As followers of our Lord Christ, Who is Friend and Companion, we, the people of the Advent are called to share with one another the joys and responsibilities of Christian fellowship through hospitality, celebration, learning, creative expression, play and service.
We gather in His Name—in large and small groups, in age specific settings and intergenerational extravaganzas, in the church and on the lawn, to break bread and to break ground.
Parish Life at the Advent is rich in opportunities to greet, gather, grow, and give. On a weekly basis or in once-a-year fashion, fun and fellowship opportunities for everyone abound. The annual Ministries Fair showcases this wide array of activities, offering newcomers and veterans alike a chance to pick and choose their way to becoming a more integral part of parish life at the Advent.
Hospitality is a spiritual gift, and the welcome is guaranteed to be warm at any and all Advent programs. Find a ministry that corresponds to your talent or family life, that sings to your soul or simply encourages you to sing out loud!
Approximately 200 youth represent our church on the
basketball courts each Saturday during the season and ECW circles, Fellowship
Groups, "Sorta Young" Advent Adults, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, and
EpiscoPals meet regularly for programs and activities.
ECW circles, Fellowship Groups, the Solo ADVENTurers, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, and EpiscoPals meet regularly for programs and activities.
Parishioners with specific interests find creative outlets through the Advent Artists Guild, a selection of Adult and Children’s Choirs, and the Advent Aprons kitchen ministry.
Food is a central theme in our vast and varied programs (Pancake Supper, Parish Picnic, Sunday brunches), thanks to Gail Owens’ haute church cuisine. If you are gifted in the kitchen or simply willing to pitch in as you learn, there’s always good company to make the load light. The Advent kitchen really gets cooking each summer as dozens of women preserve Spartanburg’s tastiest fruits and vegetables for sale at the annual ECW Bazaar. This fair, held each November, brings together parish and community in support of the Episcopal Church Women’s mission, routinely raising tens of thousands of dollars to support outreach.
Every other March, Advent parishioners journey to the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC for a “mountaintop experience”. Stimulating speakers, outdoor fun, and evening socials make this an ideal weekend for building bonds within our ever expanding parish family.
We gather in His Name—in large and small groups, in age specific settings and intergenerational extravaganzas, in the church and on the lawn, to break bread and to break ground.