"Come and See!"

Alisha Ungs • Pastor of Discipleship
July 1, 2026

2 Minute Read
“Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.”  - 1 Corinthians 4:1

Dear siblings in Christ,

Summer is officially in full swing as we enter July. The temperatures soar and it can often feel like things slow down in summertime, but around here, we just keep going! Although our liturgical calendar puts us in what is called “ordinary” time for this season, it’s anything but ordinary. 

It seems there is always something exciting happening at Advent, and summertime is no exception. 

As many of you know, over the summer we are practicing the invitation from Jesus to “come and see,” where each week worship will look a little different than the previous week. It’s easy to get stuck in a rhythm and forget just how powerful it is for us to gather for worship and community. “Come and See” gives us the opportunity to re-center and re-experience the joys of worship, listening for the Spirit’s voice. And The Spirit is definitely at work in this congregation and in this community! 

I have been grateful for the participation in my summer book/Bible study series where we are engaging in conversations about women of the Bible and I look forward to more of our meetings. And our new young adults ministry, Gather Space Coast, is off to a great start, too. The game night in June was a lot of fun, and I want to take a moment to thank all of you who contributed games for us to play! We have two events planned for the group this month: interactive prayer stations on July 3 and Trivia Night on July 17. If you are 18-35 years old, you are welcome to join us! 

Above all else, summer is a great chance to “come and see” for yourself – so that’s my invitation to you. Whether it’s by volunteering, participating in worship, joining us for Bible study, or something else, there is a way for YOU to connect with this community. What will that look like? I guess you’ll just have to… “come and see.”


Peace and Blessings, 

PA

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From this Author: Alisha Ungs
September 1, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Blessings Abound
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” - Ephesians 1:3 Dear Siblings in Christ, It seems hard to believe that August has already passed us by and we have made it to September. As we look ahead this month, we can also reflect on the blessings God has already given us. It seems like just yesterday we were sending our kids off with a backpack blessing, and now school has been in session for nearly a month. We are so grateful for the many children participating in this year’s faith formation programming, including Faith Builders for grades K-5, senior youth group for grades 6-12, and Confirmation class for students in grades 6-8. In addition, Pastor Carl and I will continue to teach Bible Club weekly at Grace Preschool this year with a new group of students, starting this month. But Faith Formation isn’t just for children, all of us are walking in our faith journeys which never stop. There will be opportunities for young adults with the Gather Space Coast Group, the women’s group will be hosting listening meetings to determine what that can look like this year, and the men’s group, B.U.I.L.D. will continue to meet as well. There are so many ways to get involved at Advent as the fall programming continues, and I invite you to find ways to participate! The month of September is a great time to try out choir, which practices every Tuesday night, to attend a Bible Study on Wednesday nights, or perhaps find a volunteer opportunity that helps you feel spiritually connected. And that’s not all – there is still more to look forward to as Fall quickly approaches. The Stewardship team has some great ideas and we are excited to share more with you all, so look for more information in the near future! Not to mention, this month, we will participate in “God’s Work. Our Hands” as a reminder of how Christ’s Kingdom is much larger than the four walls of the sanctuary or a Weekend of worship. And then on September 26, we will be welcoming rostered leaders and lay people as we host the Space Coast Conference meeting. Both serve as great reminders that we are more than just a church building. We are part of something bigger, and each of us is an “awesome” child of God, just as Pastor Derek from the Synod Office reminded us last month when he came to guest preach. God has blessed us with so many spiritual blessings just as Ephesians says, and I am grateful for each and every one of you who helps share those blessings with others. As we enter into Fall programming, may God’s love surround you, and may you feel Christ’s abundant blessings as you share those blessings with others. Peace and Blessings, PA

