North St. Louis church facing demolition following Friday’s tornado. Pastors say community will carry on ministry
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - As the cleanup process continues in North St. Louis, church leaders in the Kingsway East neighborhood are faced with a difficult decision.
Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church on Labadie Avenue served as a pillar of the community since it opened in 1956.
“It’s livelihood, it’s friends, it’s family,” Dr. Clyde Crumpton, the church’s former pastor said.
On Friday, the church suffered catastrophic damage after an EF3 tornado ripped through parts of North St. Louis. The majority of its roof is gone and people walking on the sidewalk and driving down the street can see into the sanctuary after a two-story window was destroyed.
Dr. Crumpton retired from the church last summer, after serving as the pastor for 11 years. He was replaced by interim pastor Douglass Petty.
“This is loss, and loss is loss in spite of what it is,” said Petty. “So there’s a grieving process that has to take place. One, location, two, building, three memories of what has transpired in there.”
While the church was insured, both men said the building is structurally unsafe and would likely be demolished. Built more than five decades ago, Petty said many things cannot be replicated, like the stained glass windows made of lead.
With the building set to likely be town down, both men said the church’s longstanding influence will be continued by of its congregation and neighbors.
“If physically the structure is not there, [it] does not mean the ministry cannot take place in of being there,” said Petty. “Ministry is mobile.”
The church offered more than a Sunday service. Several non-profits were born out of the church, helping to create affordable housing in adjacent properties the church purchased over the years. It also created a community garden on Labadie to help enhance the look of the neighborhood.
“The way it was maintained and how well it was maintained made the neighborhood look good,” said Crumpton. “They appreciated the church along with the outreach and all the other activities. The programs, the meetings, the organizations, all that’s going to be missed.”
Crumpton said the importance of being there for one another, especially in hard times, is the essence of his church. It’s a sentiment he hopes carries the neighborhood long after the church’s building is gone.
“Sometimes that’s all we need, someone to come and check, someone cares,” he said. “That’s the church.”
Petty said ensuring the church’s influence and legacy continues will depend on getting younger generations involved. To do that requires conversations and listening, he said.
“I think it’s about talking through what you need and what the church can provide,” he said. “When we come together like that, the impact is far-reaching.”
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