Groundbreaking ceremony held for All Saints Catholic Church’s $9.5M expansion project in Pender Co.

PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - All Saints Catholic Church in Hampstead held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, June 30, for the church’s $9.5 million expansion project

“The parish plans to erect a 750-seat church and additional rooms for the largely expanding faith community in Eastern Pender County,” the release from the church states. “Bishop Zarama will officiate at a Groundbreaking ceremony on June 30, 2023. Site clearing started in May 2023. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2024.”

In addition to accommodating the growing community around them, the church hopes to use the new space for community outreach and “vibrant youth and adult ministries.”

According to the announcement, the new church will have:

• Pews with kneelers
• Nearly double the seating capacity
• Reconciliation rooms
• A Larger sacristy
• An adoration chapel
• Administrative space for faith formation, discipleship programs and community service

“Catholic presence and service to the Eastern Pender community began in 1953 when St. Mary Gate of Heaven was established in Surf City. However, in the 1990s in response to the growing faith community needs, St. Jude the Apostle Parish was established on the current site at 18737 US Hwy 17 N, Hampstead, with a multipurpose worship space and a few offices. The name was later changed to All Saints. The original founders, some of who will be honored guests at the groundbreaking, 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, and the Surf City campus continues to serve as a summer ministry,” the church adds.

For more information, please visit the All Saints Catholic Church website. A rendering of the project can be viewed below: