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Nick Bowman Features Editor | 770-718-3426 | life@gainesvilletimes.com
She (Times
gainesvilletimes.com
Saturday, October 27, 2018
II SAINT JOHN PAUL 11
BH ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSION
St.John Paul II Roman
Catholic Mission setting a
busy pace on Browns Bridge
BY NICK BOWMAN
nbowman@gainesvilletimes.com
A new, 20-acre home for a
Catholic mission on Browns
Bridge Road reflects Gaines
ville’s booming population
growth from Middle and South
America.
The St. John Paul II Roman
Catholic Mission at 2410 Smith
Road, just off of Browns Bridge
Road near its intersection with
McEver Road, held its first
Mass at its new space in Septem
ber after more than two years
of work finding and building
a home for what leaders and
members hope will eventually
become Gainesville’s newest
Catholic parish.
The mission was created in
2015 but has been in the works
since 2008 as Gainesville’s Latino
population has continued to
boom. It was established as a pas
toral center in 2010 and elevated
to mission status five years later.
Even now, families continue to
add to the ranks of the mission,
according to the Rev. William
Canales, the administrator of
the mission who leads it with the
Rev. Hernan Quevedo. Canales
said in an interview at the new
facility on Tuesday that the mis
sion’s membership has swelled
to more than 1,500 families —
almost all of them Latino.
And its new home will accom
modate that growth. The mission
has finished construction on just
the first phase of the project — a
large building that includes room
for offices, a sprawling sanctu
ary with room for more than
1,000 worshippers, and a small
chapel.
“People are happy,” Canales
said of the mission.
The second phase of the proj
ect begins next year and includes
construction of soccer fields and
other recreational space, and
the third phase includes the true,
permanent sanctuary for what
is likely — but not yet certain —
to become Gainesville’s newest
parish.
When the new sanctuary is
concluded in 2021, the current
(brand new) sanctuary will
be converted into community
space. The entire project is
expected to cost more than $6
million.
Gainesville’s mission is also
the first in Georgia to offer an
English mass; most missions
have catered to non-English
speaking populations, Canales
said.
“We welcome everyone,” he
said, noting that English services
are meant to accommodate not
just the entire community but
the second generation of Latino
immigrants, who tend to speak
more English than their parents.
And even though the new
space has only hosted regular
Mass beginning in September,
it already has a busy schedule:
Mass is held every day except
Tuesday, and there are four ser
vices on Sunday.
Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Top: The Rev. William Canales sits in a pew at Saint John Paul II Roman Catholic Mission on Tuesday, Oct. 23. Center: The altar sits in the sanctuary of the mission on Tuesday, Oct. 23.
Above: Saint John Paul II Roman Catholic Mission is building new spaces at its church including a soccer field.
FAITH EVENTS
Pumpkin Sale for Missions. Noon to 6
p.m. Sundays. 4-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays. Oct. 14-31.
The Highlands Church, 3678 Cleveland
Highway, Gainesville. Proceeds will benefit
missions both locally and globally. Petting
animals, inflatable sport games, prize
drawing and fall photo booth opportunity
on Oct. 20 and Oct. 27. 770-535-0843 or
missions@thehighlandschurch.net.
Benefit Singing for Mulberry Baptist Church
building fund. Featuring Divine 3 Ministries.
6 p.m. Oct. 27. New Hope Baptist Church,
211 Stapler Drive, Nicholson. 706-658-
6545.
Fall Festival. 2-5 p.m. Oct. 27. Mount
Zion Baptist Church, 4000 Thurmon Tanner
Road, Flowery Branch. mzbcinfo@yahoo.
com.
Fall Festival. 5-9 p.m. Oct. 27.
Oakwood Church of God, 4200 Main
St., Oakwood. 470-798-0723 ortrevor@
oakwoodchurchofgod.org.
Family Fest. Hay rides, barbecue plates,
bake sale, silent auction, face painting and
more. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 27. Maranatha
Christian Academy, 5135 McEver Road,
Oakwood.
Movie Night. 7 p.m. Oct. 27, Dec. 1,
Jan. 26, Feb. 23 and March 30. Chicopee
United Methodist Church, 3 First St.,
Gainesville. 770-634-6803 or pegflute@
yahoo.com.
Women with a Purpose. 9:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 27. Mount Zion Baptist Church, 4000
Thurmond Tanner Road, Flowery Branch.
