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Wagner Avenue Church of Christ

Our Past, Present & Future

The Church of Christ at this location prior to 1965 was known as West End Church of Christ, the increasing membership at 4229 Page Blvd which was designed and built in 1955 by R.M.Moore and dedicated brothers instituted the need for a larger facility. The West End congregation in the meantime was building a new structure in Berkeley, Missouri. on Natural Bridge Rd and Brother R.M. Moore was able to obtain this building . Since their new structure was not yet completed we shared this facility with West End until their build was completed. At this time the congregation was officially called Wagner Avenue Church of Christ in 1965.


During the fifty plus years at Wagner Avenue we have labored in the Vineyard with five full time Ministers and three interim Ministers. Bro R.M Moore:1952-1989(first at Francis and Evans , next to the Page Blvd and from 1965-1989 at Wagner Avenue. W.C. Edwards:1990-1998, Maurice J. Hall:1998-2006, Harold Frank Henry:2006-2010, Derric C, Myers and Dr. Thomas Jackson both served as Interim Ministers . Bruce Liggins  served as the Minister of Wagner from 2012-2017. During tenure we observed our 50th Church Anniversary in 2015. During these Ministers tenure several programs were designed and  implemented to edify our membership. Some of these programs are still in place such as the Aid to the Elderly, Community Fair (Neighborhood Outreach) and others.


During these years Wagner ordained Elders Nolden Dillinger (deceased), Edward Sargent (deceased) and Joe Sneed, Deacons Bessemer Carter (deceased), Henry Reed (deceased) and Clarence Wilson (deceased) all these great men took these positions in July 1994. 


Wagner's next chapter continues in 2019 with a title change for Bro Joe Sneed from Elder (due to the death of Edward Sargent) to Senior Minister and Christopher Williams Sr as our Minister who was also ordained under the leadership of Bro Joe Sneed and Bro Bruce Liggins in August 2018. This new leadership will continue to labor in the vineyards and do God's work. 

Bro R.M Moore (Founder) 

1921-1989

Bro R.M. Moore was Born in Texarkana, Arkansas. At the age of thirteen, Roscoe M. Moore began working in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as a commercial printer. He continued in this profession for a period of eight years. In the course of time, he met and later married Vernetta Harper of Ennis, Texas, in 1939. In 1940, he was baptized into the body of Jesus Christ under the preaching influence of Sutton Johnson of Montgomery, Alabama. The following year Moore was encouraged through a men’s training class to begin preaching the gospel. He was greatly influenced in his preaching ministry by J. S. Winston, T. B. Smith, and many others. His most recognized work in the field of ministry was performed at the Page Boulevard and Wagner Avenue congregations in St. Louis, Missouri. He was also in attendance at the first National Lectureship in 1945. Bro Moore served with Wagner for 36  1/2  years. His legacy is well known among the Saint Louis area and among the Church of Christ brotherhood. Under his leadership, we began a radio broadcast, hosted a National Lectureship and co-hosted two Midwest Regional Singings. He was an influential leader of his time. His life and ministry continue to touch many lives in the Saint Louis community.

Bro. Edward Sargent - Elder - 1926-2016

Bro Edward Sargent was added to Wagner Ave Church of Christ in 1965. He served the Wagner Avenue congregation from its beginning in 1965 as a leader who gave spiritual insight. He was ordained as an Elder in 1994 and served until 2016. The Wagner congregation will forever remember his contributions to the congregation at Wagner Avenue.

Bro. Elmer Lambert

Assoc. Minister, A.E.P. Director  - 1943- 2018

Bro. Elmer Lambert was born Aug 16, 1943. He served in the United States Army and played an integral part in the nation's mail improvement program, which ultimately led to the development of the zip code. Bro. Elmer Lambert was added to the Lord's body in the 1980s, at Centreville Church of Christ, and later moved to the Wagner Avenue Church of Christ where he served approximately 18 years. Bro Lambert's labor of love was demonstrated through the firm institution and maintenance of the Aid to the Elderly Program. He believed that our elderly deserved special compassion, consideration, and assistance. He provided items such as wheelchairs, walkers, and even had a temporary wheelchair lift installed to provide ease of access to and from the Sanctuary. This would not only serve the elderly but the disabled as well. He worked tirelessly to ensure that our elderly were always remembered and cared for. He has served proudly throughout his ministry and was eventually ordained Associate Minister where he considered it a privilege and the "highest honor" to impart the word through carefully selected sermons. Bro. Lambert joined our Lord in June of 2018, however,  his legacy lives on through the continuance of the Aid to the Elderly Program.

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