About Church of the Nativity · Bartlett, Tennessee
The Catholic Church of the Nativity is a multicultural Roman Catholic parish in Bartlett, Tennessee, a northern suburb of Memphis within the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. Founded on June 1, 1979 under the patronage of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Nativity has grown from 74 founding families to roughly 642 families and 1,827 members. The parish is known as a warm, friendly, and active faith community that celebrates the Mass in both English and Spanish, also hosting a monthly Filipino (Tagalog) Mass, and offers a wide range of ministries from religious education and youth ministry to the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission, and Hispanic liturgical and cultural groups.
- Established
- 1979
- Patron
- The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
- Rector
- Rev. José Cruz Zapata-Torres
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Memphis
Why belong here
Nativity Bartlett is a multicultural, multilingual parish that takes its identity seriously as a 'church family' — celebrating Mass in English and Spanish, hosting a monthly Filipino (Tagalog) Mass, and offering a Hispanic Ministry and Hispanic Children's Dance Group alongside a long roster of lay ministries. It is also a parish with deep Memphis-area roots, now 40-plus years old, where members can grow through Parish Religious Education, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), youth CYO gatherings on Sunday evenings, and adult formation classes on topics from Church History to the Sacraments of Initiation. Practically, the parish maintains daily morning Mass Monday through Saturday, three Sunday Masses, a weekly Thursday holy hour with Adoration and Confession, and a strong outreach arm that supports the St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission and the Knights of Columbus Council — a combination that makes it easy both to worship frequently and to serve the wider Bartlett and Memphis community.
Mass times at Church of the Nativity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- First Friday 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Holy Days as announced in the bulletin
Our Story: 45+ Years of Faith in Bartlett
The Catholic Church of the Nativity was established on June 1, 1979 by the Most Reverend Carroll T. Dozier, the first Bishop of Memphis, under the patronage of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Reverend William F. Stelling was named the first pastor, and 74 families were listed in the initial 1980 parish directory. The parish was created from territory previously served by St. Ann Church, with boundaries running north of Yale Road between Austin Peay Highway and Highway 70, and extending north and east to the Shelby County lines. On June 2, 2019, the parish joyfully celebrated 40 years of faith and service, a milestone marked by a Mass with Bishop David Talley. Today, Nativity counts roughly 642 families and 1,827 members.
- Founded June 1, 1979 by Bishop Carroll T. Dozier
- First pastor: Rev. William F. Stelling
- 74 families in the 1980 directory; today ~642 families / ~1,827 members
- 40th anniversary celebrated June 2, 2019
Worship Space & Building History
Before Nativity had a building of its own, Mass was celebrated in parishioners' homes, a model home in a nearby subdivision, St. Elisabeth's Episcopal Church, Raleigh Presbyterian Church, and, famously, Skateland Roller Rink. Bishop Dozier approved the parish's building program on May 8, 1981 under the 'Shepherds' Response' Building Fund; ground was broken November 1, 1981, and the structure was first used on Christmas Eve 1982. Bishop J. Francis Stafford formally dedicated it on May 17, 1983 with the theme 'Nativity — a Celebration of a Dwelling with Christ.' Although it was designed as the first phase of a master plan, the building has served as chapel, worship space, classroom, meeting room, offices, and fellowship hall for over four decades. It features a fifty-foot bell tower of Arkansas fieldstone with a carillon system, Bethlehem Plaza for outdoor festivities, and a narthex that doubles as a community gathering space.
- Building program approved May 8, 1981
- Ground broken November 1, 1981
- First used Christmas Eve 1982; dedicated May 17, 1983 by Bishop Stafford
- 50-ft Arkansas-fieldstone bell tower with carillon
- Bethlehem Plaza outdoor gathering area
Parish Staff & Deacons
Day-to-day parish life is supported by a pastor, two deacons, a Director of Religious Education and assistant, a Director of Music, an Office Manager, and an accountant. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. José Cruz Zapata-Torres ([email protected])
- Deacon Rev. Mr. Chris Frame ([email protected])
- Deacon Rev. Mr. Chip Jones ([email protected])
- Director Religious Education: Jessica Robbins
- Assistant Director Religious Education: Zaphora Garcia
- Director of Music: Kyung-Won On (KW)
- Office Manager: Susan Hunt
- Accounting: Jim Moseley
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator (per diocesan listing)
Becoming Catholic & OCIA
Adults seeking to become Catholic join the parish's Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process, led by Deacon Chip Jones. The parish also offers Confirmation preparation and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program for children ages 3 to 12. Newcomers are invited to register and join the church family through the parish office.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Deacon Chip Jones
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–12)
- Confirmation 1 & 2
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Faith Formation for Children, Youth & Adults
Beyond the sacraments, Nativity offers an unusually full calendar of ongoing formation: Parish Religious Education (PRE) and Vacation Bible School for children, the Nativity Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) for teens, and a rotating slate of adult classes on the Sacraments of Initiation, Church History, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Symbolon video study series. The parish also subscribes to FORMED.org, giving every family free access to Catholic movies, audiobooks, video studies, and e-books under the parish code MV3JPX.
