St. Paul’s Episcopal Church — Waco, TX

PARISH PROFILE

St. Paul’sEpiscopal ChurchHoliness becometh thine house O Lord, forever.

ContentsIntroduction .....................1

Overview .......................... 2

History .............................. 3

Core Values & Vision ..... 4

Worship ............................ 5

Formation & Support .... 6

Children ............................ 7

Youth ................................. 8

Outreach .......................... 9

Day School ....................... 10

The Rector We Seek ...... 11

Demographics ................. 12

2020 Budget Report ..... 13

Budget Continued .......... 14

About Waco .................... 15

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Introduction

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Mission“To be a loving community of worship, education, and outreach being witness to Christ’s redeeming love.”

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church enjoys a rich heritage, providing our community of believers much to celebrate as we live out The Gospel. The faithful have worshiped in our historic church since 1879, and St. Paul’s parishioners have consistently served our community and beyond in the name of Christ through a remarkable range of outreach and ministry programs. We must acknowledge, however, that our past is only a story of origin and development—not one of completion. Our heritage is a resource from which to grow—like the trunk and limbs of a firmly rooted tree—in ways that both organically extend the values and practices of the past and allow for a fresh expansion of new life.

We do not believe that being tradition-rich means being tradition-bound. Our heritage empowers us as we strive to bear witness to the love of Christ in the contemporary world.

When asked which is the greatest commandment? Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and

with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” The strategic vision for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church outlined in this document is based upon both of the components of Jesus’ foundational statement and our core values as a parish, calling us to expand, ceaselessly and joyously, our life in God’s presence and ministry.

We aspire to manifest our love for God and our redemption in Christ through both our internal community and our external witness as a parish. Now we move forward with a renewed commitment to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, a deepened understanding of our parish’s distinctive gifts, a more focused approach to realizing those gifts’ full potential, and a determination to make greater strategic use of our varied resources. In a century troubled by divisiveness and estrangement, we are striving to be a community defined by loving acceptance and unbiased by material values or social exclusiveness.

Overview

St. Paul’s Day SchoolThe largest mission activity at St. Paul’s is the St. Paul’s Day School. It serves children from 18 months through 6th grade. Current enrollment is 164. The school employs thirty-two classroom teachers, aides, and administrators providing a student-teacher ratio of 6:1. The school undertook a self-study in 2019 to review the mission of the school and the manner in which that mission is fulfilled. This will lead to a strategic planning process that will facilitate planned growth and stewardship of available resources.

St. Paul’s Episcopal School is fully accredited by SAES (Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools). As an accredited school, St. Paul’s operates with the knowledge and consent of the bishop of the diocese and meets rigorous standards set out by the accrediting board of SAES. This accreditation is also recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and approved by the Texas Private Schools Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC).

Given the current global health situation created by COVID-19, St. Paul’s Episcopal School is offering both in-person and virtual instruction to its students.

St. Paul’s campus provides a safe-haven in which to attend services, fellowship, learn, educate, and find refuge. Our historical presence has enabled the Church to represent a face of Christian stewardship, love, compassion and outreach

bearing witness to Christ’s redeeming grace in Waco, Texas since 1879.

Episcopal Student Center (ESC)The ESC, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, is located near the Baylor University campus and serves as a welcoming community of education, liturgy, and fellowship for all college students in Waco. There are currently three colleges in Waco: Baylor University,

McLennan County Community College, and Texas State Technical College.

Though fully under Diocesan Purview, the Campus Missioner as historically been attached to St. Paul’s, the largest Episcopal church in Waco, to provision the services of a curate to oversee the missional activities of the ESC, which include weekly Eucharist, meals, fellowship, and special events.

Activities, Outreach, Formation, and WorshipOutreach, formation, and worship provide the framework for all the

activities at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The Church has a rich and long tradition of outreach. We currently have 42 formally recognized ministries within the church. A recent assessment by an outside third party (Holy Cow) revealed that missions and outreach were the top six priorities within the congregation.

The 2019 Annual Report revealed: 1,161 active, baptized members, 252

average Sunday attendance, 13 confirmations,

and 10 baptisms.

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History

We do not believe that being tradition-rich means being tradition-bound. Our heritage empowers us as we strive to bear witness to the love of Christ in the contemporary world.

For over one hundred years, St. Paul’s has continued to meet the needs of congregants and community members alike from its location at the corner of North Fifth Street and Columbus Avenue.

