How long have you been attending services here?
I started attending in June 2019 off and on. Once the new member formation class started in September 2019 I was regularly attending. I am now attending the Liturgy class this semester.
Are you a life-long Episcopalian?
No, prior to coming for a visit in June 2019 I had never been in an Episcopal church for any type of service.
What is your previous church experience, if any?
As a kid we attended several different denominations. Around middle school we started attending Floral Heights United Methodist Church in Wichita Falls. I went through confirmation there and attended until college.
How did you find Heavenly Rest?
I have been working in social services for over 10 years and I thought Heavenly Rest was a service agency much like City Lights or Christian Service Center. I heard about the Episcopal Church through various articles and sources. As we all do now days I went on Facebook and searched for Episcopal churches in Abilene. I was inspired by how much CHR gives to others in the community. Inclusion, diversity, and compassion were traits I was looking to find in a church when I found Heavenly Rest.
What would you want to tell others about Heavenly Rest to encourage them to come and explore our parish?
It is a wonderful church, filled with love and grace. It has truly become my church home and a place where I am welcomed and loved for exactly who I am. I would encourage someone to come see what the church is about, fill out the visitor form, and let your heart come home to a church that cares.
Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of Heavenly Rest – your job, your family, your hobbies.
I work full-time as a counselor at Serenity House in Abilene. We provide inpatient drug and alcohol treatment and I love working with the clients every day. I also am the social worker for Interim Hospice seeing patients in Abilene & the surrounding area, and I teach classes as an adjunct professor for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master Program at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. I am passionate about helping people, especially disadvantaged populations. I grew up on a ranch near Wichita Falls and have live in the Abilene area since 2011. I love to travel, am a new to hiking, and have a Corgi named Rotten.
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