- Parish Religious Education (PRE) and Vacation Bible School
- Nativity CYO — meets Sundays 6–8 PM, mid-August through mid-May; Youth Director Stephen Peyton; Instagram @Nativity_Nuggets
- Adult classes with Fr. Robert Szczechura ('Sacraments of Initiation') and Fr. Keith Stewart ('Church History' / Acts of the Apostles)
- Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained video series
- FORMED.org access (parish code MV3JPX)
- Altar Server & MC Training (open to children in 3rd grade and up)
Liturgical & Music Ministry
Music and liturgy are led by Director of Music Kyung-Won On, supported by an Adult Choir, a Handbell Choir, and a Hispanic Choir. The parish is always recruiting liturgical volunteers — Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Altar Servers, Masters of Ceremony, Sacristans, Ushers, and members of the Hispanic Liturgical Ministry — and offers periodic training (including altar-server training for children in 3rd grade and up).
- Director of Music: Kyung-Won On ([email protected])
- Adult Choir and Handbell Choir
- Hispanic Choir under Fr. José Cruz Zapata-Torres
- Liturgical Ministry: EMHCs, Lectors, Altar Servers, Masters of Ceremony, Sacristans, Ushers, Hispanic Liturgical Ministry
Hispanic Ministry & Multicultural Life
Nativity is officially a multicultural parish, with a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish at 2:00 PM, a Hispanic Ministry Coordinator on staff, a Hispanic Choir, a Hispanic Liturgical Ministry, and a Hispanic Children's Dance Group. A monthly Filipino (Tagalog) Mass is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM, making the parish home to several language communities under one roof.
- Sunday 2:00 PM Mass in Spanish
- Hispanic Ministry Coordinator
- Hispanic Choir and Hispanic Liturgical Ministry
- Hispanic Children's Dance Group (Letti Loa)
- First-Sunday Filipino (Tagalog) Mass at 12:30 PM
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul & Knights of Columbus
Service to the wider Memphis community is a core part of Nativity's identity. The parish supports the St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission on Monroe Street, which serves 150–250 of God's people 365 days a year, and hosts a Knights of Columbus Council whose members run winter-clothing drives and other works benefiting the St. Vincent de Paul Ozman Center, St. Mary's Soup Kitchen, and Catholic Charities of Memphis. A Hospitality Ministry and Parish Outreach Ministry led by Susan Hanna coordinate the parish's broader local service.
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Mission — Advent Giving Campaign (serves 150–250 people daily)
- Knights of Columbus Council (Church of the Nativity) — winter clothing drives, parish service
- Hospitality Ministry and Parish Outreach Ministry (contact: Susan Hanna, 901-337-5745)
- Food Mission (parish food collection) — contact the parish office
- Ministry to the Sick and Homebound (Lisa Laurent)
Visit, Contact & Connect
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, at 5955 St. Elmo Road, Bartlett, TN 38135-1516. The main phone line is (901) 382-2504, and an after-hours emergency line is available at (901) 441-5807. Worshippers and newcomers are invited to follow the parish on Facebook at facebook.com/nativitybartlett and the youth ministry on Instagram at @nativity_nuggets.
- Address: 5955 St. Elmo Rd, Bartlett, TN 38135-1516
- Phone: (901) 382-2504
- After-hours emergency: (901) 441-5807
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Facebook: facebook.com/nativitybartlett
- Instagram (youth): @nativity_nuggets
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend William F. Stelling1979–
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop Carroll T. Dozier when the parish was established on June 1, 1979.
- Reverend C. Frederick Sauer
Subsequent pastor.
- Reverend Robert D. Ponticello
Subsequent pastor.
- Reverend Michael Morgera
Subsequent pastor.
- Reverend William Burke
Subsequent pastor.
- Reverend Keith Stewart
Subsequent pastor; has taught adult faith formation classes at the parish (e.g., Church History).
- Reverend Robert Szczechura
Subsequent pastor; taught adult classes on the 'Sacraments of Initiation' and helped promote the parish's FORMED.org subscription.
- Reverend Jacek Kowal
Subsequent pastor.
- Reverend José Cruz Zapata-Torres
Current pastor.