HOUSTON – (COMMERCIAL THREAD) – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Church and School, a traditional episcopal church in the Diocese of Texas that supports the Christian and Classical Preparatory School, today announced that after four years of construction, the newly renovated campus will be fully open to learning and worship this school year. The grand reopening was celebrated on October 30 at the annual fall fair of the Episcopal Church and Saint Thomas School. During the event, the community officially opened its new 85,000 square foot university building, Shaw Hall and the new Scottish Arts Center named after Donna and Mike Cusack ’79.

“In 2017, the Church and Episcopal School of Saint Thomas experienced almost complete devastation during Hurricane Harvey, with 70% of the church and school being flooded. Amid their own personal tragedies from the storm, the church and school administration worked quickly to bring students and church members back to campus through the use of existing and temporary buildings ” said Saint Thomas Episcopal School principal Mike Cusack. “Since that time, we’ve had construction in one form or another on campus. We are delighted to have finished so that students, teachers, staff, families and the church community can once again enjoy this beautiful campus.

The campus of the Episcopal Church and Saint Thomas School, which will soon be fully open, includes:

• Renovated church sanctuary with solid wood chairs, new floors, and joinery

• New three-story school building with arched entrance, large hall, manufacturing space, classrooms with smart technology, art classes, college common area, high school common area, outdoor patio and a semi-underground car park

• New outdoor pavilion for religious and school events and sports

• New sports ground with basketball, tennis, volleyball and other games

• New playground for junior and junior kindergarten students

“We were tested through the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and then the COVID-19 pandemic, but our Christian faith strengthened and fortified the core values ​​of our church and school: honor, Christian faith, love. , discipline, excellence and respect. Said Reverend David O. Browder, president of the Episcopal School Board of Saint Thomas and Rector of the Episcopal Church of Saint Thomas. “We are grateful to God and the community for helping us through this time. The whole community of Saint Thomas celebrates the near completion of the construction and the new opportunities for faith and teaching that are available to us.

The construction cost a total of $ 29,000,000 and was funded by donors and FEMA. On October 28, 2021, Saint Thomas Church and Episcopal School honored donors at a Black Tie Gala. Donors included Judith and Roy Shaw who were honored with their $ 1,000,000 donation to the Fulfilling the Promise fundraising campaign.

ABOUT THE CHURCH AND EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF SAINT THOMAS

Saint Thomas Episcopal Church began in May 1953 when 22 families gathered in an abandoned television studio on Post Oak Road in what was then the most southwestern corner of Houston. A spirit of providing for oneself and those of others has fueled the growth of the church and its primary mission: the Episcopal School of Saint Thomas. The church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and is known for its traditional music and worship program, which includes a large pipe organ and choir. For more information on visiting the Episcopal Church of Saint Thomas https://stthomashouston.org/ and follow @ St. ThomasEpiscopalChurchHouston on Facebook and @Stecmeyerland on Twitter.

Founded in 1955, Saint Thomas Episcopal School is a private preparatory school from preschool to grade 12, based on Christian values. We believe in educating our students through classical education. outstanding academics, fine arts and sports – all grounded in a Christ-centered worldview. The Scottish Arts program has been central to the school’s identity since the late 1950s. For more information on Saint Thomas Episcopal School, visit https://www.stes.org/ and follow @StThomasEpiscopalSchool on Facebook, @steschool on Instagram, @STE_Houston on Twitter.

The Church and the Episcopal School of Saint Thomas are centered on the fundamental values ​​of honor, Christian faith, love, discipline, excellence and respect.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Images of the renovated Church and Episcopal School of Saint Thomas are available on request. Additionally, in-person campus tours can be scheduled through Carrie Ward, [email protected], 832-407-5347.