A bright gathering space, a sanctuary that fills with music twice a month, a licensed preschool humming with classrooms named for animals, and a congregation that has spent decades raising money and swinging hammers for affordable housing - this is St. Philip's United Church of Christ, a United Church of Christ congregation rooted in the Concord Village neighborhood of south St. Louis County since 1957. Its motto, drawn from John 1:46, is the simple invitation Philip offered the first disciples: "Come and See."
From Tesson Valley Hall to Lavinia Drive
The congregation traces its beginning to a 1957 survey by Eden Seminary students, who concluded that the growing Concord Village area needed a new church. The first service was held in the basement of Tesson Valley Hall. Members named the new congregation "St. Philip's" after the apostle, and they took Philip's words "Come and See" as their motto.
After meeting for a time in Dressel School, the congregation moved into its present sanctuary in 1961. Additions have followed over the decades, with the bright, welcoming gathering space added in 2001. Ten years after the church was founded, an Early Childhood Center was launched, and it has remained a central part of the church's ministry ever since.
Sunday Morning at 9:30
Worship is held at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday, both in the sanctuary and online. The service is described as relaxed and friendly, with a focus on warm fellowship, music, and preaching. Amplification devices are available for those with hearing needs, and members are encouraged to wear name tags to help newcomers feel at home.
The congregation is open about wanting visitors to feel welcome without pressure. First-time guests are not asked to stand, speak, or be put on the spot. "Come as you are" is the practical guidance - some members wear their Sunday best, others wear shorts and a T-shirt. Children are welcome in the service, and the sounds of crying babies are embraced as a sign of growth.
Music is integral to worship. The Chancel Choir sings every other Sunday between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and during the summer members offer special music as solos, duets, and quartets. A Handbell Choir has long been part of the music ministry as well. The music director, Michael Orzel, brings a wide background in choral and instrumental music, including nine years as Music Director of the Contemporary Ensemble at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and ongoing work as accompanist for the St. Louis Junior League Nightingales. Worship services are livestreamed on Facebook, and condensed worship services and recordings of sermons are also posted there for those who cannot attend in person.
What the Church Believes
St. Philip's mission statement is concise: "St. Philip's United Church of Christ is a loving Christian community believing in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit." The vision statement expands that calling into a picture of discipleship:
- Minds to study God's word
- Mouths to proclaim the Gospel
- Eyes to see the needs of others
- Arms to welcome all
- Hearts big enough to share God's love with all God's children
The congregation belongs to the United Church of Christ and participates in the Missouri Mid-South Conference. It is part of the denomination's wider mission efforts through Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) and supports the One Great Hour of Sharing special mission offering.
Children and Youth
Children's and youth ministry at St. Philip's is led by Andrea Tukin, who has served as Youth Director since 2011. She teaches English as a second language in local schools and holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Sunday School meets every Sunday after the Children's Message. Pre-K through fifth grade gather in their own classroom for Bible stories and crafts. Sixth through twelfth grade meet twice a month and gather for a lunch outing once a month. There is no Sunday School on Youth Sundays, when the children and youth lead worship.
On Wednesday evenings, the church runs an intergenerational ministry called LOGOS, recently rebranded as Family and Friends Night. From 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., families gather for dinner, games, a simple Bible study, and crafts. The program is open to church members, students at the Early Childhood Center, and children and youth from the broader community. Activities outside of church include lock-ins, laser tag, bowling, and volunteering at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
Confirmation is offered each year for youth who wish to explore their faith and church membership in greater depth.
The Early Childhood Center
St. Philip's Early Childhood Center has been serving families in the St. Louis area for more than 45 years. It is a state-licensed, non-profit, faith-based center housed in the church's education wing, operating Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The center cares for children from six weeks old through age ten and offers a two-day, three-day, or five-day program. Teacher-to-child ratios are intentionally low, ranging from 1:4 in the infant room to 1:10 in the older classrooms. Project Construct Curriculum guides the program, focusing on six developmental domains: language and literacy, social and emotional growth, cognitive development, fine motor, gross motor, and creative expression. Most staff members are degreed, many are CPR and First Aid certified, and all are trained in current health and safety practices.
