One of Chesterfield's best kept secrets
St. Thomas United Church of Christ is located on top of the highest hill in the area and is
often not seen from the Wild Horse Creek Road as people pass by.
And thus the lush wooded setting with its spectacular view of the Missouri River valley is
indeed one of Chesterfield's best kept secrets. St. Thomas also has a rich history in the
Chesterfield community. In October 7, 1907, a pastor of St. Johns Evangelische Kirche at
Bellefontaine, Missouri, conducted the first service of worship for the people who were to
become St. Thomas United Church of Christ.
A small group of faithful people met for worship in the building that housed Henry Wetzel's
Mercantile Company in Gumbo, Missouri. On December 22, 1907, those people officially
organized themselves into St. Thomas Evangelische Kirche of Gumbo. On November 1,
1908, the cornerstone was laid for the sanctuary. The building of the church soon grew to be
a community wide project with church members and neighbors pitching in. Those who did not
have money to contribute hauled wagon loads of rock and gravel from the creek to be used in
the building. The hard work and dedication of many, resulted in a sanctuary that would serve
the congregation for 50 years.
A picture of the original building hangs in the main dining room of the Olde Spaghetti Factory
in Chesterfield Common.
In 1968, the land on which St. Thomas now sits, was donated. In May 1969, the new church
building was dedicated to the Glory of God. Today, we strive to continue our rich tradition and
vital ministry to which God has called us.
What is the United Church of Christ?
The United Church of Christ is the denomination to which our church belongs. The United Church of Christ came
into being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the
Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in turn, the result of a union of two earlier traditions. The
Congregational Churches were organized when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation (1620) and the Puritans of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629) acknowledged their essential unity in the Cambridge Platform of 1648. The
Reformed Church in the United States traced its beginnings to congregations of German settlers in Pennsylvania
founded from 1725 on. Later, its ranks were swelled by Reformed immigrants from Switzerland, Hungary and other
countries. The Christian Churches sprang up in the late 1700s and early 1800s in reaction to the theological and
organizational rigidity of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist churches of the time. The Evangelical Synod of
North America traced its beginnings to an association of German Evangelical
pastors in Missouri. This association, founded in 1841, reflected the 1817 union of Lutheran and Reformed
churches in Germany.
The characteristics of the United Church of Christ can be summarized in part by the key words in the names that
formed our union: Christian, Reformed, Congregational, Evangelical.
Christian
By our very name, the United Church of Christ, we declare ourselves to be part of the Body of Christ—the Christian
church. We continue the witness of the early disciples to the reality and power of the crucified and risen Christ,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Reformed
All four denominations arose from the tradition of the Protestant Reformers: We confess the authority of one God.
We affirm the primacy of the Scriptures, the doctrine of justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the
principle of Christian freedom. We celebrate two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called Holy
Communion or the Eucharist).
Congregational
The basic unit of the United Church of Christ is the congregation. Members of each congregation covenant with one
another and with God as revealed in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. These congregations, in turn,
exist in covenantal relationships with one another to form larger structures for more effective work. Our covenanting
emphasizes trustful relationships rather than legal agreements.
Evangelical
The primary task of the church is the proclamation of the Gospel or (in Greek) evangel. The Gospel literally means
the "Good News" of God's love revealed with power in Jesus Christ. We proclaim this Gospel by word and deed to
individual persons and to society. This proclamation is the heart of the leiturgia—in Greek, the "work of the people"
in daily and Sunday worship. We gather for the worship of God, and through each week, we engage in the service
of humankind.
What we believe at St. Thomas UCC:
We can tell you more about the St. Thomas United Church of Christ with the help of seven phrases
from Scripture and Tradition which express our commitments.
1. That they may all be one. [John 17:21]
This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on which it is based and points toward future
efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church.
2. In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of
doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are
essential.
3. The unity of the church is not of its own making.
It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals. The common thread that runs
through all is love.
4. Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith.
Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ has no formula that is a test of
faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians have shared their faith with one another through creeds,
confessions, catechisms and other statements of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Evangelical Catechism, the Augsburg Confession, the Cambridge Platform
and the Kansas City Statement of Faith are valued in our church as authentic testimonies of faith. In 1959, the
General Synod of the United Church of Christ adopted a Statement of Faith prepared especially for congregations
of the United Church. Many of us use this statement as a common affirmation of faith in worship and as a basis for
study.
5. There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's holy word.
This affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the primacy of the Bible as a
source for understanding the Good News and as a foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible,
though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It declares that the
study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is pursued with the expectation of new insights
and God's help for living today.
6. The Priesthood of All Believers.
All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to participate as equals in the
common worship of God, each with direct access to the mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion.
Recognition is given to those among us who have received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational and
administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as servants—rather than as persons in authority. Their
task is to guide, to instruct, to enable the
ministry of all Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us.
7. Responsible Freedom.
As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of
God's will for our lives. But we are called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship with one another—gathering in
communities of faith, congregations of believers, local churches. Each congregation or local church is free to act in
accordance with the collective decision of its members, guided by the working of the Spirit in the light of the
scriptures. But it also is called to live in a covenantal relationship with other congregations for the sharing of insights
and for cooperative action under the authority of Christ.
Likewise, associations of churches, conferences, the General Synod and the church wide "covenanted ministries"
of the United Church of Christ are free to act in their particular spheres of responsibility. Yet all are constrained by
love to live in a covenantal relationship with one another and with the local churches in order to make manifest the
unity of the body of Christ and thus to carry out God's mission in the world more effectively.
The members, congregations, associations, conferences, General Synod, and covenanted ministries are free in
relation to the world. We affirm that the authority of God as revealed in Jesus Christ and interpreted with the aid of
the Holy Spirit stands above and judges all human culture, institutions and laws. But we recognize our calling both
as individuals and as the church to live in the world:
To proclaim in word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
To work for reconciliation and the unity of the broken Body of Christ.
To seek justice and liberation for all.
This is the joy and challenge of the United Church of Christ.
About Us |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Why I love St. Thomas UCC "I love the people at my church" "I love Sunday School" "I love vacation Bible school" "I love my church because I learn a lot and it's interesting" "We are a family. We share our joys and our sorrows" "I love bells" |
| Denominational Links National website www.ucc.org Missouri Mid-south Conference www.mmsucc.org |