 On November 22, 1981, the "Gateway to the West," became the site of an Apostolic Christian Church at the Harley Hotel in Earth City. In January of the next year, members began meeting at the Ben Franklin Motel in St. Louis and a schedule of visiting ministers was established.
In September 1986, Bro. Loren Schrenk and their family moved to the area. With the arrival of more people in 1987, the frequency of services was increased to three times per month. In 1988, members expressed a desire for their own church building and efforts were made to obtain land at the present site. The first service in the new church building was held on March 10, 1992.
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Seven families, seven singles, plus 11 children worship at the church on a typical Sunday. Services are now held every week. In addition to Bro. Loren, Bro. Chris Wuethrich shares the pulpit ministry. The church family also enjoys visits from other ministers through monthly scheduled minister rotations. On that weekend, a potluck dinner and hymn sing are planned for the church to attend. Bro. Kent Heimer, from Taylor, MO, has oversight for the church.
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Opportunities for Service
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 The church family is active in spreading the gospel in their areas of employment and with neighbors and friends, including supporting a prison ministry, aftercare program and the children of incarcerated men and women.
To nurture the believers, they meet for Sunday and Wednesday evening services, Bible studies, monthly potlucks and hymn singings.
There are numerous opportunities to serve the Lord through serving others. These include working through World Relief to support those in need, serving meals and providing Bible teaching at a homeless shelter and participating in a Christian-based tutoring program for immigrant children in the city.
Challenges of small church living
Proximity among the church families poses a challenge with regular travel as much as an hour as some families live in Missouri and some in Illinois. Many of the families are as much as one hour apart. Families with small children receive babysitting help from others during the day or evening as needed. The church has few intergenerational families. As a result, people "go home" for holidays and other family events, leaving fewer people in the church.
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 If you have a heart to be an ambassador for Christ and help fulfill the desire of a small church to grow in number and assist them with their challenges, please prayerfully consider a visit or move to the St. Louis area. The city center of St. Louis is approximately 25 miles from church.
The city has a good economy with many job opportunities, especially in the areas of healthcare, life science research and education. Numerous and interesting sightseeing options abound. Lambert International Airport is approximately 18 miles from the church.
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The St. Louis church heartily welcomes you to visit. Services are held at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm (CST/CDT) on Sunday. Wednesday evening services are held at the church at 7:30 pm on the second Wednesday of the month. Bible Studies are held the other Wednesday evenings in the homes of the church families. Please call to find out more details.
The church is located at 3333 Upper Bottom Road in St. Charles, MO. If you plan to visit, please contact one of the ministers to let them know you are coming for planning purposes and for confirmation of service times.
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