Sunday Mornings on Old Halls Ferry Road
Halls Ferry Christian Church sits on Old Halls Ferry Road in Florissant, Missouri, where a multi-cultural family gathers each week under a simple phrase the congregation has made its own: "the church worth finding." The goal is to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, disciples making disciples, and to express God's unending love and mercy to those who need it most.
Sunday School begins at 9:00 a.m., filling classrooms across the building with nursery, preschool, elementary, junior and senior high, and adult classes meeting together for an hour. By 10:10 a.m., the whole congregation gathers for the Sunday worship service. The service is also streamed on Facebook for those joining from home, and past sermons are archived on the church's YouTube channel. Visitors arriving that morning find a welcoming community built around two central commitments: a strong, challenging message and a powerful worship experience. The church's simple welcome, "come as you are," applies to dress as much as to background.
Worship That Reaches Across Generations
The Music Ministry supports each service with a range of songs, from older hymns to current-day selections. The gathering opens with music and closes the same way, inviting everyone to sing along and worship however they feel most comfortable. A church choir performs during special events throughout the year. The overall feel is blended, mixing the hymns that longtime members grew up with alongside newer worship songs, and the leadership encourages every voice to take part.
REACH YOUth: Fifteen Years in the Gym
The youth ministry at HFCC has become one of the church's most visible outreaches to the surrounding community. Known simply as REACH YOUth, the ministry grew out of fifteen years of prayer, basketball, Bible study, and mentorship in the HFCC gym. The name fits: the ministry has become "better known in the community as 'the church,'" a place where young souls are exposed to Christ, encouraged in him, and equipped to follow him wherever they go. The format is informal and relational, meeting young people where they already are.
Prayer and Bible Study Through the Week
Prayer is at the center of HFCC's life together. A weekly prayer time meets at the church on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. In addition, the church has a long tradition of overnight prayer gatherings that begin at 9:00 p.m. on Friday nights and continue through 5:00 a.m. on Saturday. The events calendar lists these special gatherings throughout the year.
On Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Tom Browdy leads a Mid-Week Bible Study at the church building. The course walks through the life of Christ and his miracles in chronological order, from turning water into wine to the great catch of fish after his resurrection. Each week the class also reviews one of Christ's parables or life events. Material is presented online and reviewed together in class.
Marriage, Women, and Music at HFCC
Cary and Anise Braggs lead the Marriage and Family Ministry at HFCC. Married for nearly 22 years, they draw on their own experience to help other couples build strong, faith-filled relationships. They also founded Legacy Marriages, a separate organization devoted to enriching marriages and extending their work beyond the church. Cary's role as an elder at HFCC ties that commitment to the broader leadership of the congregation.
The Women's Ministry gathers women together in fellowship for fun, learning about one another, helping others in need, and supporting members. Their stated mission is to glorify God as they gather, give, and grow - giving of themselves through varied gifts for the greater good and growing in sharing love and knowing God is with them.
An Expression of God's Love for the World
HFCC is committed to expressing God's love beyond its own walls. The church actively partners with Joe and Marie Lieway, who are planting churches in their home country of Liberia. Members of HFCC are invited to support this mission work in prayer and through giving. The Missions Ministry frames the work in simple terms: showing who Jesus is, whether in the local neighborhood or across the globe.
The Pastoral Team
Two pastors share leadership at HFCC. Pastor Cary L. Braggs, Sr. has been faithfully serving in ministry since December 2002. He joined Halls Ferry Christian Church in 2009 while enrolled at St. Louis Christian College, graduated with honors in 2014 with a degree in Christian Ministry, and has served as an elder, mentored youth, and led various church programs. He became Associate Pastor in 2024 and was appointed Lead Pastor in 2025.
Pastor Jon-Michael Brown has been on staff at HFCC since 2003. Originally from Oklahoma, he began his education at the United States Air Force Academy before pursuing ministry at Ozark Christian College, where he earned a Bachelor of Biblical Literature and a Bachelor of Theology in 2002 and a Master of Arts from Lincoln Christian Seminary in 2005. He previously served as a full-time professor at Saint Louis Christian College and now teaches math at Pattonville High School alongside his work at HFCC.
Four church elders round out the leadership team: Mike Trotter, Gabe Phifer, Bob Veatch, and Clettis Miller. Pam Barsh serves as the Childhood Education Director, overseeing the children's Sunday School classes from nursery through elementary.
What HFCC Believes
HFCC's published statement of belief walks through core Christian doctrines, and the congregation focuses on the heart above all else. No matter what a person's background or story, the church values intentional following of Jesus together, announcing his love through lives, jobs, families, and friendships. Luke 6:32-38 sits near the front of the church's teaching, calling members to love their enemies, do good, and lend without expecting anything in return. Whether at weekly worship, work, home, school, or any of the church's ministries and outreaches, the goal remains the same: helping people believe the Gospel, belong to the family of God, and become disciples of Jesus Christ.
Visiting and Giving
The church office can be reached at 314-741-0372 or by email at connect@hallsferrycc.com. The church is located at 12100 Old Halls Ferry Road in Florissant, Missouri. Visitors with questions or prayer requests can reach out through the contact form on the church's site, where requests can be marked as public to the congregation, anonymous, fully private, or for staff only. Donations can be made online through PayPal and Cash App, by mail, or in person in the entry foyer using the provided envelopes before 11:00 a.m. on Sundays.