MISSION & OUTREACH
The Advent serves our Lord Jesus Christ by engaging in his spiritual and material restoration of our city of Birmingham and our world. Our hope is to develop a culture where Adventers, through the work of the Holy Spirit, engage in evangelism, doing justice, and loving mercy. We regularly have food and coat drives, participate in local service days, and plan trips that facilitate deep, healthy relationships with other Christian organizations working in gospel ministry.
The Advent supports ministries that work to develop current and future leaders who serve unreached people with the gospel, who support the persecuted church, and who give in ministry to the poor. Through engagement with five primary ministry partners, we grow in relationships with others, shaped by mutual prayer, encouragement, and learning.
Trunk or Treat with Park Place
Bring your trunk full of treats to Park Place from 4:30-6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25. Grab your family, your small group, or just yourself and come join the fun. We will gather in the parking lot on 6th Avenue between 24th and 25th Streets, across from Marconi Park. Setup will begin at 4:00 p.m. Please plan to have your car in place and ready by 4:20 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Jane Menendez.
You can go all out decorating and dressing up or keep it simple! We have no idea how many children will come, but plan on 70-100. It may be way less or way more. Bring candy, trinkets, small toys, scripture cards, whatever you would hand out at your home works great! But the best thing to bring is a love for our neighbors and a sense of humor!
A note about registration: Only ONE member of each group or family needs to register to reserve a spot for your group’s car. Please do not individually register each member of the group; there is a space in the registration to indicate the size and participants of your group.
Hurricane Helene Relief
Hurricane Helene devastated areas of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. The magnitude of destruction in Western North Carolina is especially distressing, and many Adventers have reached out asking how they can help. Below are a few ways to support relief efforts that we commend to the Advent community:
1. The Diocese of Alabama is collecting supplies and funds to distribute to the work in Western North Carolina. People can give financially HERE and choose “disaster relief” from the drop-down menu to designate the gift. Supplies will be collected at Carpenter House (diocesan office next to Advent, 521 20th St. N, 35203) or at All Saints Church (110 W. Hawthorne Rd, 35209). Volunteers may contact the diocesan disaster relief coordinator, Bob Whelan. Needed supplies include:
- Non-perishable food (ready-to-eat canned food, peanut butter, etc.)
- Diapers in various sizes
- Baby wipes
- Cleaning supplies (Bleach, Lysol, etc.)
- Soap
- Wool blankets
2. Mary Noble Braden, the daughter of an Adventer, lives and works in Black Mountain, NC. She is running a tool drive here in Birmingham to assist in getting access to driveways for the numerous people in her community who will be without water and sewer for months. Since access to tools is difficult, she has created a Give Spend Go in partnership with Little Hardware in English Village to provide the tools that can help in removing fallen trees and mud.
3. Samaritan’s Purse and Salvation Army are trustworthy Christian organizations who are well versed and equipped for appropriate disaster response as well.
Lovelady Center
The Lovelady Center in East Lake houses over 500 women and children and is the largest faith-based transitional facility of its kind in the United States. As women arrive on site after leaving prison, abusive relationships, or addiction, they are given hygiene products and clothing to assist them in transitioning from their old life to their new. Lovelady has a continual need for various hygiene products and supplies, and as a long-time partner of the Lovelady Center, Advent is stepping up in September to meet this urgent need.
To simplify things, you can visit their Amazon Wish List, select the items you wish to donate, and have them shipped directly to Lovelady. (Note: feminine hygiene products are the most desperately needed.) Small groups, Bible studies, or guilds are encouraged to work together as Advent “seeks the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7a) through offering out of our bounty to the least, last, and lost. Contact Adam Young with questions.
Restoration Academy
Restoration Academy is a Christian K-12 school in Fairfield, Alabama that takes a holistic approach to education. Through classroom instruction and life-on-life discipleship, RA seeks to advance the greatest commandments in the lives of each student: to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as themselves.
The Advent hosts an annual lunch-and-learn for Adventers to learn more about the ministry of Restoration Academy and get involved as volunteers. RA students interested in ministry have also spent time with Advent staff members to explore possibilities in vocational ministry. We are excited to see how our relationship with RA can grow as more Adventers engage in partnership with them.
Anglican Church of
Rwanda and Shyira Diocese
In 2015, the Advent hosted Sam Mugisha and his family as Sam began his doctoral studies at Beeson Divinity School. Our friendship with Sam and Jacky and their girls (Iris, Ines, and Ingrid) has been a truly special one and we are grateful to God for our partnership with the Shyira Diocese, where Sam currently serves as bishop. The Rwandan church has much to teach us about the reconciling power of God, the joy of worshipping our risen Savior, and the love of Scripture.
Global Teams
The Advent has partnered with Global Teams for more than twenty years. As our only mission-sending partner, our support helps spread the Gospel across the world, to people with the least access to God’s word. Global Teams sends from everywhere, to everywhere. The gospel is for all people in the world, so only 10% of their field partners are from North America. While we support the broader mission of Global Teams, we have a special partnership with field partners located in Malawi.
Brother Bryan Mission
Brother Bryan Mission serves men in Birmingham who likely are at the lowest points of their lives. It offers two programs to support men recovering from addiction: a nine-month recovery program and a back-to-work program. The Advent hosts graduations of men completing their recovery programs, and several men in our congregation serve as mentors to other men working through Brother Bryan programs.
Bridge Ministries
Bridge Ministries is a front-line responder to crisis situations in Birmingham, and has provided a significant service to our church for years. Bridge staff members have a wealth of case management expertise, exercise creativity in working with clients to find solutions to difficult problems, and offer compassionate care to those who are at their most vulnerable.