1931 Through 1940

(These accounts of Unity's past come from the parish archives and have been assembled by Carolyn Altepeter.)

In June 1931, Rev. R. Jesse of Mt. Calvary and Rev. A. Doerffler of Pilgrim saw mission possibilities in a new suburban district in St. Louis County. The district encompassed Bel-Nor, Bellerive Acres, Carsonville, Pasadena Park and Pasadena Hills, approximately 500 homes.

On September 1, 1931, ministerial candidate Richard Delventhal was called to canvas this suburban district. After this canvas, pastors Doerffler and Jesse, of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod (English District) in St. Louis, were instructed to open a mission and assist a missionary in locating a place for worship.

After Richard Delventhal's ordination on September 13, 1931, the three pastors talked with Mr. Fleer of the Knickmeyer-Fleer Realty Company, who offered the frame real estate field office located at the main entrance of Bel-Nor, at Natural Bridge Road and Clearview Drive. They agreed to pay $12.50 a month for the building and were allowed to remodel as they saw fit for a chapel.

On Sunday, October 18, 1931 at 9:30 a.m., the doors of the newly renovated church opened for the enrollment of 13 children in Sunday school. At 10:45 a.m., the first service began in the name of the Triune God with 25 participants. Through a $200 gift from the Sunday school at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, chairs, hymn books and a few other necessary items were purchased. The altar was a library table, which was covered with a cotton lace tablecloth. There was a piano donated by a Lutheran family. On the altar were two black flower vases and a German bible. The offering on that first Sunday was $12.25, including a $5 gift from Rev. A. Doerffler.

By the end of December 1931, there were 44 souls, with 30 of those souls enrolled in the Sunday school.

In the October 26, 1932 board minutes there was discussion on whether to organize. Possible names: Church of Good Shepherd, Church of the Covenant, Church of the Resurrection, Church of the Holy Spirit, Christ on Zion and Unity. A week later the mission church decided to organize with 7 voting members and 15 communicants and wrote a constitution and bylaws. The name Unity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bel-Nor of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession was chosen. Unity received its charter as a member of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod (English District).

The first social group to organize was the Ladies Guild on November 17, 1932, followed by the Men's Club on September 25, 1933.

The board at its January 9, 1933 meeting decided to call a pastor and Rev. Richard Delventhal's name was placed before the synod.

The year 1933 almost saw the dissolution of the mission church. Because of the Depression, there were problems maintaining an active membership. Unemployment was rising at a terrific rate and various members of Unity had to seek employment moving elsewhere. Any gains made in membership numbers were overshadowed by the losses.

And then the neighbors starting complaining to the realty company. They felt the mission building was depreciating their property, there were restriction violations, and the congregation's singing was a disturbance. A special board meeting was held September 20, 1933 to discuss whether to continue and the $2,000 cost of moving the real estate office.

Rev. Peters, from Bethesda Lutheran Church, encouraged the mission church to continue and offered financial support from the Church Extension Fund. Knickmeyer-Fleer Realty Company advised that if Unity purchased property in Bel-Nor, they would be given the building.

Because the real estate office was a frame building and not built of brick according to building codes, the residents were upset at the thought of the building being moved within Bel-Nor's borders. Several residents of Bel-Nor filed an injunction against Unity's moving the building. The injunction was dropped and the little building moved to 8448 Glen Echo Drive in the fall of 1934. The chapel was dedicated December 1934. Sunday school enrollment was at 66; communicants, 41.

Already camaraderie, determination and German stubbornness was being established in the mission church with high spirits and optimism (and a lot of praying) remaining high despite financial roadblocks and membership losses. During the 1930s Unity had an active membership:

In December 1937 the children's Christmas Eve program was held at Bel-Nor School to accommodate the 250 people audience. Sunday school enrollment was at 88.

September 10, 1939 a dedication service was held for a building addition to the real estate office. Four dozen chairs and 20 new hymn books were purchased for the occasion.

This series will continues with The Growing Years, 1940-1949.