By Loretta Fulton

Wylie Methodist Church is about to undergo its second major transformation in the past four years.

The first one came on Sept. 27, 2022, when the congregation voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and join the Global Methodist Church, which launched May 1, 2022. The next change will affect the church’s appearance when ground is broken for an 8,200-square-foot sanctuary, plus a new gym and covered play area. Cost is expected to be about $8 million. Pastor Jeff Hatcher said the church hasn’t decided whether it will raise all of money or part of it before breaking ground. The church is raising its own funding, without assistance from any foundations or organizations. 

The church has raised more than $2 million in the past year and owns 10 acres of prime real estate just south of Mesa Springs Retirement Village on Buffalo Gap Road. The value of that land is estimated at $2 to $3 million, Hatcher said, and will be sold at the appropriate time. 

Architect’s renderings of Wylie Methodist Church’s future sanctuary

The reason for the additional space is the growth the church has seen in the past few years.

“When I became pastor in 2002, we averaged around 100 per Sunday,”Hatcher said. “We now average over 350, plus another 100 livestream viewers.”

The church, located at 3430 Antilley Road, was built as the offices of LaJet Inc, an oil company, in the 1970s when Fairway Oaks was being developed. It was purchased in 1992 by Wylie Methodist Church and has the appearance of a modern office building. But that will change once construction begins on the expansion.

The building sets back from Antilley Road with parking lots in front and on the west side. When construction begins, the new sanctuary will extend toward the street. The only disruption will be to the west parking lot and outside play area, Hatcher said. The primary need is for small group meeting spaces. 

Architect’s renderings of front view, new gym, and Jeff Hatcher, pastor

“We have no room to grow in that area,” Hatcher said. “Our existing sanctuary will also be converted to small group meeting rooms.” 

Once a groundbreaking date has been set, construction should take one and a half to two years. Architect is Hardy Brown, with Brown, Brown, & Associates in Fort Worth. Contractor is Collier Construction in Abilene. 

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene