But that's about to change. On Sunday, Michael Burbidge, the Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern North Carolina, will be on hand to lead the 10:30 a.m. mass and bless the ground on which the church will build its permanent sanctuary nearly two decades after the church began meeting at its current location on Lions Club Road.

The new $3 million sanctuary will sit behind the current sanctuary, which will be used for its original purpose as a parish hall.

Father Joseph Lapauw says the church's growth in the past five years has allowed it to meet all the tests of the Diocese for expanding its facility.

"We're not just a Wendell church," Lapauw said. "We draw about 25 percent of our membership from Knightdale and 25 percent from Wendell and 25 percent from Zebulon. The other 25 percent come from other towns in the area like Rolesville, Middlesex, Bunn and other towns," Lapauw said.

The church has also grown in recent years as the Hispanic community has become more active in the church.

St. Eugune currently holds six masses each weekend. Three are for Spanish speakers and three are for English speakers. Lapauw says that will change with the new, large sanctuary. The current facility seats 296 people. The new sanctuary will serve up to 600. Lapauw hopes to move to three masses eventually, one for English speakers, a second for Spanish speakers and a third for bilingual members.

Construction of the new sanctuary is expected to begin shortly after Sunday's groundbreaking service. If all goes well, Lapauw said, Burbidge could return in September, 2011 to dedicate the new building.

Lapauw said Burbidge's interest in the Wendell church is gratifying. Burbidge has already attended an International Food Festival and he quickly accepted the church's invitation to lead mass at the groundbreaking service.

"He is truly a man of God. He's not just an administrator. He really likes to get out to the churches and be with people," Lapauw said.

Construction of a new sanctuary is just the first part of the church's planned expansion. Church offices are currently crunched into one of six classroom spaces in the education building and mobile units house a number of classrooms and outreach programs. As the church pays off its debt on the new sanctuary, Lapauw says plans are already in the works for expanding the education building to eliminate the need for mobile units.

Lapauw said the process of designing and building a new sanctuary has been an inclusive one. Several committees were formed from the church membership to handle details such as design and other aspects of the project. Churchwide meetings were held on an annual basis each of the past three years to explain the progress of the projet in detail and to solicit feedback from church members.

Through it all, the church has continued to grow. And, for Lapauw, that is perhaps the greatest news of all.