Episcopalians in Waco from 1863-68 met in private homes or the rented Odd Fellows Hall. The fledgling congregation raised $1,800 for a building fund, which equals more than $31,000 today. But members had invested in Confederate bonds, and they lost their nest egg in 1865.

On January 9, 1868, Bishop Alexander Gregg appointed Rev. Silas Dean Davenport to establish an Episcopalian mission within Waco. The Parish of St. Paul was subsequently organized on March 19, 1868, and the Reverend W. W. Patrick served as its first rector.

St. Paul’s original congregants met outdoors and in private homes prior to the construction of a building on Fourth and Webster in 1870. When that structure was sold to the city of Waco in 1878, the church moved to North Fifth Street and Columbus Avenue. On Aug. 15, 1878, the cornerstone was laid, and services started taking place on June 15, 1879. In 1897, in order to accommodate increasing numbers, the sanctuary underwent further renovations. St. Paul’s has the distinction of being Waco’s

oldest-standing church building still in use by its current congregation.

St. Paul’s Church is designated as a historic landmark by the Texas Historical Commission. The church bears the marks of its long history. For example, cracks in the wooden floor of the sanctuary mark where the original walls stood before the expansion in 1897. If one looks closely, numerous divots in the wood created from years of wear from high-heeled shoes are also visible. Around the edges of the stained-glass window on the bell tower’s second-story platform, one can find the penciled-in signatures of the men who worked to build the tower.

Still beautifying the sanctuary are the church’s original stained-glass windows: three at the altar; four in the nave, featuring the writers of the Gospels; and the Rose Window above them, which depicts numerous symbols of Christianity. These artisanal panes were all manufactured in England during the reign of Queen Victoria. They were intended to evoke the windows of All Saints Church in York, which date from 1440.

St. Paul’s bell tower is three stories tall and only accessible by ladder. It houses St. Paul’s antique bell, a 1,027-pound church bell donated by the Sunday-school children for Advent 1875. It is the only known item left from the original St. Paul’s location on the corner of Fourth and Webster. Though over a hundred years old, the bell still rings to welcome parishioners to church services every Sunday.

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Core Values & Vision

† Formation & Support Our parish will thrive as a loving community of faith whose inter¬generational activities, needs-specific ministries, visitor-oriented programs, and member integration activities create a dynamic spirit of fellowship, mutual support, and openness.

† Worship Our worship experience will preserve and flourish in the traditional strengths of the Eucharistic liturgies and will make full use of the resources of the Book of Common Prayer.

† Education In living out our core value of education, we will provide a cradle-to-grave program of education rooted in Holy Scripture and based upon a holistic philosophy of Christian education, featuring a range of life stage-specific programs that satisfy our God-given passion for inquiry and knowledge.

† Outreach Throughout the parish, we will nurture a passion for outreach and will assist families and individuals in determining where God is calling them to minister, providing access to a dynamic range of mission work through the parish, the Diocese of Texas, the Episcopal church and other organizations.

St. Paul's is seeking a rector who shares our core values: The necessity of community, the centrality of worship, the power of education, and the call to minister in Christ's name.

Our vision for the future calls for a rector who will strengthen our parish community and prepare us to do

God's work inside and outside of the church. –4–

Worship

Our practices change with guidance from local health authorities and with approval from our bishop, and these practices currently are expressed in a mix of in-person and virtual religious observances.

Spoken Rite II Sunday Eucharists are celebrated in one kind in the Nave at 8 AM and 4 PM. Rite I Liturgy of the Word is offered virtually at 10 AM on Sundays for those who are not yet able to gather in person. In conformity with current health guidelines, singing is provided by cantors during virtual Sunday services but is not practiced during in-person Sunday services.

The Daily Offices are offered virtually twice daily, led by St. Paul’s clergy, staff, and laity.

We look forward to the day when all restrictions are lifted and we can return to our customary practices at our worship services. The parishioners of St. Paul’s will come together each Sunday to celebrate Jesus Christ through the beauty and mystery of God’s word, prayer, and the Holy Eucharist. Our services will offer a variety of styles in liturgy and music, from the contemplative to the contemporary to the more formal.

A typical Sunday could consist of three services: 8 AM Holy Communion (Rite I), 9 AM Holy Communion (Rite II), and 11 AM Holy Communion (Rite I). St. Paul’s also could offer Holy Communion (Rite II) each Wednesday evening.

