All Saints Catholic Church raises $3.1 million to build a new church in Hampstead.
Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama of the Diocese of Raleigh celebrated with parishioners from All Saints Catholic Church in Hampstead on May 5. The blessing came as All Saints Catholic Church announced that they have secured $3.1 million dollars in gifts and pledges from their vibrant faith-filled community. The money will be used to help fund a $7.5 million expansion project. The parish plans to erect a 750-seat church and program support areas for the largely expanding faith community in eastern Pender County. Construction will begin in early 2023.
The facility expansion will allow the growing parish to accommodate the influx of new residents in the area. It will also enable All Saints Parish, which is a diverse community of families, young adults and retirees, to focus on growing in their faith and putting their faith into action through vibrant youth and adult ministries that focus on loving and serving God and others.
Monsignor Joseph Ntuwa, pastor of All Saints, stated: “All Saints is excited to be building a place to love God, love others and to make disciples. Also, it will continue to be a center where people can know, love and live their faith in service to God and our community.”
Catholic presence and service to the eastern Pender County community began in 1953 when St. Mary Gate of Heaven, a tiny mission church, was established in Surf City. The Surf City location continues to serve as a summer ministry. However, in the 1990s, St. Jude the Apostle Parish was established on the current site at 18737 U.S. Highway 17 N. in Hampstead, with a multipurpose worship space and a few offices. The name was later changed to All Saints. The original founders, some whom were honored guests at the Blessing of the Grounds, had a long-term vision of building a permanent church building to serve a larger community. This phase of the development is a continuation of their original plan.
All Saints Catholic Church is a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people. The parish mission is to live a life worthy of the calling we have received (Ephesians 4:1) as faithful stewards in the community.
Learn more:
visit allsaintsccnc.org/growth.