Renewal Characterizes Churches, Neighborhood

Historical May 1988 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

The churches and synagogues of the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood have played an integral part in the life of the area.

In view of recent events, this article looks at our neighborhood and its religious congregations.

Most of those persons interviewed agreed that the churches are the anchors of the neighborhood—stabilizing factors in so far as they have stuck with the area.

It also became clear that community support of the churches is an important part of the relationship. Skinker-DeBaliviere might not be what it is today, if it were not for the efforts of some of its churches. S-D Community Council President James McLeod points out that three of the area’s churches helped found and support the Council. Today, McLeod says, the churches are an attractive reason to move into the neighborhood and are a resource for social service, spiritual care, social, and recreation activities.

On the other hand, McLeod notes, neighbors provide support for the churches to the degree that neighbors are members.

It is this mutual support that characterizes some of our more active, growing churches.

Within Walking Distance…

Years ago many residents of this area were Jewish and their places of worship were within walking distance. Today there are eight churches within the Skinker-DeBaliviere area: Delmar Baptist and Grace Methodist on Skinker; Grace and Peace Fellowship, Olivette Missionary Baptist (a former synagogue), Westminster Presbyterian and Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witnesses on Delmar; Pattison Baptist on DeBaliviere (also a former synagogue); and St. Roch’s Roman Catholic Church on Waterman.

A long-time resident, Sandy Rothschild of Parkview, recalls using the Delmar Baptist gym as a youth. “One way Parkview neighbors have related to the three nearby churches is by their participation in some of the extra services, beside the religious ones— the pre-school and senior citizen activities.

The Parkview Association’s annual meetings have been held in these buildings for the past eighty years,’ Rothschild adds. Phil Roberts, a relatively new resident of Rosedale, began attending Delmar Baptist last year. “I want to support a neighborhood church,’ he says, “and I welcomed the convenience of being able to walk to church.

Not too many other neighbors seem to attend,’ he adds. Delores Hoefel of Rosedale also values the accessibility of the churches. “I think it helps create a diversity (and) a closeness that makes our community unique.

Even those that don’t attend here support these churches,’ she adds. Hoefel tells the story of a non-Catholic neighbor who came to Father Polizzi, asking that he pray for her son who had fallen from the roof of their home. “The next Sunday he announced it from the pulpit,” she recalls.

Time Has Changed Churches and Neighborhood

The Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood has experienced extensive changes; so have its churches.

As in other relationships, however, change can divide as well as bring together. Bruce Tanner of Rosedale watched the area undergo decades of economic and racial change until it stabilized as an integrated neighborhood.

He recalls that his church, Delmar Baptist, relocated here in the 1920’s. “Most of our members lived in the area,’ he says. “Now most drive in:’ Tanner credits Delmar Baptist, Grace Methodist and St. Roch’s with seeing the needs of the area’s residents and responding with various programs.

His church ran a Head Start Program for years, first in north St. Louis and later at the church. Like the three other churches and Hamilton School, Delmar Baptist also ran an active scouting program. Today the church continues its basketball and after-school programs. Yet, according to Tanner, their membership is older, smaller, and without the energy of previous years.

In 1979, a proposal to move was voted down, Tanner recalls, but now only a remnant of that group remains. Recently, the congregation reportedly approved a proposal in principal to relocate at an unspecified time in the future. Tanner’s pastor, the Rev. Samuel Binch, says that the church’s membership fell from a high of 1500 members, with the largest exodus occurring in the fifties.

Now the congregation has 200 active members. “We have deep roots here,’ says Rev. Binch, but he points out that much of their huge building is unused, in spite of the use of the gym by neighborhood children and their summer day camp. “Whom do you program for?” the pastor asks. “Do you have a dual congregation?

We provide a service, but that’s quite separate from the life of the congregation!’ Also affecting urban churches over the years has been the increased use of automobiles by members, many of whom now drive in from miles away and need parking space. “The major problem of Delmar Baptist and Grace Methodist,’ according to Bruce Tanner, seems to be “parking, pure and simple!’ Yet, Tanner personally believes “that vital programs will draw people, parking or not:’

What Makes for Success?

“The church is people,’ Msgr. Sal Polizzi of St. Roch’s insists. “Without people there’s no church!’ This axiom is especially appropriate for St.Roch’s, which is unique among Skinker-DeBaliviere churches in that its members include all Roman Catholics who live in the area.

This may account for the loyalty of St. Roch’s members, both to the neighborhood and to their church and school. Grace and Peace Fellowship, which relocated from Four Corners to a church building on Delmar a few years ago, is another congregation with a special interest in investing in its neighborhood.

In the group’s early years, rehabilitation of aging housing stock characterized the church. Its members worshipped in quarters they had attractively renovated. Recently, the TIMES featured Grace and Peace’s successful night shelter for homeless women. Delores Hoefel, a member of St. Roch’s, is employed by Grace Methodist’s Pre-School. “As long as I’ve lived here, Grace has always been reaching out.

They knew what the city needed:’ She noted that the church has run its Pre-School for 26 years and began an adult day care center two years ago. Grace Methodist’s pastor, Dr. Larry Galamore, dates Grace’s long tradition of community service to 1974, when it initiated its “Breitmeyer Community Service!’ Named after a member whose tireless assistance to community people was cut short by his death, the ministry employs its own staff. “We’ve put on additional staff—we employ fourteen now,’ reports Dr. Galamore. “We’ve only got 500 members, but strong members, and we’re growing. We’re getting singles and younger couples!’ Dr. Galamore explains, “The congregation felt we had a substantial investment here, and decided five years ago to stay and grow—and develop as many community ministries as possible to help the neighborhood, because that helps us grow!’ “A church has to make up its mind to grow,’ Galamore says. “If you don’t grow, you die.

The community is renewing, the whole area—housing, parking.

Now is the time for churches in this area to grow:’

Problems Will Be Solved

According to James McLeod, the area’s parking problem “stems from our success as a neighborhood. It’s not a church or a Parkview problem, but one that affects certain blocks!’ McLeod is sure that a solution can be found and considers the churches “very helpful in cooperating toward a solution!’ “It takes a little work to make relationships successful,’ Sandy Rothschild comments, representing the Parkview Association. “I think in the last few months we’ve resolved most problems!’ In fact, the Community Council, the Skinker Planning Committee, the alderman and Grace Methodist have been working together to expand available parking and to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement for Sunday parking in Parkview and on the west side of Skinker.

The Planning Committee’s chairman, Paul Repetto, says that “the committee stands ready to help (the churches), if they so choose!’

Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May 1988.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Original source: SD_Times1988_05.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 7; PDF page(s) 1, 7.