Good Shepherd, Cumming

Established:	August 1, 1977
Address:	3740 Holtzclaw Road Cumming, Georgia 30041
Phone:	770-887-9861
Fax:	678-679-4708
Web site:	www.goodshepherdcumming.com
City:	Cumming
County:	Forsyth
Deanery:	North Metro

Parish History

On January 23, 1975, Father Thomas Kenny celebrated the first mass in the Catholic Mission of Cumming. The mission church of Saint Michael in Gainesville was established in a house converted into worship space by parishioners and dedicated by Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan on December 7, 1975. Father Alan Dillman was the first pastor from 1975 to 1981 and during his tenure instituted a parish council and a Religious Education Program. By official decree of Archbishop Donnellan, the Church of the Good Shepherd became a parish on August 1, 1977.

Father Walter Donovan was appointed the second pastor and served Good Shepherd parish from 1981 to 1988. Building on all the earlier efforts, Father Donovan, with the advice and assistance of his lay leadership, initiated the movement to locate to a larger space. He initiated the building project and it was completed by his successor, Father John Ozarowski (1988-1992). Having sold the original parish property on Old Atlanta Highway on December 29, 1989, the parish community leased a storefront at Tri-County Shopping Plaza during construction. On October 20, 1991, Archbishop James P. Lyke dedicated the new church at Holtzclaw Road designed by Robin J. Millard, AIA.

Father Richard Morrow became the fourth pastor in 1992 and served the parish community until 1996. Under Father Morrow a parish Administrative Secretary, DRE, and Youth Minister were hired; the Good Shepherd Preschool was founded; a Sunday Mass in Spanish was added; and two trailers were moved onto the property to provide much needed classrooms and meeting space.

Father Peter Rau then became the next pastor to Good Shepherd and under his stewardship the parish continued a commitment to God’s people by expanding Mass times, ministries, and staff to meet the needs of a growing and vibrant community. In 1999 pastoral approval was granted to purchase land and construct of a new rectory. The original rectory was converted into Pastoral offices and the Parish Life Center was completed in 2005. Father Frank Richardson joined the Good Shepherd parish family in January of 2009.

Edited by Bridget T. Lerette, Archivist
October 14, 2010