About Church of the Nativity · Spring Hill, Tennessee
Catholic Church of the Nativity is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Nashville serving the Spring Hill and Thompson's Station communities of Middle Tennessee. Founded in 2008 and now numbering around 1,450 families, the parish worships in a permanent church building erected on Buckner Lane and celebrated its first Mass in the new edifice on Palm Sunday 2016 with Bishop David Choby as principal celebrant. Nativity offers Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, runs a faith formation program and an Early Learning Center, and is known for its active Latino ministry, Bible studies, and Eucharistic adoration.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- The Nativity of the Lord (the Birth of Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Fr. Jerry Strange
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
Nativity is a thriving, mid-sized Catholic parish in one of Tennessee's fastest-growing counties, with a particular strength in welcoming newcomers — the parish website explicitly greets visitors and encourages them to attend any Mass and introduce themselves. It offers unusually broad liturgical access for a parish of its size, including weekly Mass in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, plus regular Eucharistic adoration, multiple weekly confession times, and Bible studies. Add to that a faith formation program for children, an active youth ministry, an Early Learning Center, a Latino ministry, a Knights of Columbus–linked Men's Club, and parish outreach, and Nativity offers the kind of full parish life that lets a family plug in at any age or stage.
Mass times at Church of the Nativity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:25 PM – 7:00 PM (English)
- Wednesday 6:45 PM – 7:15 PM (Spanish, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays)
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM (Spanish)
- Sunday 6:30 PM before the Vietnamese Mass (2nd and 4th Sundays)
- Anytime by request — call Fr. Jerry at 615-794-4004 ext. 4
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- First Fridays 9:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Our Story
Catholic Church of the Nativity was established in 2008 as a new parish to serve the booming Catholic population of Spring Hill, Tennessee. Founding pastor Fr. John Kirk, sent from St. Philip in Franklin, celebrated the very first Mass in a strip-mall storefront on Christmas Eve 2008. The parish outgrew that space within a few years, so the community launched the "Promised Land" capital campaign, purchased 20 acres on Buckner Lane in September 2012, broke ground in 2014, and dedicated the new permanent building in 2016 with Bishop David Choby as principal celebrant on Palm Sunday of Holy Week. After Fr. Kirk's 10-year tenure, Fr. Jerry Strange was named the second pastor, and the parish has continued to expand programs, add 2.5 acres of adjoining land with a rectory, found the Nativity Early Learning Center, and grow to roughly 1,450 families.
- Founded 2008; first Mass Christmas Eve 2008
- Founding pastor: Fr. John Kirk (2008 – c. 2018)
- Current pastor: Fr. Jerry Strange
- 20 acres purchased September 2012 ("Promised Land" campaign)
- Ground broken 2014; new building first used Palm Sunday 2016
- Diocese: Nashville
- Reported ~1,450 registered families
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by pastor Fr. Jerry Strange, supported by two associate pastors (Fr. Cyriac Kurian and Fr. Julio Padilla) and two permanent deacons (Deacon Albert Domm and Deacon Tim Conley). The Pastoral Leadership Team — composed of parishioners — partners with the pastor to shepherd the community, while a separate Finance Committee handles temporal matters. Fr. Jerry also runs a four-week summer OCIA-style formation series on Tuesday evenings in July for anyone interested in joining the Church, completing Confirmation, or simply learning.
- Pastor: Fr. Jerry Strange
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Cyriac Kurian
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Julio Padilla
- Deacon Albert Domm
- Deacon Tim Conley
- Pastoral Leadership Team (members include Nancy Boyd, Brian Masterson, Carrie Pfieffer, Jheri Schutt, John Swanson, Rosy Gutierrez, Catalina Venegas, and others)
- Finance Committee chaired by Fr. Jerry Strange
- Summer OCIA / inquiry series — Tuesdays in July, 1 hour each session
Parish Staff
Beyond clergy, the parish is staffed by a small professional team coordinating the various areas of parish life — liturgy, religious education, communications, finances, facilities, and Latino ministry. The office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
- Office Administrator (Shannon Howard)
- Director of Religious Education: Gina Taddeo
- Liturgical Coordinator: Nancy Martinez
- Director, Nativity Early Learning Center: Jessica Flores
- Financial Development Officer: Steve Wilgenbusch
- Communications / Calendar Coordinator: Alaina Switzer
- Youth Ministry Leader: Brenda Mendez
- Latino Ministry: Maria Perez and Cecelia Sanchez
- Ministry Coordinator: Ellen Mangold
- Facility Maintenance: Herbie Densmore
Ministries & Groups
Nativity actively recruits parishioners into ministry and groups, describing participation as a way to deepen both community ties and personal faith. The parish organizes a Men's Club (which runs the popular annual raffle), a robust Religious Education program for children, an active Youth Ministry, and an Outreach / Hispanic ministry led by dedicated staff. The parish also runs Vacation Bible School each summer and a multi-week Bible Study series each academic year.
- Men's Club (annual raffle; top prize reported at $6,000)
- Religious Education / Faith Formation (children)
- Youth Ministry (Brenda Mendez)
- Latino / Hispanic Ministry
- Vacation Bible School (e.g., 'Rainforest Falls VBS')
- Bible Study (registration opens yearly; 2026/27 cycle opened July 11/12)
- Pastoral Leadership Team
- Finance Committee
Education: Nativity Early Learning Center
The Nativity Early Learning Center is the parish's faith-based preschool, established in the years following the move into the permanent building. It is staffed by a dedicated director (Jessica Flores) and gives parish families a Catholic educational option for their youngest children on the same campus.
- Director: Jessica Flores
- Faith-based preschool / early learning on campus
I'm New Here
Nativity goes out of its way to welcome newcomers, with a dedicated page (and bulletin reminders) inviting visitors to register as parishioners. English and Spanish registration forms are available at the top of the stairs in the Narthex, and an online registration form is also offered. Visitors are encouraged to attend any Mass and to greet the priests afterward.
- Online registration form on the parish website
- Printable English and Spanish registration forms in the Narthex
- Frequently Asked Questions page covers confession, parking, registration
- Main entrance is at the back of the building (Narthex/Sanctuary)
Contact & Visiting
The parish office can be reached by phone at 615-794-4004, with Fr. Jerry's direct line for confession appointments at extension 4. The mailing address is 2793 Buckner Lane, Thompson's Station, TN 37179 (commonly also given as Spring Hill, TN 37179). Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
- Phone: 615-794-4004
- Address: 2793 Buckner Lane, Thompson's Station, TN 37179
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM – 3 PM; Fri 9 AM – 12 PM
- Pastoral Leadership Team email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Kirk2008 – c. 2018 (founding pastor, 10-year tenure)
Founding pastor; traveled from St. Philip in Franklin, TN to establish the parish. Celebrated the first Mass on Christmas Eve 2008 in a strip-mall space, led the Promised Land capital campaign, broke ground in 2014, and con-celebrated the first Mass in the new permanent building in 2016 with Bishop David Choby.
- Fr. Jerry Strangec. 2018 – present
Appointed as the second pastor of Nativity after Fr. Kirk's retirement. Oversaw expansion of ministries, addition of 2.5 acres with a rectory house, and the founding of the Nativity Early Learning Center and parish nursery.