One of the main advantages that would save the congregation money was their beautiful setting in the Texas Hill Country. Overland’s layout for the building incorporated the outdoors to give the church additional square footage and enhanced the indoor atmosphere.

On Easter, when all of the Heart Groups are usually present along with many visitors, the church can double in size through the incorporation of large doors in the back of the worship space that open up to an amphitheater. On these and many pleasant Hill Country mornings, the open doors allow a relatively small space to live large, full of movement and fellowship. “It’s almost like every Sunday is a church picnic,” said Bob Shemwell, senior principal at Overland Partners.

The simple, linear daycare wing and the round communion chapel frame a courtyard full of stately oaks, and the space is flooded with daylight. Overland used native materials and landscaping to maximize the aesthetic benefit of the landscape.

Participation from the community members shaped the space to reflect the diversity of worship styles and personalities harmonizing in the church. Youth and prayer ministry, administrative needs and social functions all happen in the space, outfitted for acoustics and flexibility. A master plan will help the church continue to grow as each of these functions expands to need a room of their own. The campus of facilities is a peaceful, welcoming oasis to the neighborhood and surrounding community. In its design and execution it exhibits excellence through the wise stewardship of resources and the creation of an aesthetic which captures the spirit of the Wimberley Valley.