Church of the Heavenly Rest

As a community of faith centered in God through liturgy and Christian practice, the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest exists to:

Care for members of all ages and stages of life
Share God’s inclusive and healing love with all people.
Create opportunities to grow in Christ
Serve the Church, the community and the world

A tradition of service and spirit of community is alive in the Church of the Heavenly Rest through our reverent worship, parish activities, and community outreach programs. We engage the community in Abilene, TX, with the love of Christ and look to share this love through intentional faith and encouraging words.

Established as a mission in 1883, the Episcopal church in Abilene quickly became a parish in just four years. The original church, located at North Third and Orange streets in Abilene,was built of native stone and was the only building constructed of permanent material in the town for nearly 25 years. From 1920-1957, the Rev. Willis Gerhart, or Parson Gerhart as he came to be called, led the church through a period of growth and transition. After the church moved to its current location on South Sixth and Meander, membership climbed from 200 to 595 parishioners.

In 2014, the Church of the Heavenly Rest served 5,000+ members of the community through hands-on outreach and further integrated community members into parish life through Christian formation, worship, music, and special activities. Our service in Swahili is growing, and we continue to seek opportunities to connect with members of our community of faith from the Congo. As we look forward to expanding the church to meet the growing needs of our brothers and sisters in Abilene, we are encouraged by the desire for Heavenly Rest to be a place for people to connect, learn, and grow together and ultimately experience and share the loving presence of God.