Worship at St. Paul’s could provide many opportunities for lay ministry. In the past, our parishioners have enjoyed providing transportation to parishioners who do not drive to help them get to and from church services. Our talented volunteer technical team, so essential to our worship during the pandemic, could continue to support our continuing outreach of virtual services

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, worship has changed dramatically,

yet it remains the unifying bond among our parishioners. while supporting our full schedule of in-person services. Ushers, lay readers, greeters, chalice bearers and acolytes will be needed at all services. Volunteers will conduct Children’s Chapel during the Sermon and the Prayer of the People. Our 9 AM Music Ministry will resume their eclectic offerings of instrumental, solo, and small-ensemble music. Our 11 AM Chancel Choir will offer solo and choral pieces from the classic repertoire. The Altar Guild will continue its vital function at all services.

In addition to our Sunday services, St. Paul’s will offer additional worship opportunities during Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter seasons. In the past, Holy Week has included services for Tenebrae, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.

The process of emerging from our pandemic practices could provide a natural opportunity for innovative changes to our customary practices in order to attract young families with children. We have learned to adapt quickly to worship practices in times of pandemic, and we look forward to retaining what has been good about that process. Virtual Sunday services and the Daily Offices will continue to be posted to Facebook, both as an outreach and an opportunity for spiritual practices for our members.

Children will be welcomed and encouraged at all our services. A children’s message will be offered in the Children’s Chapel at the 9 AM and 11 AM services during the Sermon and The Prayers of the People. Nursery services will be available for very small children whose parents desire a chance to worship and refresh themselves. All children will be encouraged to participate in communion at St. Paul’s. In short, we look forward to the day when the church will be alive with the activities and worship of all.

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church offers formation opportunities for children and adults alike

through ongoing support groups, retreats and speakers, and Sunday morning worship

(The following groups listed do not describe all the formation opportunities available).

Centering Prayer This small ecumenical group gathers weekly throughout the year. Different members take turns leading the Centering Prayer ser¬vices, which are silent and intended to quiet the mind and experi¬ence the love of God in the midst of this hectic and busy life.

The Benedictine Study Group The Benedictine Study Group gathers twice monthly, studies and discusses books and enjoys the occa¬sional speaker. Through this time this group continues to grow virtually. The group’s purpose is to study the Benedictine way of life and to apply those principles in practical ways. Education For Ministry (EFM)Education For Ministry is a four-year intensive course designed for all people who wish to deepen their understanding of scripture, grow in community with other Christians, and wrestle with the most difficult problems of life and faith.

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC)The Episcopal Youth Community exists at St. Paul’s to provide the youth a home away from home within the church. There are many ways for the youth to be involved, with regular Junior and Senior EYC meetings and dinners occurring most Sundays during the school year.

CollegeCollege-aged students (approximately 18-23) are invited to explore the Bible with College Chaplain,

Fr. Keith. This class meets at Baylor. Students from Baylor, MCC, and TSTC are welcome to join us Thursdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 6:00 PM at the Episcopal Student’s Center (1712 South 10th Street). Visit escwaco.org for more information.

Family LifeFormation class for adults who are seeking a Christian way to better understand marriage and family relationships. Family Life is an informal discussion format, rooted in scripture and the writings of Episcopal scholars. All are welcome. Meets Sunday mornings at 10:10 AM and for occasional seasonal fellowship gatherings.

Episcopal Church Women (ECW)ECW provides opportunities for the women of the church to serve, worship, and fellowship together, with three meetings a year. ECW includes three guilds: St. Paul’s Guild meets three times a year, usually in the homes of members; St. Margaret’s Guild prepares and serves meals for bereaved families of St. Paul’s; and St. Catherine’s Guild exists for the purpose of intercessory prayer and fellowship.

St. Paul’s MenThese men gather for Men’s Prayer Breakfast most Wednesdays to enjoy time together. They are a dynamic force in the church that also cook for several other gathering. They also host Guys’ Grilling Out to enjoy fellowship and football. They are a strong multi-generational group that is growing yearly.

Formation & Support

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At St. Paul’s, children are encouraged to be up front in the church service in order to see and learn about our worship service and to participate with other children.

Children serve as acolytes, take communion, and sing in our children’s choir. During the sermon in our 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, children are invited to attend Children’s Chapel, where they hear a message based on the Lectionary readings for that Sunday.

Our current Sunday school program is based on Godly Play for children ages four to ten. Bible stories are told with multi-sensory materials that appeal to a broad range of learning styles. The Christian Formation programs include Beginning Godly Play, Primary Godly Play, and Advanced Godly Play for fourth through sixth graders. As our students progress through our Sunday school, they grow into the EYC program.

A nursery is also provided for infants and toddlers from 8:30 to 12:30 each Sunday. It is staffed with consistent, professional caregivers who are dedicated to providing a loving and safe environment. Each staff member has gone through background checks, Safechurch training, and first aid programs.

Disciple Camp St. Paul’s Disciple Camp is a week-long vacation Bible school program for children ages 4 through the sixth grade. The half-day program features a new theme each year, with relevant songs, Bible stories, crafts, games and snacks.

SOWhATSOWhAT stands for Stories, Outreach, Wonder, Art and Theology and is intended for children in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Students of this age can begin to delve more deeply into the meaning of biblical core stories. Combining authentic art responses with activities designed to help participants engage in thinking about stories and their meaning, this group also engages in service projects in our community and the world.

We continue to offer children’s programs virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children

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Youth

St. Paul’s Episcopal Youth Community is a loving, serving, inclusive Christ-Centered group of young people

that exists to glorify God by our words and actions.St. Paul’s Episcopal Youth Community is a loving, serving, inclusive, and Christ-Centered group of young people (grades 7-12) that exists to glorify God by our words and actions, to serve others, to share the good news of Christ, and to strengthen our relationships with one another and with God. Our offerings for youth include Sunday formation classes, Episcopal Youth Community, and outreach opportunities, such as our annual youth mission trip.

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC)The Episcopal Youth Community exists at St. Paul’s to provide the youth a home away from home within the church. There are multiple ways for the youth to be involved, focusing on fellowship, formation, and outreach. We currently have one large group meeting each week with small group opportunities separated by gender, age and interests.

Youth FormationSt. Paul’s offers Sunday morning formation classes for junior high (7th and 8th graders) and

senior high (9th through 12th grade). Our youth also have their own confirmation class that typically runs from August to December before being confirmed. The youth are encouraged to serve as acolytes, lay readers and ushers for Sunday morning worship.

OutreachMission starts at home. The youth of St. Paul’s are committed to engaging the larger Waco community as part of their ongoing spiritual development. They do this by participating in parish-wide outreach projects, youth service outings, raising funds and awareness for local non-profits, and shopping to provide families with Christmas presents.

In addition to their local efforts, each year the youth of St. Paul’s leave the city limits to engage with and serve people in other communities both inside and outside the State of Texas.

We continue to offer youth programs virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“OUR FAITH CALLS US TO ACTS OF LOVE”(Rev. Bill Miller, Rector, Christ Episcopal, Covington, Louisiana)

Through our recent survey, outreach was identified as a high priority compared to other churches, especially in response to serving people with special needs and providing direct services to those living on the margins of society. It is also relevant that the survey identified a strong desire to “strengthen the management and support of persons in various ministries”.

The church currently has forty-two ministries that may be intuitively categorized into: Teaching, Community Service, In-house Service, Youth, Education, and Intergenerational Programs. The most active community outreach ministries in 2019 related to the support of: the St. Paul’s Episcopal School, Meals and Wheels Senior Ministry, Caritas, youth mission trips, The Cove (support for homeless teens), The Salvation Army, and Miracle Match Marathon.

Many parishioners are active in community outreach outside of the church. Although these are not church-sponsored activities, they reflect their commitment to our Episcopal heritage and the nurturing spirit of the church.

Our congregation is looking for outreach opportunities that aligns with their individual interests and skills. There are ongoing conversations to create a working list of potential projects, needs, and contacts that can be used as a platform to introduce new opportunities for parishioners looking to find a niche. We recognize that all outreach projects must follow the mission of the Diocese of Texas.

The congregation is yearning to sustain and build new outreach programs. Although the desire to engage in meaningful outreach is almost tangible, the peculiar circumstance of COVID and the sudden, unexpected departure of the previous rector have limited our ability to engage in outreach efforts.

Demographics reflect that many in the congregation now have the time, desire, and resources to be engaged in the work of the church. It is perceived that the younger demographics expect and are willing to be engaged in new programs that meet the needs of the community. We look forward to pastoral leadership that will encourage, exhort, facilitate, and empower lay activities.

Outreach

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Day School

St. Paul’s Episcopal School serves to educate the whole child in mind, body, and spirit.

