About Us

History

Until 1934 visiting priests had the duty of celebrating mass here in Stanly County. Father Edward Gross from the Hamlet N.C. parish was known to visit Albemarle once a year in the latter 1920s. Many families chose to travel by train to Salisbury to attend Mass. The actual birth date of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church came on July 1, 1934. The first masses were held in the rectory's living room by Father Cowan. a gift of $5,000 from Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish in New York made it possible for the construction of the first church .the church building was completed on September 1, 1934. In the years that followed, the parish grew from 9 families to over 100. A new rectory and parish hall were added to the North Second Street property. In the summer of 1971 through a generous gift from the estate of Father Cowan and his mother the current church was built. The former church building was donated to the Albemarle Junior Women's Club and is now located at Rock Creek Park. The present church was designed to seat 380 people. It contains southern yellow pine arches and purlins which support the roof, stained glass windows that recreate scenes from the Gospel and a majestic marble altar. Today at North Second Street stands the church, rectory, Olive Rooney Pastoral Center and the large two-story Family Life Center. Beyond the physical church is a wealth of diverse growth both spiritually and community-wide for us. Over the last 75 years, the parish family has grown from 9 families to several hundred. Our Lady of the Annunciation has not only English masses but Hispanic masses as well. Over the years this parish has participated in many community affairs including Meals-on-Wheels, the Community Christmas dinner, and prison ministry. Several of our organizations have been involved in even larger evens. The Daughters of Mary have sponsored a room at a battered women’s shelter, the Knights of Columbus help raise money for special needs children through their LAMB program and our youth have visited Washington DC for the Right for life march. Other activities shared by all include holiday programs, parish dinners, and the ever-popular parish picnic. The Church has also sponsored a Thailand refugee family, young seminarians and a mission church In
Biscoe.