By Father James Maciejewski

A new parish newspaper came rolling off the presses for the first time this week in Hapeville at St. John the Evangelist parish.

As yet unnamed, the six-page newspaper announced a contest to select a name for itself. Top prized for the winning entry will be “a free trip to beautiful downtown Hapeville. The trip is an unescorted walking tour and can be taken at the winner’s convenience.”

Included in volume, 1, number 1 of the paper are listings of new parishioners, births, deaths, illnesses and weddings. There is also a comprehensive schedule of parish activities and a feature story on the first member of the parish scout troop to attain the rank of eagle scout.

The parish adult education program, which draws 110 people every week, is described in detail. The three priests of the parish and Sister Catherine Donegan do the teaching.

The first edition acquaints St. John’s parishioners with the central organization of the parish: the parish council, the finance board and the school board.

The paper even contains an editorial. It states:

“On November 7 we have the opportunity of indicating our community responsibility in this national election year.

“We don’t care if you are a Nixon-Agnew backer or a supporter of McGovern-Shriver. You can take your pick between Nunn and Thompson, Cook and Young and we could care less. But we do care that you take time to vote. If you don’t vote, then forget about griping when the winner does something you don’t like.

“Remember that on the Nov. 7 ballot is a proposed constitutional amendment which would affect the Church here. Amendment 10 would exempt from ad valorem taxation certain property of nonprofit hospitals. In the Archdiocese of Atlanta there are three such hospitals.

“Vote yes on Amendment 10.”

Richard Beckman heads a staff of 28 parishioners who will be putting out the monthly newspaper.

Father Richard Morrow is the pastor of the southside parish, located just a jet-roar away from Atlanta airport.

Father Morrow, who came to St. John’s in June, was previously pastor of St. Thomas parish in Smyrna, where he likewise developed a parish newspaper, now called COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS.