A mission center of their very own was the scene of rejoicing for thirty Lawrenceville families who recently celebrated the third anniversary of the mission’s founding at Mass with Father Eusebius Beltran.

The new center, located at 155 Chestnut Street, Lawrenceville, was formerly an appliance store.

“For over a month the members of the mission worked to renovate the store,” said Richard M. Johnson, a parishioner. “The men worked nightly to construct a sanctuary and three religious education classrooms, while the ladies met during the day to make drapes, altar clothes and to paint. The high school students gathered together on weekends to scrape and sand chairs for the sanctuary and classrooms,” he said.

Forty youngsters attend the School of Religion at the new center. The elementary grades meet on Sunday mornings after the 9:30 Mass and grades 7 through high school attend classes on Sunday evenings.

The mission was founded by Holy Cross Church, Chamblee in 1965 and was temporarily housed in the Tom Wages Funeral Home chapel.

According to Father Beltran, pastor of Holy Cross, Archbishop Thomas Donnellan will come to meet the people of Lawrenceville mission and offer Mass on Sunday, December 15.