Deals are in place for an Arnold Baptist church to purchase a Catholic parish’s property in the city. That deal would allow the Rock Community Fire Protection District to buy the Baptist church and paving the way for the district to build a community education and safety training center.
The Holy Family Catholic Parish in Arnold announced it entered a contract on Dec. 15 to sell the parish’s Tenbrook Road campus, the home of the old St. David Catholic Church in Arnold to Rockport Baptist Church.
The Rev. Gerald Blessing, Holy Family’s pastor, told parish members about the contract in a Dec. 16 email, saying the agreement includes a contingency period, and the closing is expected in approximately 60 days.
“I think all of the decisions that are being made here are good for the community,” Blessing said.
Rock Fire has a contract in place with Rockport Baptist to purchase its church’s property at 3761 Telegraph Road, which is next to the fire district’s House 5 at 3749 Telegraph Road in Arnold.
The fire district would buy the property with money from a $20 million bond issue voters approved in April.
“I am optimistic about the incredible impact this would have for our community and our firefighters,” Rock Fire Chief Kevin Wingbermuehle said.
Blessing, Wingbermuehle and Rockport Baptist Church Pastor Scott Lee said they would not release the sale prices for the properties until after the deals are completed.
Rockport
The Rockport Baptist Church started in 1967 in a rented building on Miller Road, and at the time was more of a preaching point called “Miller Road Mission,” according to information Lee provided.
It was renamed Rockport Baptist Church later that year when it moved to Telegraph Road.
Lee said the church has been growing for years and has outgrown its current facility.
“Our Sunday services are almost always at capacity, with many people spilling out into an overflow room with a video feed,” he said. “We also have many large families whom the Lord continues to bless with children and many young adults who, having grown up in our church, have gotten married and begun families of their own and continue to be an active part of our congregation.”
Lee said Rockport wanted to remain in the area because most of the church’s members live in either Arnold, north Jefferson County or south St. Louis County. He also said the Tenbrook Road campus will provide opportunities for the church to offer new ministries, classes, training opportunities for those who serve in ministry and the potential to offer Christian education.
“We are in the ‘looking, thinking and praying stage’ for most of these things, but look forward to seeing how they can be fleshed out in the life and ministry of our congregation,” he said. “The former St. David’s facility will provide the opportunity for us not only to meet the present needs of our church family, but also have room to welcome new people into the fellowship and joy we share together as a church.”
Holy Family
The Holy Family Parish was created when the Immaculate Conception and St. David parishes merged in August 2023 as part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis’ “All Things New” initiative.
The parish is planning to build a new church on the Church Road campus, which also is home to the Holy Family Catholic School, Parish Center and Immaculate Conception Cemetery.
Holy Family announced on Dec. 1 plans to build the new church where the Immaculate Conception Church used to stand on the Church Road campus, 2300 Church Road, in Arnold.
Blessing said Holy Family’s public capital campaign to raise money to build the new church will start Feb. 1.
He said a capital campaign study showed the parish could raise between $4.25 million and $4.75 million, and the parish has estimated it needs to raise approximately $6 million for the new church, with $5 million to pay for construction and the other $1 million to cover other project costs.
“Those were early figures,” Blessing said. “I don’t think you want to put that in stone because there are a lot of factors, like prices keep going up and our ability to fundraise.”
Blessing said Holy Family would use the money from the sale of the Tenbrook Road campus to help pay for a new church.
“I am so grateful that we have this opportunity,” he said. “That does not mean I am dismissing the pain or the grief that comes with (selling St. David).”
The Immaculate Conception Parish was established in 1840, and the St. David Catholic Parish was established in 1960, with the cornerstone at St. David Church, 2334 Tenbrook Road, blessed in 1964.
The Immaculate Conception Church was built in 1895 and was torn down because of structural issues. The parish stopped holding Masses in the church on April 6 due to storm damage the building sustained in March, and the church was demolished in October.
Holy Family has been holding Masses in the Parish Center since April.
The St. David parish stopped holding weekly Mass in the church last year just before that church’s HVAC system stopped working.
Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski issued a decree in June to close both those churches. Last month, the Archdiocese agreed to sell the St. David Church and Tenbrook Road campus.
“I acknowledge the loss that people feel,” Blessing said of selling St. David. “It is their history.”
Rock Fire
Wingbermuehle said Rock Fire will issue bonds in phases to pay for various capital improvement projects, adding that the district plans to sell the first series of bonds on Jan. 11 for $12 million with the sale expected to close on Feb. 4.
He said Rock Fire will use that money to buy a new firetruck and ladder truck to replace a 1998 fire engine and a 2006 ladder truck, and to purchase the land and build the community safety education and emergency services training center.
Wingbermuehle said it is too early to say when Rock Fire may start converting the Rockport property into a community and training center. However, he is excited about Rock Fire building next to House 5, the district’s headquarters.
“The result is better-trained firefighters, safer emergency responses, improved coordination with regional emergency partners and expanded opportunities for residents to participate in fire prevention, CPR and disaster-preparedness education,” he said. “Ultimately, this will lead to greater operational efficiency and, most importantly, a safer community.”
Rock Fire covers approximately 38 square miles in Arnold and Kimmswick and portions of Imperial, Barnhart and surrounding areas.