Classrooms carry friendly animal names - Butterflies, Elephants, Hippos, Birds, Bees, Giraffes, Frogs, Fish, Monkeys, and Tigers - and each has its own phone line and email address so families can stay in close touch with teachers. A before-and-after-school program serves children ages five to twelve, with school transportation provided by Dressel buses. A summer program for ages five to twelve includes camp activities, field trips, and meals.
The ECC also offers a preschool program for three- and four-year-olds, with classes meeting two or three mornings a week. The 3/4-year-old class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.; the 4/5-year-old class meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Both classes include Bible stories, songs, verses, and prayer alongside kindergarten-readiness skills.
Julie Tobnick directs the Early Childhood Center, with Abbey Gruendler serving as Operations Manager and Jacqueline Fechter coordinating Communication and Events. Monthly breakfast and lunch menus are published online for parents.
Adult Fellowship and Study
Several ongoing groups give adults a chance to build relationships beyond Sunday morning. The Young Adult Group meets regularly for fellowship and service. Women's Fellowship gathers women of all ages for outreach, community activities, and fellowship throughout the year. Lunch Bunch is a potluck held in members' homes or at the church, providing food and friendship. Book Club meets one Sunday each month at 10:45 a.m. after worship to discuss a chosen title. Council meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the first Monday after the first Sunday of each month and are open to any congregant.
Habitat for Humanity: 28 Houses and Counting
St. Philip's longest-running community partnership is with Habitat for Humanity. Within a couple of years of the St. Louis Habitat for Humanity Chapter's founding, a UCC pastor challenged area congregations to raise dollars and build affordable housing. More than 20 UCC churches responded, and in 1996 the group built its very first house.
Since then, the St. Louis UCC partnership has built or rehabbed 28 houses and contributed more than one million dollars. Congregations have organized Saturday workdays, Wednesday and Friday crews, and blitz builds through summer heat and winter snow. St. Philip's continues to participate in this ongoing effort, raising funds and sending volunteers alongside future homeowners.
Other Local and Global Outreach
The church's Outreach Ministry consists of four elected members who meet monthly and welcome volunteers. They organize several charitable outreach projects each year, including:
- Feed My People, a Christian inter-denominational food pantry serving the local community
- Festival of Sharing, which collects supplies for development and emergency response
- St. John's Community Service Ministry
- Church World Service
- Gateway Homeless Shelter
- Unleashing Potential (formerly Neighborhood Houses), which provides early childhood education and after-school services
Each first Sunday of the month, the congregation celebrates It's Your Birthday, collecting donations to provide birthday parties for children ages five to twelve living in shelters.
On the international front, St. Philip's supports the United Church of Christ's global mission partners through One Great Hour of Sharing, which funds clean water, food, education, health care, micro-credit, refugee resettlement, and disaster response around the world.
Prayer Shawls and Pastoral Care
A Prayer Shawl Ministry invites members to knit or crochet shawls that are blessed during worship and then given to church members who are ill, or to specially requested individuals. Members can also submit confidential prayer requests, which are shared with the pastors and staff.
Visiting St. Philip's
St. Philip's United Church of Christ is located at 10708 Lavinia Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63123, in the Concord Village neighborhood of south St. Louis County. Visitors are welcome to join the 9:30 a.m. Sunday worship service either in person or online via Facebook. The church office can be reached at (314) 843-5100, the Early Childhood Center at (314) 843-2114, and the pastor, Rev. Dr. Laura Mignerone, at (314) 452-0785. Questions for the pastor, prayer requests, and contact forms are available through the church's online presence. The Early Childhood Center offers tours by appointment for families considering enrollment.