BY GRETCHEN KEISER

Staff Writer

PEACHTREE CITY--Holy Trinity Parish choirs filled their new sanctuary with songs of praise and celebration Dec. 7 as the enlarged church was formally rededicated.

The parish of 2,000 families began a year ago to recreate their worship space from the ground up, so that the church built originally for 400 people now holds 650 to 700. Stained glass windows in hues of red and blue, a Spanish crucifix and a new altar and ambo carved and built by a member of the parish highlight the church.

Other improvements in the building include a new choir rehearsal room, additional religious education classrooms and offices, new staff offices, a nursery and bride's room, a reception area, restrooms accessible to the handicapped and improved parking and lighting outside. A new pipe organ is scheduled to arrive shortly.

For the rededication Mass, celebrated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue, hymns were sung by a children's choir, middle school choir, teens, and Spanish and English adult choirs directed by Claire Stroud. The celebration also included the formal installation of Father John Walsh as pastor, which the congregation applauded warmly.

The liturgy of rededication began with the archbishop blessing water as a symbol of baptism and repentance. He then sprinkled the new church and the congregation with holy water as the choir sang in Spanish. Other elements used in the Mass were incense, the lighting of candles and house lights, and holy oil, which the archbishop poured over the bare wood of the new altar before the Eucharist was celebrated, and with which the walls of the church were anointed.

In his homily Archbishop Donoghue spoke of the "holy zeal" Jesus showed in the Gospel as he cleared the temple of money-changers who were taking advantage of pilgrims.

"It seems to me that to describe our Lord's actions as being zealous, as being filled with enthusiasm for God's law, for justice and charity at the same time, is a better way of looking at this incident, than to describe his actions as being simply angry," the archbishop said. "For it was the same kind of zeal, a few days later, that would enable Him to face the terrible cruelties of betrayal, of crucifixion, and of seeming abandonment by His closest friends and disciples."

He compared the zealousness of Christ with the witness given on the occasion of Holy Trinity's rededication. He cited the witness given by the priestly life of Father Walsh and by the new church which parishioners have established as a beautiful place to experience the mysteries of the Catholic faith.

"This is the zeal of God as it pervades and excites the enthusiasm of all men and women in a parish--as it has done here in Peachtree City," the archbishop said. "It has resulted in this renovated Church, a fitting holy place for a renovated people, renovated by the Body and Blood of Christ, and the fire of His Spirit's ever-present love."

As the archbishop anointed the altar, he was assisted by parishioners Annie Zink, a charter member of the parish, Greg Grover, who built the altar, Jim McCord and Richard Smith. Father Edward O'Connor and Father James Sexstone, former Holy Trinity pastors, and Father Guyma Noel, parochial vicar at the parish, anointed the walls of the church. Deacons Don Kelsey and Tony Cuomo also assisted throughout the liturgy.

Archbishop Donoghue then filled a gleaming bowl with incense and prayed, "As this church is filled with fragrance, so may the world be filled with the fragrance of Christ." The choir responded, "Lord, may our prayers rise like incense in your sight, may this place be filled with the fragrance of Christ."

The altar was then covered with a cloth, made by parishioner Judy Baker, and candles were lighted on the altar and Advent wreath for the celebration of the Eucharist.

The rededication of Holy Trinity Church took place 17 years to the day after the dedication of the original church, said Julie Rushin, a member of the parish for 16 years who planned the liturgy. A member of the pastoral council and choir, Rushin said a parishwide liturgy is also celebrated on the feast of the Holy Trinity each year as the active community absorbs about 50 new families a month.

A mission of 55 families in 1973, Holy Trinity reached 460 families by 1980 when the church was dedicated and has more than quadrupled in size since. It is located on Walt Banks Road.

Most recently the parish added a Spanish Mass celebrated by Father Noel, which is attracting between 100 and 200 people each Sunday. Because of this new dimension of the parish, the rededication Mass was bilingual, Rushin said.

Annie Zink, an octogenarian, moved to Peachtree City in 1967 and says the small community first boomed when Delta Airlines made Atlanta its base in the early 1970s. Many parishioners are affiliated with the airlines.

The new oak altar and ambo were built and crafted by Greg Grover, a Delta pilot whose woodworking avocation has developed since he was taught as a child by his father. Grover, married and the father of three, joined the Catholic Church three years ago at Holy Trinity. He estimates he spent 260 hours working on the project since January. The Gothic altar design was inspired by an 18th century Italian altar.

The building project of $2.1 million was initiated when Father Michael McWhorter was pastor of Holy Trinity and the parish pledged $1.28 million towards the church, according to John Graham, a member of the pastoral council and steering committee. Additional funds have come from parish savings and a loan, but Graham said Holy Trinity also hopes to exceed its goal in the archdiocesan capital campaign and receive a percentage for the parish as a result. Bill Chedwiggen of CHD Partners was the architect for the project and JTV General Contractors were the builders.

"We were limited in terms of worship space, but also in terms of educational space," Graham said. The new facility will permit the parish to have two religious education sessions on Sunday, rather than one and allow religious educators more office, meeting and resource space. Even with the increase in the sanctuary seating, the parish has added another Sunday Mass, Graham said.

Father Walsh, who was presented with a Book of the Gospels by the parish, said the community is blessed with many dedicated and talented lay members who contribute considerable time and expertise to the work of Holy Trinity.