Church of the Resurrection stands at 5909 Walzem Road in the Windcrest area of San Antonio. It is a multicultural, bilingual Episcopal parish known for three Sunday Eucharists, an active education and prayer life, and service that reaches neighbors through a food pantry and clothes closet as well as local and international partnerships. Its Sunday rhythm moves from Rite 1 at 8:00 AM through adult Sunday school and a livestreamed Rite 2 at 10, then concludes with Spanish-language Rite 2 at 11:30. Around that worship rhythm are Godly Play classes, daily devotions, contemplative prayer, family fellowship, and a five-acre campus with Ferguson Hall and a Chartres-style labyrinth.
Three Sunday Eucharists, One Bilingual Parish
Sunday worship follows a clear and welcoming progression:
- 8:00 AM: Holy Eucharist, Rite 1, a said Mass in English.
- 9:00 AM: Adult Sunday School in the conference room.
- 10:00 AM: Holy Eucharist, Rite 2, in English, with the service live-streamed on YouTube.
- 11:30 AM: Holy Eucharist, Rite 2, in Spanish.
The Rev. Christopher O. Cole leads worship using the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. The parish describes its worship as Christ-centered and family friendly, and Fr. Chris is known for practical, thought-provoking sermons that can be heard through a sermon archive. People unfamiliar with Episcopal worship are encouraged to attend several times to appreciate the depth and meaning found in its liturgy.
That liturgical tradition is paired with an informal welcome. Church of the Resurrection calls itself a safe and understanding space where people can explore faith without judgment or prejudice. Cradle Episcopalians, people new to Christianity and those beginning to ask who Jesus is and how faith relates to their lives are equally welcome. The parish encourages questions, careful study and the freedom to reason.
Visitors approaching from either direction can use the Walzem Road exit from I-35, follow the frontage road and turn onto Walzem Road. The Walzem Road parking lot provides access to the church grounds and the area immediately west of the worship space.
Godly Play and Learning for Adults
Children begin Sunday mornings with a children's sermon from Fr. Chris and then participate in Godly Play, a Montessori-based Sunday school curriculum for Pre-K through 5th grade. Misty Whitney leads this ministry, and Godly Play stories are available on YouTube for families wanting to continue the conversation at home.
Adult Sunday School meets at 9:00 AM in the conference room before the 10:00 Eucharist. A separate online Bible study meets at 10:00 AM on Thursdays, with study questions and a joining link provided to participants. Heather Diehl and J.F. Bierlein also guide Education for Ministry and the parish's Small Church Communities.
Education for Ministry is a theological course of the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Participants commit one year at a time and meet in seminars led by a trained mentor. The full course takes four years and covers the Bible, church history and theology, with classes meeting on Mondays from September through May.
Four Times to Frame the Day in Prayer
Church of the Resurrection provides four forms of daily devotion adapted from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and designed for busy people. The morning set includes Psalm 51, a reading, intercessions, the Lord's Prayer, a prayer for renewal, a prayer for mission and a prayer of self dedication. At noon, Psalm 113 leads into reflection on the day, intercession and prayers for peace, guidance and social justice. The evening set follows the Phos Hilaron with confession, an examen of the day, intercession and prayers for mission and quiet confidence. The close-of-day set includes the Nunc Dimittis, the Apostle's Creed, intercessions and prayers for protection and those they love.
A separate prayer chain made up of members of the Daughters of the King prays daily for the parish, the community and anyone who asks for prayer. Pat Typhair leads the Daughters of the King ministry.
Contemplative Prayer gathers at 10:00 AM on the first and third Saturdays of each month. The gathering begins with quiet time to sit in the presence of God, usually while considering a word or phrase from Scripture, and concludes with an opportunity to share the experience.
Just west of the worship space is a labyrinth patterned after the 11-circuit Chartres labyrinth constructed around 1201 in the stone floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. Its distinguishing features include 11 circuits, turns arranged in four quadrants, lunations or teeth around the perimeter and a six-petal rosette at the center. Medieval Christians walked labyrinths as part of their devotion, and the path remains used today for prayer, meditation, centering and personal growth.
A Wednesday Pantry and Neighboring Clothes Closet
The food pantry opens every Wednesday except the first Wednesday of each month. Doors open at 11:45 AM and food distribution begins at noon. The first 50 families are served, and guests may choose among grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
A clothes closet operates in conjunction with the pantry. All clothing items are priced at $1, and the church accepts donations of both food and clothing. Cindi Frank leads the food pantry ministry, whose expanding volunteer group helps make the weekly distribution possible.
Service Rooted in a 1964 Promise
The guiding principle of service at Church of the Resurrection comes from the first vestry meeting in 1964: “To do at least as much for others as we do for ourselves.” The parish has continued to use that statement as its guide.
Members take part in mission and ministry throughout San Antonio. Areas of involvement include hospice volunteering, nursing, dentistry, homeless shelters, addiction counseling, feeding ministries, law enforcement, teaching and social work. The parish encourages people to find ways to help, whether their contribution is professional or voluntary. It also points people needing assistance toward the San Antonio Community Resource Directory, Bexar County community resources and emergency hotlines and helplines.
Its mission reaches beyond San Antonio as well. Members have joined Christ Church's Band and Bible Mission in Uganda, where the group preaches the gospel and teaches children music. Richard Wallace has participated in that work, and instruments for the mission have been donated. A Foreign and Domestic Missions Committee investigates charitable opportunities and helps direct the parish's giving. Ferol Senter leads that ministry.
Local Partnerships and Mission Beyond San Antonio
Church of the Resurrection supports a broad circle of local and international organizations. Local partners include Guide Dogs of Texas, Family Violence Prevention Services, Agape Ministry, Habitat for Humanity and Northeast Senior Assistance. The parish also works with The Good Samaritan Center, Haven for Hope, Morningside Ministries and Texas Ramps.
Internationally, the parish supports Episcopal Relief and Development, South American Missionary Society, World Vision, the United Thank Offering, the American Diabetes Association and Diocese of West Texas World Mission. Financial and material support for the church's mission and ministry can be given through its online giving.
Ferguson Hall and Family Fellowship
Ferguson Hall is an elegantly appointed, spacious facility on the five-acre church campus. It can accommodate up to 160 guests in banquet seating, arranged as 20 tables of eight, or 270 people in conference seating. Breakout rooms are available for retreats and corporate meetings. Food may be stored in the kitchen by arrangement, while only licensed and approved caterers may use the kitchen to prepare meals. Alcohol is permitted with restrictions.
The hall is suited to birthday and anniversary parties, wedding receptions, retreats, corporate events, seminars and award ceremonies. Inquiries about the hall are handled through fergusonhall@church-resurrection.org.
Family life also has a place in the parish's regular rhythm. Friday Game Nights bring whole families together for an evening of play and fellowship. The parish's formal worship is balanced by informal relationships among old friends and newcomers, with several gatherings through the year centered on friendship and shared time.
Episcopal Faith With Room for Questions
Within the Episcopal tradition, Church of the Resurrection centers worship on Christ and grounds its life in Scripture, prayer and service. The Apostle's Creed recited in its morning and close-of-day devotions affirms God the Father almighty, Jesus Christ as God's only Son and Lord, the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
The parish pairs that inheritance with intellectual openness. It encourages people to ask questions, seek understanding and engage in thoughtful discussion while supporting one another through prayer, worship, group study and service projects. Its bilingual worship, children's and adult education, contemplative spaces, direct assistance to families and broad network of mission partners define the life of Church of the Resurrection in Windcrest: “You Belong Here! You Matter Here!”