A Living, Learning, Loving Church on Clayton Road
Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church sits along Clayton Road in west St. Louis County, just two miles from the intersection of Clayton and Clarkson Roads in Wildwood, Missouri. Eleven acres of lawn and trees wrap around the building, and a softball field, a pavilion with restrooms, a fire pit, a brightly painted playground, and a Little Free Library share the grounds with the congregation that has worshipped here for decades. The motto that shapes the church's self-understanding, dedicated to loving God and each other, gives shape to everything from Sunday worship to Wednesday breakfast at a local cafe to the Coupon Club that turns grocery savings into food for a Valley Park food pantry.
The church belongs to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is part of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, a regional body of the Synod of Mid-America. The word "Presbyterian" comes from the Greek word for "elder," a clue to the tradition's reliance on elected lay leadership. Woodlawn's members and leaders take that heritage seriously: both women and men serve as ruling elders on the Session and as deacons, and the church's three-word identity, living, learning, loving, has been a teaching frame for years.
Sunday Morning Worship at 9:30
Worship is the centerpiece of life at Woodlawn Chapel. The congregation gathers each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. for a service that is scripture-centered and participatory, structured somewhat traditionally, and rich with music. Pastor Chris Keating, who has served Woodlawn since 1999, often preaches from the lectionary, a three-year ecumenical schedule of Bible readings shared across many Christian traditions, and visitors regularly comment on the warmth of the preaching.
Music at Woodlawn ranges from traditional hymns to contemporary songs and gospel music, led by Director of Music Harry Moppins, who joined the staff in 2018 and is also a longtime member of the St. Louis Symphony's In Unison Chorus. Worship bulletins are filled with prayers, readings, and congregational singing, and the stained-glass window in the sanctuary is described by one longtime member as a daily reminder of the "power of God when the sun shines through it on a Sunday morning."
Children are always welcomed in worship. After a children's message partway through the service, young worshippers are invited to either remain with their families or move to Children's Church. Nursery care for the youngest children is available throughout the service.
After worship, the congregation gathers for coffee and donuts at 10:30 a.m., and an Adult Education Class meets to engage in scripture study and conversations about Christian life.
Communion on the First Sunday, in Lent, and at High Feasts
The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month, on every Sunday during Lent, and on Maundy Thursday, Easter, and Christmas Eve. Woodlawn shares the Presbyterian welcome to communion: all who trust in Christ are invited to the table, regardless of denomination. As the church's communion invitation puts it, "This is not a Presbyterian table; it is the Lord's Table." The congregation also uses the language of "debts" and "debtors" in the Lord's Prayer, retaining the King James Version of that line rather than the words "trespasses" used by some other traditions.
Baptism is available for both infants and adults. Baptisms take place during regular worship and are authorized by the Session. Parents or individuals interested in baptism contact the pastor to arrange a brief preparation conversation about the sacrament.
Children: Nursery, Children's Church, and the Play & Learn Program
Children's ministry at Woodlawn is treated as a serious investment in the future of the church. Throughout the year, the congregation hosts special fellowship events for families such as a community Easter Egg Hunt and Christmas programs, along with other gatherings publicized in the weekly e-newsletter.
Beyond nursery care and Children's Church during Sunday worship, Woodlawn Chapel runs an acclaimed weekday program called Play & Learn for children ages one through four. The program is open to the wider community; church membership is not required. Children can be enrolled one, two, three, or four days a week, Monday through Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with an optional Extended Day from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Tuition ranges from $200 per month for one day a week to $525 per month for four days, with sibling and full-year discounts available.
The program includes free play, circle time, crafts, music, story time, recess, snack, and chapel, with chapel time led each week by Pastor Chris. A Spring Sing gives preschoolers a chance to perform for their families. The director, Amy Reed, who took the role in 2025, holds a Master's in Special Education and has six children of her own. Parents regularly describe the classrooms as "big and bright and welcoming," the playground as "large and well maintained," and the staff as genuinely delighted to see the children each morning.
During the summer, Woodlawn hosts Camp Woodlawn, a Vacation Bible School for children ages three (potty trained) through completed fourth grade. Under a recent "Under Construction" theme, campers learned about God at work in the world through Bible activities, stories, recreation, and music, with a special focus on the work of Habitat for Humanity. Older youth in grades 6 through 12 may apply to serve as youth leaders for VBS service hours.
Children are also welcomed at the Lord's Table at Woodlawn, and youth in grades six and above are invited into Kid's Club, which meets a couple of times a month on Tuesday evenings for fun, fellowship, and spiritual friendship.
