. For older children and adults, Christian Education classes meet on Sunday mornings for all ages, and the church offers a confirmation class, Vacation Bible School, the Raised Hands Puppet Ministry, and a Wednesday morning Prayer and Share gathering that meets every other week.
Harvest of Hope: A Food Pantry Built on Agape Love
Perhaps the most visible expression of Immanuel's faith in the wider Ferguson community is the Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, the church's on-site, twice-weekly food ministry. The name pairs the church's identity ("Immanuel" means "God with us") with the hope that no neighbor should face hunger alone. Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me food" - is the ministry's guiding verse.
The pantry operates using a Client Choice Model, which lets guests select the food items that best fit their family's needs and dietary requirements, treating each visit with the dignity of a regular grocery trip. Distribution happens on Sundays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The pantry serves the Ferguson community and the surrounding zip codes 63121, 63132, 63134, 63135, and 63136. Guests are asked to bring a photo ID, Social Security card, Medicaid or Medicare card, and proof of income on their first visit.
To keep shelves stocked, donations are collected on the first Sunday of each month, when volunteers gather items left in the church narthex and add them to the inventory. The most-needed items include proteins (tuna, chicken, beans, peanut butter), canned vegetables, soups, grains and cereals, pasta, rice, and canned or cup fruits. Monetary donations are also accepted. A photo album documents the pantry's grand opening, a moment of celebration for a ministry that has become central to the church's identity and to the surrounding neighborhood.
iYouth: Faith, Fun, and Fellowship for the Next Generation
Immanuel's youth ministry, called iYouth, is built on three pillars: faith, fun, and fellowship. Under the leadership of Youth Coordinator Sarah Ewald, the program is designed to be approachable for teens and tweens, allowing them to participate as fully as they are able in the life of the church.
The calendar is full of activities that double as memory-makers. iYouth evenings have included human foosball competitions, a Harry Potter themed "Make Your Own Monster Book of Monsters" night, an Escape the Room lock-in, confirmation retreats, and Youth Sunday, when young people assist in every aspect of the worship service. Each summer brings a mission trip, with past destinations including Rapid City, South Dakota, where youth and adults served with Habitat for Humanity, Trinity Lutheran Church, and Black Hills Works, a sheltered workshop for adults with developmental disabilities. Closer to home, the 2022 in-town mission trip partnered with youth from St. Peter's UCC in Ferguson for days of yardwork, supply organization at A Red Circle, cleanup at Every Child's Hope, and weeding at a local community garden, capped by a well-earned trip to Six Flags.
The church's commitment to children extends beyond teenagers. Sunday school meets for all ages, and a Confirmation Class is offered in the fall for interested families. The Raised Hands Puppet Ministry invites children in second grade and older to spread the Word of God through a more theatrical venue, with the troupe open to all ages, including adults. The puppets have performed at Immanuel's own Advent Festival and at the annual Handicapped Encounter Christ (HEC) banquet and fundraiser at the Savoy in Ferguson.
Mission Possible and the Wider Community
Immanuel describes itself as a very active congregation in terms of its outreach, and the church's "Mission Possible" page reads like a directory of regional compassion. The congregation participates in several food programs, including Food for Thought, a local food pantry, and Meals on Wheels. It serves as a distribution center for the Festival of Sharing, prepares meals for Lydia's House, and sends freshly baked cookies off to college students.
The church also partners with Habitat for Humanity, Unleashing Potential (formerly Neighborhood Houses), Every Child's Hope, Emmaus Homes, and Room at the Inn. When natural disasters strike around the world, the congregation takes up special collections for disaster relief, and it participates in all-church offerings such as One Great Hour of Sharing. Even the children get involved through a project called "Jesus has left the building," which takes mission-mindedness out of the sanctuary and into the neighborhood.
Each summer, the church hosts Unleashing Potential's Summer Enrichment Program on its campus, offering seven weeks of fun and learning for children entering first through sixth grade. The program provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and activities include nutrition, fitness, studio and performing art, STEAM projects, field trips, and sports, all within a framework of healthy social and emotional growth. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Camp MoVal and Outdoor Ministry
Immanuel is part of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ, and through that relationship the church actively supports Camp MoVal, a summer camp and retreat center that has been providing meaningful faith development since 1962. A 2021 conference-wide discernment process led to a five-year redevelopment plan focused on site improvement, programming, and leadership. The camp's values include community-building, anti-racism, LGBTQ+ allyship, inclusion and access, environmental sustainability, and kindness.
Each year, Immanuel helps its members attend by paying half the registration cost. The summer calendar typically includes a high school camp, two all-ages camps for grades three through nine, a family camp open to all ages, and an Adventures in Community week for adults eighteen and older. The church also links to the camp's online store, where purchases of MoVal gear help support the ministry.
Christians in Action: The Life of the Congregation
Inside the church, fellowship and fun are organized by a group called CIA, Christians in Action, formed from the merger of two former committees: the E-Team (evangelism) and Parish Life. CIA plans both outward-facing events to reach the community and in-house events for members. Blessings bags go out into the neighborhood. The congregation participates in the Ferguson Fourth of July Parade, the Northern Lights Christmas parades, and Pumpkinland Night. Trivia nights, pancake breakfasts, donut hours, pot luck dinners, movie nights, and Sip & Paint events fill the calendar. Community Pet Blessings are offered as well.
The Men of the church, organized since 1933 first as the Men's Brotherhood and now called Brothers in Christ, host the annual Wurstmarkt, a long-standing tradition. The Immanuel Quilters meet each Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. in Room 100 of the Education Building for fellowship and stitching. Bon Appetit, a dining group, gathers for monthly meals at local restaurants. The Immanuel Fellowship, which started in 1910 as the Lady's Aid Society, hosts monthly luncheons and programs in the Reception Room, featuring speakers from organizations like the Alzheimer's Association and the Laughing Bear Bakery, a nonprofit that provides on-the-job training in a commercial kitchen for men and women returning from incarceration.
Visiting Immanuel UCC
Immanuel UCC is at 126 Church Street in Ferguson, Missouri, 63135. From I-70, drivers take exit 240 for Florissant Road and travel approximately 1.7 miles before turning right onto Church Street; the sanctuary is on the right after 0.1 miles. From I-270, exit 27 leads to South New Florissant Road, which becomes Church Street after about 1.9 miles. The church office can be reached at (314) 521-7324 or immanueloffice@immanuelucc.org, and donations can be made through PayPal via a QR code posted in the church.
Worship is held at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, in person and via Facebook Live, with the service described as traditional. Communion is open to all who are spiritually hungry. A nursery is available for infants during worship, and Christian Education classes meet for all ages on Sunday mornings. The Harvest of Hope Food Pantry is open from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sundays and Thursdays, and anyone in the surrounding zip codes is welcome. Visitors will find a congregation that has been shaped by 138 years of history, a community of faith that takes seriously both its German-American roots and its present-day call to feed the hungry, walk with the marginalized, and welcome every neighbor who walks through the door.