770-967-3722 or mzbcinfo@yahoo.com.
77th Church Anniversary. 10 a.m. Oct.
28. Antioch Baptist Church, 1010 Mill St.,
Gainesville.
180th Church Anniversary. 8 a.m. and
10:45 a.m. Oct. 28. Guest speaker Bishop
Dr. Tecol Manuel at 8 a.m. service and The
Rev. Dr. Richard B. Haynes at 10:45 a.m.
service. First Baptist Church, 1810 Martin
Luther King Jr. Blvd., Gainesville.
Christy Nockels. 7 p.m. Oct. 28. First
Baptist Church Cumming, 1597 Sawnee
Drive, Cumming.
CrossView Harvest. Food and drinks,
hayrides, games and candy. 5-7 p.m.
Oct. 28. CrossView Church, 1219
Ga. 124, Hoschton. 678-425-9831 or
crossviewchurch@windstream.net.
Gary Chestnut. 11 a.m. Oct. 28. Antioch
Baptist Church, 4632 Auraria Road,
Dahlonega. 770-532-1570.
Singles Enrichment/Empowerment. 9-9:45
a.m. Oct. 28, Nov. 25, Dec. 23 and Jan.
27. Mount Zion Baptist Church, 4000
Thurmond Tanner Road, Flowery Branch.
mzbcinfo@yahoo.com.
Think RTreat. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28. Hopewell
United Methodist Church, 4723 Hopewell
Church Road, Gainesville. 706-400-2568
or raglcg@msn.com.
Think or Tteat. 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Air
Line Baptist Church, 3368 White Sulphur
Road, Gainesville. 770-534-5682 or
creed@airlinebaptist.org.
The Chuck Wagon Gang. 7-9:30 p.m. Nov.
2. Calvary Baptist Church, 1975 Ga. 82,
Statham. 770-725-5164 or mattdibler@aol.
com.
Sounds Of Jericho. 6 p.m. Nov. 3. First
Baptist Church, 3780 Old Oakwood Road,
Oakwood.
Holiday Bazaar. Holiday gifts, crafts,
food and fun. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 10.
Cornerstone of Faith, 3485 McEver Road,
Gainesville. cornerstoneoffaith@gmail.
com.
Book signing for the Rev. Cynthia
Whitehead Jackson. Books and other
products from her “Tiny Tots & Tikes”
product line will be available following the
10:45 a.m. service on Nov. 11. First Baptist
Church, 1810 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,
Gainesville.
Marriage Enrichment. 9-9:45 a.m. Nov.
11, Dec. 9 and Jan. 13. Mount Zion
Baptist Church, 4000 Thurmond Tanner
Road, Flowery Branch. 770-967-3722 or
mzbcinfo@yahoo.com.
Orpheus Men’s Ensemble. 5 p.m. Nov. 11.
Cumming First United Methodist Church,
770 Canton Highway, Cumming. efumega.
com/music-and-arts/concerts-and-
festivals/#.
Veterans Appreciation. 10 a.m. to noon.
Nov. 11. Mount Zion Baptist Church, 4000
Thurmon Tanner Road, Flowery Branch.
mzbcinfo@yahoo.com.
Christmas Lessons and Carols. 8:45 a.m.
Dec. 16. Cumming First United Methodist
Church, 770 Canton Highway, Cumming.
The LeFevre Quartet. 6 p.m. Dec. 16.
Lighthouse Baptist Church, 329 Harmony
Church Road, Dawsonville.
ONGOING
Celebrate Recovery. 6:15-9 p.m. every
Friday. Dinner, large group service and
small groups. Children’s ministry available
for children of all ages. CrossBridge
Community Church, 751 Ga. 53 E,
Dawsonville. $2-3. 770-883-2576 or
slreeves2@yahoo.com.
Free clothing store. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
every Tuesday. Infant, children and adult
clothing available for those in need.
Donations appreciated. Holy Trinity
Anglican Church, 7049 Spout Springs
Road, Flowery Branch. 678-336-6964.
Gentle Hearts Ministry Food Pantry.
Distribution of food. 5-6 p.m. every
Wednesday. St. Paul United Methodist
Church, 705 Summit St., Gainesville. 770-
536-4910.
Senior adult choir. 1 p.m. Wednesdays.
First Presbyterian Church, 800 S. Enota
Drive, Gainesville. Membership not
required. 770-532-0136.