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

September 1, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
September 2026: Glory Happening
Glory Happening is a book of stories and prayers that remind you to take a closer look at your everyday circumstances, to find the magical beauty in everyday experiences. It is an invitation to live deeply into every moment with the expectation that something good will find you at the end of the day. And once you experience glory, you have words to speak, a prayer to pray, and a story to tell. And so glory grows from person to person, and community is created around the reality that God is truly in our midst. -Amazon book description Book of the Month ~ Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places, by Kaitlin B. Curtice This book is not a “read it all at once” book. But it is a fantastic devotional with many different beautiful reflections from author Kaitlin B. Curtice. She divides the devotionals into different sections of Divine places, and each reflection reminds the reader of ways to slow down and see God in the everyday moments. All too often, we are so busy, we forget to look for the ways God is at work in our lives. And even when we do remember to look, we tend to look for grand moments of clarity. Glory Happening reminds us that God is at work in everything, always. Not just in the big and obvious things, but in the smallest, most subtle moments that easily pass us by if we aren’t paying attention. Exactly as the subtitle of the book tells us, it helps us learn to find the Divine in everyday places. No matter what stage of life you are in, I think you’ll find something valuable in the pages of this particular book. Each devotional has a short reflection as well as a prayer. It can be a great habit to build and make it a challenge for yourself to read one per day. The key here is one that I myself have trouble with: don’t rush. It’s not meant to be treated as a box to be checked each day, and it isn’t a race to see who can finish the devotions the fastest. Instead, it invites the reader on an individual journey of self-reflection and prayer. The best part is, it can also work as a group devotion! So, if you have been looking for a devotional book to study with friends, or on your own, I highly recommend this one. I’ll admit I haven’t made my way through the entirety of every devotion; but I am hoping that it helps me remember that is the exact point. Each new day is a new opportunity to find the Divine in everyday places, and each devotional offers a prompt on how to do it. God is here, in this moment, right now. All too often we are focused on what comes next. May this book help you (and me!) remember to slow down from time to time, take a deep breath, and center ourselves in prayer.

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

August 1, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
August 2026: The Chronicles of Narnia
Book of the Month ~ The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis I have always believed that there is a lot to learn from children’s books, even as an adult. The Chronicles of Narnia is no exception. It is, and has long been, one of my favorite book series of all time. So, although this is technically 7 books, I couldn’t just pick one to recommend. All of the stories weave together to form a larger picture and have wonderful biblical imagery throughout. C.S. Lewis was an influential writer whose works include the famous “Screwtape Letters” (a satirical story that centers around a demon and his attempts to tempt a person away from their faith), “Mere Christianity,” (his theological exploration of what it means to be a follower of Christ) and others. And as great as those are, Narnia is still at the top of my  favorites list of his works. The Chronicles of Narnia take place mostly in a magical land where animals talk, but the main characters come from our own world. Throughout the series, using expert narrative and storytelling devices, Lewis draws the reader into the story of Christ in ways that are accessible even to those who have never heard of Jesus, or set foot in a church. There are countless scenes in the different books that are impactful, which I still love to talk about today. I even made a piece of artwork based on one of them once, because it meant that much to me. It’s a book series that I return to often, spending time with the characters and stories I have loved ever since childhood. Though I have read all the books countless times, it seems like I still find some new insight or notice something different every time I read it again. If you enjoy fictional works with Biblical undertones, The Chronicles of Narnia is definitely a series I would recommend. And if you’ve read it before, I’d love to know which of the books is your favorite!

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

July 31, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Welcome to Gather: Space Coast!
Hello There! 👋 My name is Pastor Alisha, I’m one of the pastors at Advent and the current leader of Gather Space Coast. I have been searching for community among my peers for a while, longing for a space where we could connect and have fun together. And then, I heard about Gather, and I knew it would be a great opportunity for us in the Space Coast region. Gather meets to spend time asking challenging questions of ourselves, our faith, and our world. All young adults (18-35) from across race, faith background, gender, sexuality, and perspective are welcome here to meet, to be, to gather. We are still a very young, very new ministry. But the hope is to grow into it and continue to invite young adults to participate as much as possible. I really look forward to making some new friends! Our general rhythm will be to meet on the 1st Friday of the month for a worship service or spiritual connection activity, and the 3rd Friday of the month for game night or trivia. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with our activities, be sure to subscribe to this collection. I hope to see you soon! Still have questions or just want to say hi? Contact us via this form.

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

July 30, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
GAME NIGHT!
More informationRSVP Here

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

July 30, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Woven Together
“For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10 Dear Siblings in Christ, Last month, Pastor Carl and I attended the ELCA Rostered Minister Conference, an opportunity to gather with other pastors, deacons, bishops, and leaders in ministry. The theme was “Woven Together.” Throughout the week, the keynote speakers reminded us of the many ways God weaves us together into a beautiful tapestry of creation. And while they did so, an artist wove an actual tapestry. At the end of the conference, she showed everyone the beautiful work of art that had been created. It was a wonderful reminder how all of us are part of a bigger picture, but each of us is an important individual thread as well. Around here, although we meet for three different expressions of worship each weekend, we are also “woven together.” Each ministry, each worship experience, and each moment, is a colorful thread that helps make the beautiful tapestry that is Advent Lutheran Church. Over the summer we practiced “Come and See” as an opportunity to listen to Christ’s invitation to try new things and experience worship in different ways. Now, as summer winds down and school resumes, programming, ministries, and other things are ramping up for the fall. Most exciting of all is the upcoming Rally Day on August 9. It will be an opportunity for us to see and hear all about how God is working through the ministries of Advent. Individually, each person is a lovely and colorful thread. But together, we are woven into a beautiful tapestry, followers of Jesus Christ for the sake of the world, Walking in Grace: Covered, Called, Grounded, and Sent. Peace and Blessings, PA

