About St. Elizabeth · Elizabethton, Tennessee
St. Elizabeth Catholic Parish is a welcoming Catholic community of about 237 families serving as the only Catholic church in Elizabethton, Tennessee (population ~14,000), the seat of Carter County in upper East Tennessee. The parish is part of the Diocese of Knoxville and is led by Father Jesus Guerrero, a priest originally from Mexico who was ordained in 2015 and assigned to St. Elizabeth in 2019. Weekend Masses are offered in both English and Spanish, reflecting a multicultural identity, and the parish runs an active religious education program, a Knights of Columbus council, a Ladies' Guild, and a robust slate of social-outreach ministries that include Backpack Buddies, the Angel Tree, and prison visits.
- Established
- 1916
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary
- Rector
- Father Jesus Guerrero (also assigned pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Knoxville
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth is the only Catholic parish in Elizabethton and in all of Carter County, so it serves as the spiritual home for Catholics across the upper East Tennessee mountains. It is intentionally bilingual, offering a Spanish Mass on Saturday evenings, and it pairs a serious catechetical program — Parish School of Religion plus OCIA for adults — with hands-on outreach to neighbors in need, from Backpack Buddies and the Angel Tree to prison visits at the Northeast Tennessee Correctional Center. With about 237 families, it is small enough to know one another by name and large enough to sustain a Knights of Columbus council, a Ladies' Guild, an Evangelization Team, and an active music ministry.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15–4:45 pm (English, before the 5 pm Mass)
- Saturday 6:30–6:50 pm (Spanish, before the 7 pm Mass)
- Sunday 8:15–8:45 am (English, before the 9 am Mass)
- By appointment
Parish Identity & History
St. Elizabeth Catholic Parish is the only Catholic parish serving Elizabethton and Carter County in upper East Tennessee. With about 237 registered families, it is small enough to feel like a community and large enough to maintain a full schedule of liturgies, faith formation, and outreach. The parish's roots stretch back to 1916 as a mission of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City and to the first Mass in Carter County in 1923; the parish now occupies a church building that has been continuously in use since its dedication on May 15, 1949.
- Founded 1916 as a mission of St. Mary, Johnson City
- First diocesan pastor: Father Leo Baldinger, 1945
- Current church groundbreaking Sept. 7, 1948; first Mass April 14, 1949; dedicated May 15, 1949
- Bilingual parish: English and Spanish
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Father Jesus Guerrero, originally from Mexico, who was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Knoxville on June 27, 2015 and was named pastor of St. Elizabeth (and of St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City) by Bishop Mark Beckman. Father Jesus is supported by two permanent deacons, Deacon Rich Carner and Deacon Mike Gray. The parish also has a parish secretary and many lay volunteers who coordinate liturgy, faith formation, and outreach.
- Father Jesus Guerrero — Pastor
- Deacon Rich Carner
- Deacon Mike Gray
- Parish office at [email protected]
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music at the Sunday 9 am Mass is coordinated by John Henkelman. Lay liturgical ministers — greeters, readers, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, and altar servers — are coordinated by parish staff and Deacon Rich; volunteers are recruited and trained by the parish.
- Greeters, readers, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers
- Altar servers (recent cohort: 17 servers noted on parish communications)
- Music: contact John Henkelman (321) 501-0345
- Communion visits to homebound and nursing-home parishioners
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Elizabeth runs across the lifespan. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) meets on Wednesdays from 6 pm to 7 pm, September through May, for students from preschool through 12th grade. Adults have multiple options: the Emmaus Bible Study Group meets after the 9 am Sunday Mass, Deacon Rich leads a Sunday study group covering Bible, books, and apologetics, and additional adult Bible studies are offered during Lent. The parish also hosts an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for inquirers wishing to become Catholic.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR), Wed 6–7 pm, Sept–May
- Emmaus Adult Bible Study, Sundays after 9 am Mass
- Sunday Class with Deacon Rich — Bible, books, apologetics
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Lenten adult Bible studies
Parish Life Organizations
A network of lay organizations supports parish life and fellowship at St. Elizabeth. The Knights of Columbus Council 10743 meets at 6 pm on the second Wednesday of each month. The Ladies' Guild gathers Tuesdays from 10 am to 2 pm in the church basement for crafts and fellowship. Abundant Life is a women's ministry fostering faith, community, and social action (third Wednesday), and the Evangelization Team (E-Team) meets the first Saturday of each month to coordinate outreach.
- Knights of Columbus Council 10743 (2nd Wednesday, 6 pm)
- Ladies' Guild (Tuesdays 10 am–2 pm, basement)
- Abundant Life — women's ministry (3rd Wednesday)
- Evangelization Team (1st Saturday)
- Pastoral Advisory Council
- Prayer Team
- Bereavement Committee
Social Outreach & Charity
St. Elizabeth maintains a varied social-action program. The Backpack Buddies program provides weekend food for needy children; the Angel Tree during Advent collects Christmas gifts for children in need; and the Baby Bottle Project in late spring supports women and children in need. The parish also runs canned food drives and visits prisoners at the Northeast Tennessee Correctional Center in Mountain City. An aluminum-can recycling effort raises funds for the needy and for seminarians, and the parish refers parishioners to Catholic Charities of East Tennessee for family support, counseling, and pregnancy services.
- Backpack Buddies — weekend food for children
- Angel Tree — Advent gifts for needy children
- Baby Bottle Project — late spring, supports women and children
- Canned food drives
- Visits to Northeast Tennessee Correctional Center, Mountain City
- Aluminum-can recycling for charity and seminarians
- Referral to Catholic Charities (Johnson City office, 423-328-0070)
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
The parish prepares children for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation through the Parish School of Religion. Adults preparing for initiation work with the OCIA program. For parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized, or in nursing homes, Communion visits are arranged through the parish office; parishioners or family members should contact the office because privacy rules prevent hospitals from notifying the pastor directly.
- Baptism, Marriage — contact parish office
- First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation — through PSR
- OCIA — adult initiation
- Anointing of the Sick on request
- Communion visits to homebound and nursing-home parishioners
Facilities & Buildings
The parish campus centers on the 1949 church building. The sanctuary is on the upper floor, with a basement that now serves as a parish hall. A two-story education building was added to the east side of the church in 1993. A rectory was built next to the church in 1985 during Father Charles Johnston's pastorate. In 1998 stained-glass windows — Old Testament on the east, New Testament on the west — were installed and dedicated at the church's 50th anniversary.
- Church building — dedicated May 15, 1949
- Two-story education building — added 1993
- Rectory — built 1985
- Stained-glass windows — installed 1998, 50th-anniversary dedication
- Parish hall in the church basement
Visit, Join & Stay Connected
New parishioners are warmly welcomed. Registration forms are available for download from the parish website or in the vestibule of the church, and can be returned in the weekend collection or mailed to the parish office. The parish maintains its own online giving platform through WeShare and communicates with parishioners through its website, the MyParish App, and Facebook.
- New-parishioner registration form (PDF on website)
- Online giving via WeShare
- MyParish App
- Parish Facebook page
- Prayer requests via website, pew prayer cards, or parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Leo Baldinger1945–1952
First diocesan priest and pastor of St. Elizabeth after it became an independent parish; oversaw construction of the present West C Street church (groundbreaking 1948, dedicated May 15, 1949).
- Father Albert Siener1952–1954
Succeeded Father Baldinger; in 1954 the parish lost its independent status and again became a mission of St. Mary in Johnson City served by Dominican priests.
- Father Charles Johnston, OPappointed 1985
His appointment as pastor coincided with parishioners building a rectory next to the church.