Pastor Anthony L. Riley Commits to Transforming Lives by Encouraging the Region to Gather in Faith and Unity Beyond the Walls of the Sanctuary
St. Louis, Missouri – At a time when people are seeking community, hope and meaningful connection, many are eager for places where they can worship freely, laugh openly and enjoy fellowship without walls, and this outdoor celebration brings all of that to life in one day. Central Baptist Church, where Reverend Dr. Anthony L. Riley is pastor, invites the public to join us outdoors at the Lions Amphitheater in Kirkwood Park, 574 West Adams Avenue, for our GO OUT Worship Experience and
Cookout at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. respectively on Sunday, September 6th. Both events are open to all.
Central Baptist Church is preparing for a full day of worship, fellowship and fun in the open air. Instead of gathering in our Midtown St. Louis Sanctuary on Washington Boulevard, we invite everyone to meet outside for an inspiring and relaxed 10 AM Worship Experience with soul-stirring praise and worship music from our Music Ministry under the direction of director of worship Jennifer L. Kelley, and an empowering sermon from Pastor Riley. This outdoor worship experience
reflects Central’s commitment to take ministry beyond the building and into the community.
From the closing morning worship prayer until 3 p.m., the celebration continues at Kirkwood Park’s Lions Pavilion with a cookout featuring games, music, fun, fellowship, and food. Optional meals with fried and barbeque chicken, hot dogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, string beans, and soft drinks are $10 if preordered by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2nd, and $15 after that. Also optional, guests are welcome to bring and share homemade cakes for the Cake Walk Game or enjoy
Kirkwood’s Aquatic Center for $17. Lawn chairs, sunscreen, water bottles and family-friendly food and refreshments are encouraged for a wonderful day of worship and fellowship as the church gathers outdoors together.
“This is a unique opportunity for us to step outside our routines and experience the joy of worshiping together in a way that opens our hearts to the community,” says Pastor Riley. We invite all to attend both public events.
WHO: Open to all!
WHAT: Central Baptist Church GO OUT Worship Experience and Cookout at Kirkwood Park
WHEN: Sunday, September 6, 2026
10AM WORSHIP EXPERIENCE: Kirkwood Park Lions Amphitheater, 574 West Adams Avenue, Kirkwood, MO 63122
Optional Freewill Offering
PREACHER: Reverend Dr. Anthony L. Riley, Pastor
PRAISE AND WORSHIP: Central Baptist Church Music Ministry, led by Jennifer L. Kelley, Director of Worship
12-3PM COOKOUT: Kirkwood Park Lions Pavilion, 202 N Geyer Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122
Free to Attend
OPTIONAL MEAL: $10 by 5PM Sept. 2, $15 after 5PM Sept. 2 while supplies last: https://bit.ly/4x9RRfL or flyer QR code
About Central Baptist Church
Serving the community for 180 years as the second oldest, African American, Baptist church in St. Louis, Central Baptist Church is a historic urban African American church that cultivates a community of intergenerational disciples who embody Christ’s teachings, empowering us to prosper and transform our world. We strive to create a place where the disconnected find belonging, the sorrowful find joy, the unwell find healing, and the oppressed find freedom. Central activates Spirit
filled lives through inspiring worship, biblical teaching, and life-transforming prayer in our advocacy, outreach, and mission work. Our Motto is “Making Disciples… Transforming Lives!”
For more information, go to www.cbcstl.org, or call 314-533-0747.
About Reverend Anthony L. Riley, M.Div., D.Min.
Reverend Riley has served as the 14th senior pastor of the Central Baptist Church of Saint Louis since March 2019. Pastor Riley serves as: chair of the board for the COEUR (Community Organization to Engage Uplift and Restore) Foundation; past member of the Clergy Advisory Board for the City of Saint Louis’ Department of Public Health; member of the Ecumenical Leadership Council, the NAACP for Saint Louis City and Saint Louis County, the Urban League, the Clergy Coalition; and was appointed by the Mayor of the City of Saint Louis to serve on the historic City Charter Commission.
His formal education includes a Doctor of Ministry from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, Hartford, CT, and a diploma from the Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH.
In 2017, he published his first book entitled, In the Shadow of Grief: 21 Days of Discovering God’s Presence in Life’s Valleys, a devotional journal that brings together the best of relevant scripture readings, short devotionals, brief Bible studies, hopeful affirmations and leadership principles to create a transformative daily encounter with the Word of God. In 2025, he published his second book entitled, Processing: 21 Days with God to Make It Make Sense.
Today, he serves as the Conference Director for Reverend Jerry M. Carter Jr.’s How Shall They Hear Preaching Conference, a premier intimate space for proclaimers to work on their craft. Visit www.howshalltheyhear.net to register. Reverend Riley regularly facilitates at the Issachar Church Growth and Development Conference for Ralph Douglas West Ministries and sits on the Executive Steering Committee for the African American Preaching Conference at Baylor’s Truett Seminary. Reverend Riley is the proud father of one son, Joshua Anthony.