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

Currently Reading
July 1, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
"Come and See!"
“Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.”  - 1 Corinthians 4:1 Dear siblings in Christ, Summer is officially in full swing as we enter July. The temperatures soar and it can often feel like things slow down in summertime, but around here, we just keep going! Although our liturgical calendar puts us in what is called “ordinary” time for this season, it’s anything but ordinary. It seems there is always something exciting happening at Advent, and summertime is no exception. As many of you know, over the summer we are practicing the invitation from Jesus to “come and see,” where each week worship will look a little different than the previous week. It’s easy to get stuck in a rhythm and forget just how powerful it is for us to gather for worship and community. “Come and See” gives us the opportunity to re-center and re-experience the joys of worship, listening for the Spirit’s voice. And The Spirit is definitely at work in this congregation and in this community! I have been grateful for the participation in my summer book/Bible study series where we are engaging in conversations about women of the Bible and I look forward to more of our meetings. And our new young adults ministry, Gather Space Coast, is off to a great start, too. The game night in June was a lot of fun, and I want to take a moment to thank all of you who contributed games for us to play! We have two events planned for the group this month: interactive prayer stations on July 3 and Trivia Night on July 17. If you are 18-35 years old, you are welcome to join us! Above all else, summer is a great chance to “come and see” for yourself – so that’s my invitation to you. Whether it’s by volunteering, participating in worship, joining us for Bible study, or something else, there is a way for YOU to connect with this community. What will that look like? I guess you’ll just have to… “come and see.” Peace and Blessings, PA

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

June 4, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Gather Space Coast in the News!
We made it onto the front page of Hometown News! I am really excited for our first few events, and am thankful for this opportunity to create community for us young adults 🙂 Check out the article below:Read the article online

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

June 1, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
June 2026: Good Omens
Book Overview: According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . . Book of the Month~ Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman This month’s book recommendation is a bit different than what I have offered previously, because it is a ‘just for fun’ story, instead of being theologically grounded. But I must admit I am a big fan of this book and have read it several times which is why I couldn’t resist the opportunity to recommend it. Some of you may recognize the title from the Amazon TV series. The finale of that show was just released mid-May, so there has been quite a bit of buzz about it. I, for one, was happy that so many people were talking about one of my favorite works of fiction. That version of the show, as with many TV adaptations, is not quite the same but I still think it keeps the sentiment of the original story in mind throughout the first season (which is the season based on the book). “Good Omens” is not intended to be read as a Biblical guide to the apocalypse or a theological framework about how we view the world; it’s a satirical work. The very premise of an Angel and a Demon working together to stop the apocalypse, after reading prophecies written by a real-life witch, is one that we can’t accept from a Lutheran lens… That is, we couldn’t if we were reading it like we read scripture. But that isn’t the intention of this particular story! The authors did not create this book as a commentary on Revelation or the actual end of the world. They wrote it as a fun fantasy novel. A few things to keep in mind if you read this book: firstly, this story was published in 1990, so there are some outdated references and language. Secondly, this book has been re-published several times and there are many different versions of the cover, so your copy may not look exactly like the image of the cover above. Lastly, I will reiterate that this is fictional satire and not meant to be taken seriously. It does raise interesting questions about the meanings of Good and Evil in the world, but it shouldn’t be considered as ‘gospel truth’ by any means. “Good Omens” is not a book that will change the way you view the world around you (or at least, probably not), but it is a fun Summer read if you enjoy quirky and silly stories.

