Medical Marijuana Dispensary Approved Synod Votes To Close Webster’s Historic Bethany Lutheran Church

by Kevin Murphy

Since 1904, a gray-shingle, wood-frame church has stood at the quiet residential corner of Fairview Avenue and Glen Road in Webster Groves.

by Melissa Wilkinson

Under advice from the city’s attorney, the Des Peres Board of Aldermen on Aug. 22 reluctantly voted to approve a conditional use permit for Root 66, a medical marijuana dispensary slated for 12095 Manchester Road.

The vote was preceded by over an hour of discussion, during which Alderman John Pound suggested the board delay the decision until Nov. 21, when the fate of recreational marijuana in Missouri would be known. The measure will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.

“There’s so many unknowns and we’re faced with a situation that we know very little about,” said Pound. “With the advent of recreational marijuana staring us in the face … I don’t

City Attorney Chris Graville, however, advised against the delay, noting the language of the recreational marijuana measure proposed for the Missouri Constitution is already available.

“It’s fine if you want to postpone the vote, but for what purpose?” he said. “If we’re delaying it just to see what recreational is going to do, the applicant can go to the courthouse and get a judge to say we have to take a vote and approve it.”

Root 66 is slated for 12095 Manchester Road, in the building formerly occupied by Paperdolls clothing boutique.

Graville again reminded the board that, as medical marijuana is legalized in Missouri, the board must approve the conditional use permit if Root 66 meets all the city’s requirements for such a facility.

“We have to look at this and say, ‘Ok, do they meet the requirements of your code and current law?’ I think staff has

After months of delays, aldermen vote to approve conditional use permit «continued on page 4A

But now members of Bethany Lutheran Church say they fear for the future of their small congregation, founded in 1897 by local Danish immigrants, and for what may become of their historic church building.

For some church members, bad news arrived in late June when Bethany Lutheran received a letter from its Kansas City-based governing body, the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), stating that the senate council had voted to close the church due to violations of both the Synod’s and Trinity Lutheran’s constitutions.

A marker outside of Bethany Lutheran Church.

Webster Groves resident Chuck Kasch has been a member of Bethany Lutheran for 55 years, with his grandfather being a founding member. His wife, Denny, is the church’s council secretary and has been a church member for 43 years. «continued

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Circulation is 35,768. Direct home delivery to residents in Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Des Peres, Glendale, Oakland, Rock Hill, Shrewsbury and Warson Woods totals 28,725; store stack distribution in the above communities plus nine additional communities totals 7,043. Circulation audited by Circulation Verification Council, St. Louis, Mo.

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