10/31/2026
As Central Seminary celebrates 125 years of preparing leaders for ministry, one story stands out as a powerful reminder that a congregation's impact can continue long after its final worship service.
Des Peres Baptist Church in the St. Louis area was founded in 1955 as a mission of Third Baptist Church and grew into a vibrant congregation, reaching nearly 250 members at its peak. Like many churches, however, it experienced years of decline and ultimately held its final worship service in December 2006.
When the congregation sold its property, members faced an important question: What would become of their legacy?
Their answer was extraordinary. In July 2008, the church directed more than $2.2 million from the sale of its property to Central, creating what was then the largest gift in the seminary's history.
That gift established the Des Peres Chair in Congregational Health, an endowed faculty position dedicated to helping churches thrive and remain healthy for generations to come.
For Des Peres trustee Mauriece Smith, this legacy transformed a difficult ending into an act of hope. Reflecting on the church's decision, she noted that closing a church can leave people feeling they have failed the legacy entrusted to them, but that helping train future pastors offered "a hope and promise for the future."
At a celebration of the gifts made possible through the sale of the church property, Smith offered a simple but powerful reflection:"The building is no longer standing, but the legacy of Des Peres Baptist Church will live on."
Today, that legacy continues through the ministry of Dr. John S. Park, who serves as the Des Peres Chair of Congregational Health. Dr. Park is Central's Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and is Associate Professor of Leadership and Congregational Health. Through his teaching, scholarship, and leadership, the vision and generosity of Des Peres Baptist Church continue to shape church leaders and strengthen congregations for the future.
