The History of ECR

During the period of rapid economic and family growth that characterized the post-war era of the early 1950's, a group of Episcopalians recognized the need for a new church to serve the North Austin community. They met with Bishop John F. Hines, and on January 5, 1953, the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection was established as a mission. Gordon Swope was assigned to the newly formed mission as Seminarian-in-Charge, and on January 18 the first Sunday service was held in a vacant store in what was the Northwest Shopping Center at 5911 Burnet Road. Twenty-eight people attended that first service. On February 1, the new mission was formally accepted into the Diocese of Texas, and three days later the name was selected by the members.

Services were held in the vacant store for the next several months, until a one-room prefabricated building was purchased for the mission. Services were held in the new building until that Fall, when four acres of land were purchased at the corner of Justin Lane and the old Burnet Road, the site of the present church. The building was moved to the new site, and this served as the church until the present Parish Hall was constructed in 1955. The prefabricated building was then moved to the east side of the property where it was converted into a house for the church Sexton. It continues to fulfill that role today, and is appropriately named Swope Hall.

Additional construction followed: Oxley Hall in 1960, Billingsley Hall in 1963, Langford Hall in 1973, and the new church itself, built in 1977. The Youth Group building was completed in 1980, followed by the preschool/day care center and the Thrift Shop.