Well traveled, Heying finds new home at Abbeville church

In August of this year, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Abbeville received a new rector: the Reverend R Christopher Heying. Rev. Heying – last name rhymes with flying – has a long history of pastoral care. He has served in Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, and even New York City where he was curate at a church near the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Born in New Mexico but reared in North Texas, Rev. Chris knew early on that he wanted to be a priest. “I am told by my mother that, when the first man landed on the moon, I said I wanted to be the first priest on the moon. I was about five. I was seriously thinking of nothing else (career wise) since the age of 15. I liked church, I liked to worship. I liked the history, and church was a place where I was liked. I had a lot of friends at church, and I felt comfortable there.”
Reverend R Christopher Heying attended high school near the Dallas-Fort Worth area, after which he completed a Bachelor’s in English Literature Arts at the University of North Texas. Although his career goals were firmly in place, Rev. Heying took the long route to ordination. He spent several years working for social services as a case worker, and in boarding schools as a teacher and counselor. It was during that time that the young R Christopher met his wife, Opelousas native Cindy Perkins.
In 1998, Heying earned his Master of Divinity at Nashotah House Theological Seminary near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was ordained both as deacon and priest into the Episcopal faith. The Episcopal Church was organized when it separated from the Church of England after the American Revolution. It is very similar to the Catholic Church, including having a mass and communion, with a few notable differences. Namely, the Episcopal Church does not have a pope. The religion follows the same creeds, sacraments and scriptures as the Catholic Church, but there are no required beliefs in doctrines that are not proven by the Bible, such as the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption of Mary, and Purgatory. The clergy are allowed to marry, and even women are ordained as bishops, priests, and deacons. The Episcopal Church is very open and accommodating of the views and lifestyles of others, and even ordained the first ever openly gay bishop in 2003.
In Rev. Heying’s own words, he remarks, “It is hard to describe adequately The Episcopal Church. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham is definitely onto something when he says, ‘It is the roomiest church in Christendom.’ My take on it is that it is a gracious and welcoming expression of the catholic faith that fearlessly embraces real questions about life with real faith in the One who is the source of all life. Eucharistic worship is at the heart of who we are, and our life and ministry flow from a diverse group that gathers around one altar to worship one Lord, one God and Father of all.”
Since being ordained, Rev. Chris has served in various churches in Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, and New York. Reverend Heying served as curate at New York’s Church of the Transfiguration, which was located a little more than 20 miles away from the World Trade Center. “My daughter, Mary Grace, saw her first movie at the top of the World Trade Center on August 15th, 2001, just three weeks before it fell.”
In August of 2015, Rev. R Christopher Heying assumed the role as rector and priest of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church located at 101 E Vermilion Street in beautiful downtown Abbeville. The congregation has about twenty-five parishioners, and there are three masses per week: 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 and 10 a.m. on Sunday.
“God opened the door (for this appointment). I’m delighted to be here at Saint Paul’s, in the Diocese of Western Louisiana. It’s a small church with a lot of room for growth. I think it has a warm spirit, and lots of grace.”
In the short span since Rev. Heying’s arrival, he has taken great measures to integrate with the local community. He became a member of Kiwanis, which is a global organization of volunteers, and also joined the Ministry of Alliance which is a blending of local clergy from various religions. Rev. Chris explains his intentions, “Saint Paul’s has a history of being committed to doing things within the community, as outreach. So we will build and strengthen the relationship with the community by becoming a part of what God is already doing in the community.”
Every year, Saint Paul’s takes part in Stuff the Bus, in partnership with United Way. This fall, Saint Paul’s Church collected 250 backpacks filled with school supplies for children in need. This month Saint Paul’s delivered 25 Thanksgiving baskets to Faith House, a domestic violence shelter.
“I am delighted to be here. I look forward to getting to know this community and figuring out what God is doing here, and how we can be a part of that,” Rev. Heying comments, “So far, it has been a very pleasant time here. People have been very warm and friendly. I really like it.”
The Reverend R Christopher Heying is married to Cindy, who is a special education teacher at J.H. Williams. The Heyings have three children: Mary Grace is 16 and attends Abbeville High School, John Luke is 13 and attends J.H. Williams, and Patrick is seven and attends Eaton Park Elementary. For more information regarding Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, visit their newly revamped website at http://www.stpaulsabbeville.com/.