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

June 1, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Behold, a New Thing!
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSVue) Dear Siblings in Christ, Earlier this year, I attended a continuing education event. The final presenter, Dr. Kris Stache, made the point that we very often find ourselves stuck in the past, grieving what was instead of looking towards the future of all that could be. She shared an excellent quote: “What God is up to is not stuck in the past, but in a future we have yet to imagine – a future where God is already waiting for us. It is the Spirit that connects our past into a new future through the present. The past shouldn’t be forgotten, but what we build the present and future upon. God has been present, is present, and continues to be present into our future in this place.” This beautiful idea led me to wonder what God might be up to here, and how we at Advent might continue to listen to God’s calling into a future that we do not yet imagine, but which God has already planned for us. Dr. Stache also shared a great analogy of how churches (and people in general) so often get stuck in the past and in nostalgia; it went something like this: imagine that you had a big apple tree in your backyard which had the most amazing and delicious apples. For many years, you baked award-winning apple pies for your neighborhood. But one day, for some reason or another, the apple tree dies. In its place, a banana tree is planted. And once that banana tree grows up, you decide to try and make an apple pie like before, with your new fruit. And of course, it ends up not working. Why? Because bananas are not apples and nothing you do can change that. But what you can do, is learn to adapt to the new reality around you, and make some delicious banana cream pies. It doesn’t replace the memories of the apple pies; instead, it creates something new and delicious that could not have been made, nor perhaps even imagined, before. In the same way, there are places in church and in our lives that we are continually trying our best to bake apple pies from bananas; the church and the world around us have changed, and what used to work might not work anymore. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t create something amazing by adapting and changing to the new reality. And let me be clear: that doesn’t take away from the beauty and the memories of all that came before. As Dr. Stache said, the past shouldn’t be forgotten. But if we keep dwelling on the lost apples, we get in the way of our own journey into the future God is calling us towards. As 2 Corinthians says, “look, new things have come into being!” I shared in my May article that I have now officially been serving here for three years. And in that time, there has been a lot of change at Advent. But that is not a bad thing. It is the tool that helps us because we are faced with a choice: we can continue to lament all the ways things are different, or we can remember it with grateful hearts while still looking at all that is yet to come. It is up to us to let go of the old which has passed away, and look for the ways that new things are coming into being. Together we continue Walking in Grace towards what God has planned for our future. The future where God is already waiting for us, if only we learn how best to use the “fruit” we are given in the here and now. Peace and Blessings, PA

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

April 1, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
April 2026: Souvenirs of the Holy
Connect with God, memories, and your deepest self through the simple stuff of life. In this indelible work of spiritual formation, Episcopal priest and author Laurie M. Brock invites readers to contemplate ordinary things. How might the sacred astonish us by showing up in everyday items? Rocks. Cast iron skillets. Portraits. Calendars. Shoes. The regular objects of our lives can be conduits of God's love and grace—if we notice them. What if, instead of ignoring the things we use every day, we let them testify? What might our things say? In Souvenirs of the Holy, Brock helps us see everyday items not merely as objects gathering dust but as keepsakes from the literal and spiritual journeys we have taken. With pastoral presence, humor, and poetic grace, she helps us tap into the unseen realms underneath the things we take for granted: a coin from our father holding complex yearnings for love, the scar on our arm speaking of survival, the quilt on the bed holding scraps we've inherited, the garden shears reminding us that pruning brings forth new life. - Book Description Book of the Month ~ Souvenirs of the Holy: Encountering God Through Everyday Objects by Laurie M. Brock Where have you seen God at work today? It feels like a simple question, yet when asked, I think most of us hesitate for a moment before we can answer. As I read this book by Laurie Brock, I found myself reflecting on this. In Souvenirs of the Holy, Laurie Brock offers simple, yet theological and thought provoking chapters that are easy to connect with and understand. No deep theology/fancy word mumbo jumbo here! Instead, Souvenirs of the Holy invites the reader to spend time looking at our everyday objects as being Holy. The author provides chapters with examples from her life experiences, such as a cast iron skillet and even rocks, but also encourages you to wonder about what simple things might be most Holy in your own life. In this season of Easter, it is a great time to spend time looking for the Holy encounters like the book describes. Not in grand and obvious moments, but through the very souvenirs that we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. So, I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking to deepen their spiritual connections with God, or who want to explore the Holiness in everyday moments. After reading the book, I would love to hear from you: where have you seen God at work lately? And what Souvenirs of the Holy do you hold dear?

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship

March 1, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
March 2026: My Body is Not a Prayer Request
Much of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences. Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. - Publisher’s Description Book of the Month review ~ My Body is not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church by Amy Kenny This is a book that I first read almost a year ago, and have not stopped thinking about it since. So much so, that I decided to re-read it and recommend it for this month! Dr. Amy Kenny expertly weaves personal anecdotes and scriptural references as she shares the story of what it is like to be Disabled in the Body of Christ. She strives for greater disability justice within the church. Before reading this book you might find yourself thinking that we are pretty forward-thinking as a church. It can be tempting to say, “but we don’t do that here!” As you read this book, however, you may find yourself wondering if that is as true as we like to think. It is eye-opening to hear the stories and experiences of so many in the disability community who have been shunned by the church, the very place they should be welcomed the most. Dr. Kenny challenges the reader to consider a broader perspective, to listen with an open heart, and to ponder the ways God may be at work not by offering a cure, but instead bringing true healing to each individual. The end of each chapter has discussion/reflection questions as well as some interesting creative prompts to help us open our imaginations and see where God might be calling us as a faith community. So, reader, beware: this is one of those books that, once you read, you can never look at things quite the same way. But I hope you will still consider reading this book. It is a very important story and asks very important questions of us. Happy reading!

Alisha Ungs

Pastor of Discipleship