The Rock Community Fire Protection District will soon have the funds it needs to buy the Rockport Baptist Church property in Arnold, in turn providing that church with the money it needs to buy property in Arnold owned by the Holy Family Catholic Parish.
The Rock Fire Board of Directors voted unanimously Jan. 21 to sell about $12 million worth of bonds.
The bond sale is expected to close on Feb. 4. It will be the first set of bonds the district sells after voters approved a $20 million bond issue in April.
“This investment represents a major step forward for public safety and emergency preparedness in the district,” Rock Fire Chief Kevin Wingbermuehle said. “Approximately $2.7 million will be used to purchase a new fire engine and a new aerial ladder truck to replace aging front-line apparatus. These vehicles are currently being built and are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2026.
“The remaining funds will be used to purchase (the Rockport Baptist) property for a firefighter and emergency services training center that will also provide dedicated space for community safety education.”
Rock Fire announced in December that it had entered into an agreement to buy the Rockport Baptist property, 3761 Telegraph Road, next to the district’s House 5 at 3749 Telegraph Road in Arnold.
In addition, Rockport Baptist has a deal to buy Holy Family’s Tenbrook Road campus, home to the St. David Catholic Church at 2334 Tenbrook Road in Arnold.
Rockport Baptist Church Pastor Scott Lee said 98 percent of the church’s members voted on Jan. 18 to sell the church’s property to Rock Fire and buy the Holy Family property.
According to Rockport’s Jan. 18 bulletin, the congregation was asked to affirm a motion to sell the church’s current location for $2 million and purchase Holy Family’s Tenbrook Road campus for $1.75 million.
Lee said between 265 and nearly 300 people typically attend Rockport Baptist services on Sunday.
Wingbermuehle said Rock Fire is in the final stages of acquiring the Rockport Baptist property. “We have a survey being ordered, and we just have to finalize the closing date, which will probably be in the first week or two of February.”
Lee said Rockport Baptist members are looking forward to buying the Tenbrook Road campus and moving to a new location in Arnold.
“In many ways, this is an answer to many, many prayers,” he said. “We have been looking for the Lord’s answer to our space problems for several years, but could not afford to build the facility we need. This move provides that room at a cost we’ve been able to afford through the sale of our own property.”
On Sunday, Holy Family will kick off its capital campaign to build a new church, and the parish will use the proceeds from the campaign and the from the Tenbrook Road campus sale to help cover construction costs.
The Rev. Gerald Blessing, Holy Family’s pastor, announced on Jan. 18 that the parish currently has about $1 million to build a new church on its Church Road campus, 2300 Church Road, which was home to the old Immaculate Conception Church, which recently was demolished in October. It’s also home to Holy Family’s Parish Center, school and cemetery.
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 has held Masses in the Parish Center since April 6 after the Immaculate Conception Church was damaged when a tornado ripped through Arnold on March 15.
Holy Family stopped holding Masses at St. David in 2024 just before that church’s HVAC system stopped working.
“Financial analysis indicates that (the $1 million) – combined with the anticipated proceeds from the sale of the St. David property and new gifts to the capital campaign – will total approximately $7.5 million,” Blessing wrote in a message to parish members. “This budget will cover all necessary expenses, including fees, permits, construction and furnishings.
“Our primary focus is to construct a high-quality, noble church that will serve as the spiritual home for Catholics in Arnold into the next century.”
Rock Fire
Wingbermuehle said Rock Fire will receive about $12.6 million from the bond sale, when factoring in premium costs and an additional $300,000 in interest, depending on returns and timing of expenditures.
He said the district anticipates receiving the additional money because its credit rating improved from an A+ to AA-.
“The higher credit rating allowed the district to secure a lower interest rate on the bond sale, which reduced overall borrowing costs,” he said. “Over the life of the bonds, this will result in significant savings for taxpayers and demonstrates how disciplined financial management and independent oversight produce long-term cost savings for the community.”
Wingbermuehle said after purchasing the Rockport Baptist property, Rock Fire will form a committee to guide plans to develop the training and community center.
“In the short term, we plan to use the existing (Rockport Baptist church building) for training, with the expectation that it will eventually be replaced to best serve the community,” he said. “We’re extremely excited about the opportunity. Having the property contiguous to our headquarters allows for safer, more efficient training and expanded community safety education.”
The bond issue did not increase Rock Fire’s tax levy, but it did extend its bond debt, which is about $3.2 million, to 2045, Wingbermuehle said. Rock Fire’s current debt service levy is 11.48 cents per $100 assessed valuation, and its operating tax levy is $1.0925 per $100 assessed valuation for a total tax levy of $1.2073 per $100 assessed valuation.
Rock Fire covers approximately 38 square miles in Arnold and Kimmswick and portions of Imperial, Barnhart and the surrounding areas.
Wingbermuehle said Rock Fire does not plan to sell the remaining $8 million in available bonds for two to three years.
“When considered, bonds would be used only for major, long-term investments, such as fire apparatus and critical equipment replacement, items that serve the community for decades,” he said.
Rockport Baptist
Lee said Rockport Baptist members are working to prepare for the move to the Tenbrook Road property.
“We anticipate making the initial move within three months of closing,” he said. “Our plan is to do what must be done to enable us to move in. After that, we will continue to make needed changes and improvements as we go.”
Rockport Baptist members started worshiping together in 1967 in a rented building on Miller Road, and it was more of a preaching point called “Miller Road Mission” at that time, according to information provided by Lee. 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 it has outgrown its current facility.
He has said the Tenbrook Road campus will provide opportunities for the church to offer new ministries, classes, training opportunities for those who serve in ministry, as well as the potential to offer Christian education.
“This is a big move for us, and one we are happy to make,” he said. “There is a great deal of work that must be done in the next few months and will continue for at least the next year as we settle in and begin to live in our new space.”
Holy Family
Holy Family will hold a capital campaign kickoff celebration from 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Parish Center. A prayer service will be held in the lower-floor chapel, and a rally is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m., when the church’s new design will be unveiled.
Blessing has said the parish hopes to have its new church built by the end of 2027.
“We invite everyone to join us as we embark on this significant and historic journey together,” he said.