Youth Ministry and Confirmation
Woodlawn Chapel is intentional about equipping both youth and the families that support them for faithful living. The church's stated commitments are to call young people to be disciples of Christ, to respond to their needs and interests, to work in partnership between youth and adults, to stay connected to the whole church and the wider community, and to include every young person who walks through the door.
On the second and fourth Sundays of each month, the congregation offers Youth Church: worship begins at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, and after the children's message, students in grades six through twelve move with their leaders to the Youth Room for an informal worship setting of their own.
Throughout the year, youth take part in service projects, Faith Buddy mentorships, summer mission trips, and visits to local food pantries and shelters. They also serve as Sunday morning liturgists, ushers, elders, deacons, and VBS volunteers.
For youth considering church membership, Woodlawn offers confirmation, often held during the eighth-grade year or through conversations with the pastor or youth minister. Commissioned Pastor Carol Stepp, who joined the staff in October 2015, coordinates ministry for middle school and high school youth, leads youth group activities, and develops Sunday school and mission opportunities for young people across the congregation.
Wednesday Mornings at Sunny Street Cafe
The men of Woodlawn Chapel meet every Wednesday morning for breakfast and fellowship at Sunny Street Cafe, 2480 Taylor Road, in Wildwood. The group gathers at 6:30 a.m. and the conversation runs until 8:00 a.m., giving men of the church a regular chance to share a meal, check in about the week ahead, and build friendships outside the walls of the church building.
Thursday Mornings: Women's Bible Study in the Gathering Place
On Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., the women of Woodlawn Chapel gather in the Gathering Place for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. The group has worked through popular works by contemporary Christian authors, traditional Bible studies, devotional studies, and other media over the years, forming what church members describe as "bonds of friendship and support." The Women's Bible Study also curates the selection of books in the church's Little Free Library.
Adult Education After Worship
Following Sunday worship, an Adult Education Class meets at the church to engage in a wide range of studies about scripture and Christian life. New members are always welcomed into the class, and the church encourages anyone looking to connect with others, or to grow in faith, to drop in.
Mission: Coupon Club, Circle of Concern, and Beyond
The Mission Team at Woodlawn Chapel coordinates the congregation's outreach to the local community, the wider St. Louis region, and the world. Members, the Mission Team, and the broader congregation together support a remarkable range of partnerships.
The Coupon Club is one of the most distinctive. Since 2011, members have combined coupons with store sales to purchase food and personal-care items for the Circle of Concern food pantry in Valley Park. By 2021, the club had delivered more than $131,000 in retail-value goods on a spend of just over $50,000. An annual Dessert Auction in September raises additional funding for the club, and members also donate Schnucks and Dierbergs reward points to support the effort. In 2020, the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy awarded the Coupon Club a grant of $1,276 to help with the effort.
Circle of Concern itself has been feeding the hungry in west St. Louis County since 1967 and now serves more than 2,000 individuals each month. Woodlawn supports the pantry with cash donations, volunteer hours as board members and pantry workers, the Bucket Brigade (cleaning supplies for clients), the Morning Glory Cereal Drive, Thanks & Giving Cake Kits, and a Christmas Giving Tree that adopts families in need. In one recent year, the congregation donated $2,000 in gift cards and adopted 40 individuals with $40 cards each.
Other mission partnerships include:
- Mother's Day Gift Bags for mothers staying in the three St. Louis area Ronald McDonald Houses. Each May the congregation assembles large tote bags with personal care items, reading material, journals, and other comfort gifts. Forty bags were delivered in one recent year.
- Newborns in Need of Eastern Missouri: each spring members donate newborn clothing, blankets, and infant care items, with a bassinette in the narthex overflowing with donations. More than 1,000 items have been collected in a single spring.
- St. Louis Area Diaper Bank: the church coordinates diaper drives, distributes diapers through partner agencies, and volunteers at the bank to repackage diapers from bulk into family-size packs. One recent drive moved 8,500 diapers in a single month.
- Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: Woodlawn members have travelled to Anasco, Puerto Rico, to assist with home repairs after Hurricane Maria. In November 2019, a small team sealed the roofs of six homes, scraped and painted interior walls, and worshipped with the First Presbyterian Church of Anasco.
- Presbyterian Giving Catalog: a "Sewing Seeds of Love" funding drive in May 2021 used the catalog to purchase 28 sewing machines for women in the United States and around the world.
- Sunshine Ministries Community Closet: the annual Hat, Scarf, Mitten & Glove Collection in November gathers cold-weather items for families in north St. Louis. One winter drive produced more than 230 new items, with help from the Mad Hatters knitting group at The Fountains assisted living facility.
