About Us

HISTORY OF SAINT RICHARD’S

Established on July 4th, 1976 by the Rev. Malcolm Riker, Saint Richard’s began as a mission to the then small town of Round Rock, TX. Initially just a small gathering of families, Saint Richard’s grew and was officially granted mission status in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas in 1977. With its new status came the first building—a picturesque stone structure tucked behind the woods and across a bridge over Brushy Creek near downtown Round Rock. 

As Saint Richard’s continued to grow, Fr. Riker’s work was done and he resigned to continue his work planting Episcopal churches in North Austin. The Rev. Sid Gervais became the first rector of Saint Richard’s.

After ten years of ministry, Saint Richard’s applied for and was granted parish status in 1986. After another ten years, the growth of the church matched the growth of the surrounding community, creating the need for a new, larger building. The church you see now was completed in 1997 with additional office space, classrooms, gardens, and eventually a new Parish Hall to come later.

In a parish history book from 1996, with the bulk of building work still to be done, the author remarked, “Saint Richard’s people work to make this an inclusive place, not an exclusive place.” That hope for the future is still the hope we retain now—that Saint Richard’s will always be a welcoming home in the Round Rock community.

 

OUR CORE VALUES

Everything we do at Saint Richard’s Episcopal Church is guided by the prayer of St. Richard: to KNOW Jesus more clearly, LOVE Him more dearly, and FOLLOW Him more nearly day by day. So what does that look like?

KNOW: We seek out opportunities to strengthen our relationship with one other and with Christ with all our heart, soul, and mind. We do this through worship, prayer, study, and fellowship.

LOVE: We believe that loving God means loving our neighbors as ourselves. Saint Richard’s seeks to be a place where people can bring the burdens and challenges of life, find rest and hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and be equipped to go out and serve others. 

FOLLOW: Following Christ means being a disciple. Disciples are followers with a purpose—to learn about Jesus, to live by his example, and to go out into the world and create more disciples. Saint Richard’s seeks to be a place that develops leaders in the church and leaders in the community shaped by the ministry of Jesus Christ.

NEW HERE?

First of all, welcome!

Whether you’re joining us online or at one of our in-person services, we’re excited for you to join the Saint Richard’s community. 

Click HERE to learn more about Newcomer offerings and how to make Saint Richard’s your church home.