St. Gabriel's Catholic Church plans community dinner, midnight Mass to usher in the year 2000

Pope John Paul II has declared the new year as Jubilee Year 2000 and the Catholic Church of St. Gabriel has a celebration of its own planned to bring in the millennium.

“The term `jubilee' speaks of joy,” the pope said, “Not just an inner joy but a jubilation which is manifested outwardly. It is thus appropriate that every sign of joy at this coming should have its own outward expression.”

St. Gabriel's will bring in the new year with a pot luck dinner and fellowship on Dec. 31, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“The entire community is invited to share in this evening, especially those without family in the area or those who have been away from the Catholic church for a period of time,” said spokesman Jim Winkler. “Our parish is a very warm and friendly group that would make anyone feel at home.”

The dinner will be followed by coffee and dessert hour, featuring guitars and songs of praise. “This should be a very uplifting and enlightening warm-up for the evening's' Mass,” Winkler said.

The dinner, followed by coffee and dessert, will be held in the church's multipurpose building .

Mass will be at 10 p.m. with Fr. Hepburn as Celebrant and homilist. The Mass will be followed by Eucharistic Adoration until midnight. On New Year's Day, Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. On Sunday, Jan. 2, a regular Sunday schedule will resume, with Mass celebrated at 8 and 10:30 a.m. and again at 5 p.m.

St. Gabriel's is located on Antioch Road south of Fayetteville. To reach the parish, take Ga. Hwy. 85 South to Ga. Hwy. 92. Go about 2.5 miles and turn right on Antioch. The building is on the left.

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