The Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church is located in Austin on a hilltop above Lake Austin’s iconic Pennybacker Bridge. The Sanctuary Addition project was for an expansion of the existing Sanctuary and Administration Building. This was in response to the congregation's desire to accommodate its growth with a more refined worship space with an increase of its existing seating capacity. The expansion included an enlarged seating area, a stepped raised stage with pulpit and choir platform, and sloped ceilings ranging in heights from 12 feet to more than 37 feet. The ceiling height above the new stage is lowered to serve as a counterpoint to the high ceiling as well as to partially match the existing retained area’s lower ceiling at the opposite end of the sanctuary. The new exterior details and finishes were modestly limited in order to match those of the other existing buildings. The church’s other prior phases, also designed under Shefelman and Nix Architects, included an original Master Plan design for the site and later a stand-alone two-story Education Building. The Fellowship Hall addition project, designed under Nix Group Architects, was the most recent phase of the church’s expansion. The addition featured a new large gathering space, kitchen and serving area. It also served to connect the two existing buildings, the Sanctuary Building and the Education Building with an interior means of access.