- Christmas Joy and One Great Hour of Sharing: Woodlawn takes part in these PC(USA) wide offerings that support current and retired church workers, students at racially and ethnically diverse schools and colleges, and Presbyterian disaster and refugee ministries.
An Anti-Racism Journey
Woodlawn Chapel has publicly named anti-racism as a long-term commitment of its mission. The church affirms the PC(USA)'s commitment to unity in diversity and acknowledges that in baptism its members are connected to each other regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, disability, or theological conviction.
The congregation has taken part in studies, visits to national civil rights legacy sites, and intercultural mission projects, and the church's anti-racism resource library includes books, films, and conversation guides. Recommended films include "13th," "Just Mercy," "Loving," "I Am Not Your Negro," "Fences," "Selma," "The Hate U Give," and "Hidden Figures." Recommended reading includes works by Michelle Alexander, Ta-Nehisi Coates, James Cone, Robin DiAngelo, Ibram X. Kendi, Ijeoma Oluo, and Bryan Stevenson. A study from the St. Louis Reconciliation Network shaped much of the congregation's early work on this journey, and Pastor Chris has preached and written regularly about the church's continuing call to learn, grow, and respond.
Eleven Acres, a Ballfield, and a Pavilion
Woodlawn's eleven-plus acres are a community asset as well as a church campus. The building is fully accessible, and the sanctuary seats approximately 150 people comfortably. Behind the building sits an unlighted baseball and softball field with backstop and infield, plus several turf-only spaces suitable for t-ball and throwing practice. The fields are available by reservation to nonprofit and youth groups, with modest per-session fees and a $60 deposit per application. A pavilion with restrooms, a grill, and a fire pit is also available to rent for two-hour parties and team events.
The campus also hosts a Little Free Library, with selections managed by the Women's Bible Study, and a brightly painted playground. Outside organizations can reserve the facilities through the church office, subject to approval by the Session. Church policies require the use of the church's own musician and pastor at all weddings conducted in the church building, and the sanctuary is available for weddings to both members and non-members.
Beliefs and Governance
Woodlawn Chapel shares in the Reformed theological tradition. Worship is shaped by scripture, prayer, and the rhythms of the church year. The church's commitment to welcoming all people, no matter gender, race, sexual orientation, or nationality, is central to its self-understanding and is reflected in its membership practices, its hiring as an equal opportunity employer, and its openness to communion for all who trust in Christ.
Governance follows the Presbyterian pattern. Elders and deacons are elected by the congregation to three-year terms. The Session, the church's governing board, meets on the fourth Sunday of each month and includes the pastor as moderator. Elders represent the church as part of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy. Deacons coordinate the church's caring ministries. Both men and women are eligible to serve in all offices of church ministry.
Persons may enter active membership by profession of faith, reaffirmation of faith in Jesus Christ, or transfer of membership from another church. Those who wish to join take part in a membership orientation meeting with the pastor and are received by the Session. Youth may also participate in confirmation class, often held during the eighth-grade year.
The Pastoral Team
Pastor Chris Keating grew up in the inland valley east of Los Angeles. After graduating from the University of La Verne with a degree in journalism, he attended Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned his M.Div in 1987 and met his wife, Carol, an ordained Presbyterian minister. He later earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City in 2006. Chris has served three Presbyterian congregations since 1987 and has been at Woodlawn Chapel since 1999. He also serves as a chaplain for the St. Louis County Police Department, with the West County Precinct, and is the author of "Charged With Grandeur," a book of sermons on the environment. He writes a Substack newsletter called PastorEyes and can be reached at pastor@woodlawnchapel.com.
Carol Stepp, a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, joined the Woodlawn staff in October 2015 as a Commissioned Pastor. She coordinates ministry for middle school and high school youth, leads the Women's Bible Study, and supports families across the congregation.
Harry Moppins, Director of Music, joined the staff in 2018. With graduate degrees from Washington University and Webster University and musical training at Fontbonne and Washington University, Harry brings deep choral and instrumental experience. He has sung with the St. Louis Symphony's In Unison Chorus for more than fifteen years and serves as a rehearsal and assistant director. He also sings with the Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church men's gospel choir.
Amy Reed became Director of Play & Learn in 2025, after more than two years as a teacher in the program. With a Master's in Special Education and years of volunteer experience in preschool Sunday school, she leads the church's weekday program for the youngest children on the campus.
Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church gathers each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at 16520 Clayton Road in Wildwood. Worship is also livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot attend in person. The church office can be reached at (636) 458-3009.