b'OUR BROADER COMMUNITYTexas is one of the fastest growing states in the US, and Abilene participates in that trend. The city has a population of 125,182, according to the 2020 census, which reflects a 9% growth rate over the last ten years. Currently, the Abilene Metro Area population is 168,774. Abilene sits geographically in the middle of a large region of our state on the eastern edge of West Texas. You have to travel 150 miles from our city to find a larger metropolitan area, making Abilene a regional hub commercially and culturally. Abilenehasthreeprivateuniversities:Hardin-SimmonsUniversity(Baptist),Abilene Christian University (Church of Christ),and McMurry University (Methodist). The city also hosts branch campuses of a community college and a technical college, as well as a graduate health sciences campus of Texas Tech University. Within the Abilene city limits are two school districts: Abilene ISD, with 15,420 students, and Wylie ISD, with 5,000 students. ThelargestindustriesinAbilenearehealthcare,retail,education,hospitality,and government. Hendrick Medical Center, with two major hospitals in the city, employs about 3,500 people. The largest single employer is Dyess Air Force Base, which hosts the 7th Bomb Wing and has around 5,000 employees. Our city has a vibrant arts community, anchored by three downtown museums: the National Center for Childrens Illustrated Literature (NCCIL), the Grace Museum, and the Center for Contemporary Arts. Abilene is known as the Storybook Capital of America, because of the NCCIL, its annual festival, and 25 downtown sculptures celebrating characters from childrens literature. Each month the downtown arts centers host an Art Walk for the community. Some other major attractions in the city are the Abilene Zoo, Frontier Texas museum, and our professional orchestra the Abilene Philharmonic. Because of its low cost of living, Abilene is an attractive place to live for young adults, families, and retired persons. The city is currently experiencing a business boom as new industries are increasingly choosing Abilene as their home. Abilene is a caring community, having the second highest number of nonprofits per capita in Texas (after Midland). The city also has a large number of churches, with the majority of the population professing to be Christian. First Baptist Church has been at the heart of caring in Abilene since 1881, the year both the city and our church were founded. We are proud of our community and look forward to discovering new ways of serving its citizens and helping to shape its future.3434'