The School is the largest outreach of St. Paul’s Church. Classes are offered for toddlers through the sixth grade. St. Paul’s Episcopal School is fully accredited by SAES (Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools). As an accredited school, St. Paul’s operates with the knowledge and consent of the bishop of the diocese and meets rigorous standards set out by the accrediting board of SAES. This accreditation is also recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and approved by the Texas Private Schools Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC).

In September of 1956, St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School first opened its doors to the Waco community thanks to the vision and determination of the school’s founder, Mrs. Spencer Neville Brown. Mrs. Brown’s dream of a school with exemplary standards and Christian values for her daughter, Maria Brown, became the foundation on which St. Paul’s was built.

Mrs. Robert L. Reese was the school’s first principal and primary teacher. Soon after opening, Waco’s premier preschool grew to serve children through the third grade. To

accommodate a growing enrollment, St. Paul’s added an expanded educational wing in the 1960’s. In the fall of 1971, a new building opened for grades one through five. The school added sixth grade the following year. The Carolyn Haluska Memorial Library was created in the 1980’s. In the nineties, St. Paul’s added a state-of-the-art computer lab, which was updated in 2001, 2004, 2017, and 2020 In the summer of 2005, the current academic building underwent a major reconstruction to bring the school to a higher standard. Since then, we have reconfigured our downstairs area twice to accommodate a growing enrollment in our preschool program. Presently, St. Paul’s serves children ages 18-months through 6th grade. In addition, we offer a full after-school care program with separate groups for children from the toddler class through the sixth grade.St. Paul’s Episcopal School is proud to continue to lead the way in private education in the Waco community for 64 years. We are working hard to ensure student safety on campus during this pandemic and have set up quality and rigorous instruction for our students who are participating in remote learning.

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The Rector We Seek

We are looking for a leader who will empower us as a congregation.

We seek a rector who will help us enhance formation, prepare us for ministry in new outreach opportunities, inspire us with

God’s Word, and attract new families. We seek a rector who will help us enhance formation, prepare us for ministry in new outreach opportunities, inspire us with God’s Word, and attract new families. Through recent discernment activities, including a church-wide survey, the parishioners of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church have identified the qualities we desire in a new church leader. We seek a rector who Will:

† Bring energy to the congregation through sermons that will inspire and connect us to God’s word. † Inspire us to create more opportunities for people to form meaningful relationships within the congregation.

† Guide the congregation in Christian responses to parishioners with special needs.

† Ensure pastoral care is available for those in need. † Walk with us through times of change in order to grow spiritually.

† Direct teaching and training to equip members with new ministerial skills. † Provide strategic leadership to aid us in pursuing our visions. † Guide us in our outreach missions to help us make a positive difference in the world.

† Manage the operations of the church facilities, finances, and staff.

† Mediate conflict through training, negotiation, and open communication.

† Demonstrate interest and experience in the administration of a school program.

Interested in St. Paul’s?Please contact the Reverend Kellaura Johnson at Kjohnson@epicenter.org for a nomination form (281) 467-7110.

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Demographics

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is proud of its historical role in representing the gospel in the Episcopalian tradition.

The most recent approximation of demographics at St. Paul’s was collated in August of 2020 vis-à-vis a survey. Although the survey encompassed 71.8 % of our average Sunday attendance, it is never-the-less an approximation though considered to be relatively accurate for planning purposes. A consensus is that the survey may have underestimated younger ages that did not respond to the survey instrument.

Sixty-five percent of the parishioners have attended services here for over 20 years. Twenty five percent drive 10-15 miles although the majority (45%) drive 5-9 miles.

Sixty one percent of the parish is female. Ninety one percent of entire congregation has at least some college education and 47% possess graduate degrees.

The population trend for the local community (within one mile of the church) has been relatively stable over the last three years. Income in the neighborhood has increased but a slower rate than the larger community. Fewer than 17% of our congregation travels 3-4 miles to church, the implication being that most of our attendance is not local.

The top priorities for congregants that attended more than once /month were to make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth

Age 65 + 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 19-24

% of congregation 51 21 13 9 5 0

Table 1. Demographic Data provides a summary of age vs. % congregation of our Church Family as reflected by the survey.

to our church and develop strategies to reach new people and incorporate them into the church. Our parish realizes that our demographics indicate aging participants.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is proud of its historical role in representing the gospel in the Episcopalian tradition. A Theological Perspective Index in the most recent survey indicated the degree to which the congregation holds relatively more conservative or progressive views regarding such issues as the nature of the Scripture, the role of conversion in social change, and our relationship to the historic declarations of the Church.

The St. Paul’s congregation is conservative. We understand that, in order to share the Gospel and our Episcopalian heritage with younger, new believers, we need to change the way we communicate the tenets and beliefs of the Church. The majority of our congregation wants to maintain the integrity of the message.

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2020 BudgetACCOUNT NAME BUDGET

Budgeted Pledges $ 747,000

Plate & Non Pledge $ 25,000

Endowment Grants $ 165,011

Endowment Income & Interest $ 300,232

Quinn Foundation Grant $ 37,500

INCOME TOTAL $ 1,274,743INC

OM

E

CATEGORY ACCOUNT NAME BUDGETPERSONNEL Personnel $ 732,603

OPERATING Staff Continuing Education $ 2,100Professional Expenses $ 1,100

Automobile $ 6,000

General Operating $ 177,156

Building & Grounds $ 99,072

Miscellaneous $ 3,300

PROGRAM Christian Education $ 11,525Parish Fellowship $ 2,300

Family Ministry $ 4,300

Parish Ministry $ 23,900

Youth Ministry $ 6,975

Music Ministry $ 4,700

Community Ministry $ 3,000

MISSION Diocesan Assessment & Insurance $ 99,912

Clergy Discretionary $ 1,800

Outreach $ 31,000

St Paul’s School $ 60,000

Future Fund $ 4,000

EXPENSE TOTAL $ 1,274,743

EXPE

NSE

S

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2020 Budgetcontinued

ACCOUNT NAME BALANCECASH $ 148,879

DESIGNATED RESTRICTED CASH $ 400,653

PARISH RESERVE FUND $ 405,395

FIXED ASSETSLAND $ 483,449

BUILDINGS $ 2,785,830

EQUIPMENT $ 394,085

TOTAL ASSETS $ 4,618,297

BALANCE SHEETthrough September 2020

ACCOUNT NAME BALANCESHORT TERM $ NONE

LONG TERM $ NONE

TOTAL DEBT $ NONE

DEBTthrough September 2020

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About Waco

WACO IS A GROWING COMMUNITY Midway between Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco is a

growing community rich in culture, education, and opportunity.Waco is a growing small community where residents enjoy a relaxed pace, beautiful natural amenities, a thriving cultural scene, and outsized attractions. Its story began with the Huaco Indians; continued as the Chisholm Trail passed over Waco’s iconic Suspension Bridge; swept up the creation of Dr Pepper and the history of the Texas Rangers; swirled with the 1953 tornado and a long period of rebuilding; encompassed a revitalization of downtown over the past 15 years, and continues forward today as leaders and institutions innovate and steer towards the future.

Waco’s heart, the Brazos riverfront, is enjoying a renaissance of outdoor activities including jogging, cycling, disc golf, kayaking and paddle-boarding, triathlons and more. Across a sprawling 416 acres, Cameron Park offers clifftop views, playgrounds, a splash pad, disc golf and miles of trails. Waco Mammoth National Monument offers visitors a look back in time at Columbian Mammoths, while BSR Cable Park beckons to surfers and wake boarders. Anyone from fitness enthusiasts to casual lunchtime strollers can find nature within enjoyable reach in Waco.

Waco boasts a growing array of attractions and cultural opportunities thanks to our institutes of higher learning and to a population that values

creativity and diversity. A weekend can be as relaxed or as busy as one chooses, thanks to live entertainment venues, the Waco Symphony Orchestra, art museums and galleries, the Waco Civic Theatre, Downtown Farmer’s Market, and plenty of other activities to suit a range interests. Magnolia Market, the showplace of Fixer Upper’s Chip and Joanna Gaines, attracts well over a million visitors annually.

Educational and employment opportunities come from a range of industries and institutions. Waco is the only city in Texas that is home to a research university (Baylor,) a local community college (McLennan Community College) and a branch of Texas State Technical College. In addition, there are several large public school districts and a host of private schools serving preK-12 students. Waco offers top-notch health care from two more of its top employers, Scott & White/ Hillcrest and Ascension/ Providence Hospitals. Waco has strong economic development, and new jobs and employers continue to choose Waco.

The genius of Waco is that it’s big enough to offer a range of unique and satisfying opportunities, while being small enough that a person can comfortably enjoy them.

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