About St. Matthew · Winder, Georgia
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish located at 25 Wilkins Road SW in Winder, Georgia, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. It is part of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and serves the Catholic faithful of Barrow County and the surrounding Northern Georgia region. Originally established as a mission in 1965, the community grew from nine founding families into a parish of roughly 1,200 families, and in 2007 moved into a new sanctuary that seats close to 700. Today the parish is led by Father Gilbert Exumé and a team of five permanent deacons, offering daily Mass, weekly Spanish-language Masses, OCIA formation, youth ministry, a Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, and a wide range of lay ministries.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Gilbert Exumé
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a dynamic, diverse, and committed bilingual community that has grown from nine founding families into a parish of roughly 1,200 families, yet retains the close-knit feel of its mission-church origins. Worshippers can choose from daily Mass, three Sunday Masses (including a 12:30 PM Mass in Spanish), a full sacramental life (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage), and rich formation through OCIA, the EDGE middle-school program, and the LifeTeen high-school program. The parish also runs a St. Vincent de Paul conference with a food pantry, a Walking With Purpose women's ministry, a Hispanic Ministry, and a wide variety of liturgical and group ministries — making it easy for newcomers to find a place to serve, belong, and grow in faith.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
- Thursdays at 9:30 AM (after the 9:00 AM Mass)
History of St. Matthew Catholic Church
St. Matthew's story begins in 1964, when the Archdiocese of Atlanta purchased the Depression-era Matthew Public School building and its property to establish a Catholic mission in Winder. The structure was in dire need of repair, but in the spring of 1965 Auxiliary Bishop Joseph L. Bernardin dedicated the mission, which was first attached to St. Joseph Parish in Athens. Nine families made up the entire founding community. In 1972 the mission was reassigned to St. Anna Catholic Church in Monroe, and over the next three decades many repairs and upgrades were made. A second change came in July 1991, when the mission was transferred to St. Oliver Plunkett in Snellville and began to be served by the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette.
- 1964 — Archdiocese of Atlanta purchases the Matthew Public School building
- 1965 — Mission dedicated by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph L. Bernardin; nine founding families
- 1972 — Mission transferred to St. Anna, Monroe
- 1991 — Mission transferred to St. Oliver Plunkett, Snellville; LaSalette Missionaries arrive
- 1992 — Major renovation of sanctuary, social hall, and classrooms; stained-glass windows installed
- 1997 — Religious Education building added
- 1999 (June 24) — Parish canonically established by Archbishop John F. Donoghue
- 2004–2007 — Capital campaign; 2006 groundbreaking; new church completed June 2007
- September 22, 2007 — Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory dedicates the new church; old church renamed Hedges Hall
- 2012 — Father Gilbert Exumé becomes pastor
- 2025 — Parish mortgage paid in full; celebrated June 22, 2025
Parish Leadership & Clergy
St. Matthew is led by Father Gilbert Exumé, who became pastor in 2012, supported by five permanent deacons and a lay staff. The parish also publishes a 'Pastoral Letter' from the pastor welcoming new parishioners into the community.
- Pastor: Father Gilbert Exumé ([email protected])
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Larry Welsh ([email protected])
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Dan Buckley
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Luis Londoño
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Michael Nungesser
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Christopher Carroll
- Office phone: 770-867-4876 | Fax: 770-867-6034
- Sacramental emergency / death line: 770-790-1743
- Office hours: Mon/Wed/Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–12 PM; closed Tue/Sat/Sun
Sacraments
St. Matthew prepares and welcomes parishioners for all seven sacraments, with detailed pages dedicated to Baptism and First Communion, Confirmation and Matrimony, OCIA for adults, and a parish registration process that ties sacramental preparation to faith formation.
- Baptism (infants 6 and under) — requires Roman Catholic godparents age 16+ who are confirmed, registered, attending Mass, and married in the Church
- Baptism/First Communion/Confirmation for children 7+ through the elementary Religious Education program
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation for high-school youth via two years of LifeTeen plus Confirmation classes
- Confirmation for adults via OCIA
- Marriage — couples should call the parish office and set an appointment with a priest as soon as possible
- Anointing of the Sick / sacramental emergency line: 770-790-1743
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a complete faith-formation pathway for children, youth, and adults, coordinated through its Religious Education program and Youth Ministry. Class dates typically follow the Barrow County school calendar and are published in the parish bulletin and online calendar.
- Elementary Religious Education — prepares children for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation
- EDGE — middle-school faith formation for grades 6–8 (not for sacramental prep)
- LifeTeen — high-school youth ministry for grades 9–12, including two-year Confirmation track
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — for unbaptized adults, Christians from other denominations, and adult Catholics seeking First Eucharist or Confirmation
- Walking With Purpose — women's Scripture and Catholic teaching ministry
- Parent/Student Handbook and Code of Conduct required for registration
Parish Ministries & Outreach
St. Matthew's ministries are organized around the 'Serving Hearts' mission — living out the Gospel through worship, formation, outreach, and advocacy. The parish invites volunteers to sign up through a single Volunteer Form and requires Safe Environment training for many positions.
- Serving Hearts — parish mission integrating faith formation, outreach, worship/fellowship, and advocacy
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — food pantry and financial assistance; hotline 770-868-5100; meets 2nd & 4th Mondays at 7:00 PM in Hedges Hall
- Hispanic Ministry (Ministerio Hispano) — Spanish-language worship and community life
- Walking With Purpose — women's ministry rooted in Scripture and Catholic teaching
- Group Ministries and Liturgical Ministries — open volunteer roles for parishioners
Facilities & Campus
The parish campus includes the new 2007 sanctuary, the original 1930s-era school building (now Hedges Hall), a Religious Education building added in 1997, and an outdoor plaza with a flowing fountain and arched wall built by the Hispanic community.
- New church and office facility (dedicated September 22, 2007 by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory)
- Hedges Hall — former worship space, named for Fred and Virginia Hedges, now a social hall
- Religious Education building (1997)
- Outdoor plaza with fountain and arched wall
- New parking lot constructed as part of the 2007 project
- Stained-glass windows hand-crafted by the monks of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers
Getting Involved & Contact
Newcomers are warmly welcomed by the pastor and invited to register, volunteer, and join a ministry. The parish publishes bulletins online, runs an eCommunity portal, and offers direct phone and email contact with the parish office.
- Parish registration available via the Registration page on the website
- Single Volunteer Form covers all ministries of interest
- Safe Environment training and background check required for many volunteer roles
- Parish bulletin published online (saintmatthewcc.org/bulletins)
- Email: [email protected] | Phone: 770-867-4876
- Sacramental emergency line: 770-790-1743
- St. Vincent de Paul / food pantry hotline: 770-868-5100
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Carroll, M.S.1991–
LaSalette Missionary among the first assigned when the mission was transferred to St. Oliver Plunkett, Snellville.
- Rev. Michael Flanagan, M.S.1991–
LaSalette Missionary who served the mission alongside Fathers Carroll and Hasler.
- Rev. Clifford Hasler, M.S.1991–
LaSalette Missionary on the original team after the 1991 reassignment.
- Reverend Reyes1999–
Founding pastor when the parish was canonically established by Archbishop John F. Donoghue on June 24, 1999.
- Rev. Father Jaime Barona2004–2007
Led the capital campaign, 2006 groundbreaking, and construction of the new church completed in June 2007.
- Fr. Leo C. Holleran, M.S.
LaSalette pastor; author of the parish's pastoral welcome letter to new parishioners.
- Rev. Gilbert Exumé2012–present
Assumed role of pastor in 2012; continues to lead the parish, including the 2025 mortgage payoff.