Grace with its Sleeves Rolled Up

Carl Taylor • Senior Pastor
September 1, 2026

5 Minute Read

Dear Advent Family,

As we move toward September, I find myself grateful for the way God continues to gather us, stretch us, and gently lead us forward.

August has been full. We concluded our summer Come & See experience, blessed backpacks and prayed over our children, youth, teachers, administrators, school employees, and families as another school year began. We gathered for Rally Day with food, laughter, ministry displays, bounce houses, magic, Kona Ice, and the wonderful energy that comes when the Advent family simply enjoys being together.

And before August is finished, we have another important beginning to celebrate.

On Sunday, August 23, we will bless the beginning of Advent’s 2026–2027 Faith Formation year. We will pray over our children, youth, teachers, leaders, volunteers, parents, grandparents, and every person who helps nurture faith within this congregation. Our Faith Formation ministries include Faith Builders for children 3K through 5th grade, Senior Youth for grades 6–12, Confirmation, KidsTown, and Adult Faith Formation. Then, on Sunday, August 30, our KidsTown kiddos will officially begin another year together.

I hope we do not miss the grace in all of this. Faith Formation is not simply about classes, schedules, curriculum, or getting children into the right room at the right time. It is about creating places where people can ask questions, discover Scripture, experience community, and learn over time what it means to trust the promises of God.

And that is not only for children. The truth is, every one of us is still being formed. Some of us are strong in faith right now. Some are tired. Some have questions we have never quite been able to answer. Some are carrying grief. Some are caring for aging parents, raising children, facing health concerns, wrestling with finances, navigating relationships, or simply trying to make it through another week.

And yet God meets us there. -- God does not wait until we have everything figured out. God does not require us to arrive polished, certain, or spiritually impressive. Grace meets us exactly where we are and keeps calling us forward.

That is what I hope Walking in Grace: Covered, Called, Grounded, and Sent continues to mean for Advent. We are Covered by a grace we did not earn and cannot lose because we had a difficult week. We are Called by Christ—not because we are perfect, but because Christ chooses ordinary people like us. We are Grounded in the promises of Scripture, prayer, worship, Baptism, and Holy Communion. And then, covered, called, and grounded, we are Sent into the world to love our neighbor.

September gives us a beautiful opportunity to live that out.

On Sunday, September 13, Advent will participate in God’s Work. Our Hands. This is an opportunity for us to turn our attention outward and serve the community around us.

Sometimes churches can become very good at looking inward. We take care of our programs, our buildings, our schedules, our traditions, and one another—and there is nothing wrong with caring for the family God has entrusted to us. But the church of Jesus Christ can never stop there.

There is a world beyond our doors that God deeply loves. There are people who are lonely. Families who are struggling. Neighbors who need encouragement. People who are hungry. People who simply need someone to notice them. And sometimes the most powerful witness the church can offer is not a sermon or a program. Sometimes it is simply showing up with open hands and an open heart.

That is what I love about God’s Work. Our Hands. It reminds us that grace has feet. Grace shows up. Grace serves. Grace listens. Grace gets its hands dirty. And grace does not ask whether someone deserves to be loved before deciding to love them.

As we move through September, our ministries will continue settling into the rhythm of another year. Faith Formation will be underway, Bible study and other opportunities for discipleship will continue, and preparations for Oktoberfest will move into high gear.

There will be plenty to do. But I want us to be careful about something: the goal is not simply to become busier. A busy church is not automatically a faithful church. What matters is whether what we are doing helps people encounter Jesus, grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, serve their neighbors, and discover where God may be calling them. And please hear this with grace: you do not have to do everything.

But I do believe God calls each of us to do something. Maybe this is the year you serve in a ministry for the first time. Maybe you return to something you once loved. Maybe you join a Bible study. Maybe you work beside someone at God’s Work. Our Hands. Maybe you volunteer at Oktoberfest. Maybe you will invite someone to worship. Maybe you simply begin praying, “Lord, show me where you need me.” ---- That prayer may be more than enough to begin.

Please hear this as you read, I am grateful for you. I am grateful for those who quietly serve week after week without recognition. I am grateful for our children laughing on campus, for our seasoned members who continue to pray and encourage, for families trying to raise children in faith, for volunteers who keep showing up, and for everyone who continues to believe that God still has something for Advent to do in this community.

So, as September begins, may we keep our eyes open for where Christ is already at work—and may we have enough courage, humility, and grace to join Him there. We will not do everything perfectly and we do not have to.

We are walking in grace. Covered when we are weary. Called even when we feel inadequate. Grounded when the world feels uncertain. Sent because somebody beyond our walls needs to experience the love we have already received.


Grace and Peace,

Pastor Carl

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September 1, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
Grace with its Sleeves Rolled Up
Dear Advent Family, As we move toward September, I find myself grateful for the way God continues to gather us, stretch us, and gently lead us forward. August has been full. We concluded our summer Come & See experience, blessed backpacks and prayed over our children, youth, teachers, administrators, school employees, and families as another school year began. We gathered for Rally Day with food, laughter, ministry displays, bounce houses, magic, Kona Ice, and the wonderful energy that comes when the Advent family simply enjoys being together. And before August is finished, we have another important beginning to celebrate. On Sunday, August 23, we will bless the beginning of Advent’s 2026–2027 Faith Formation year. We will pray over our children, youth, teachers, leaders, volunteers, parents, grandparents, and every person who helps nurture faith within this congregation. Our Faith Formation ministries include Faith Builders for children 3K through 5th grade, Senior Youth for grades 6–12, Confirmation, KidsTown, and Adult Faith Formation. Then, on Sunday, August 30, our KidsTown kiddos will officially begin another year together. I hope we do not miss the grace in all of this. Faith Formation is not simply about classes, schedules, curriculum, or getting children into the right room at the right time. It is about creating places where people can ask questions, discover Scripture, experience community, and learn over time what it means to trust the promises of God. And that is not only for children. The truth is, every one of us is still being formed. Some of us are strong in faith right now. Some are tired. Some have questions we have never quite been able to answer. Some are carrying grief. Some are caring for aging parents, raising children, facing health concerns, wrestling with finances, navigating relationships, or simply trying to make it through another week. And yet God meets us there. -- God does not wait until we have everything figured out. God does not require us to arrive polished, certain, or spiritually impressive. Grace meets us exactly where we are and keeps calling us forward. That is what I hope Walking in Grace: Covered, Called, Grounded, and Sent continues to mean for Advent. We are Covered by a grace we did not earn and cannot lose because we had a difficult week. We are Called by Christ—not because we are perfect, but because Christ chooses ordinary people like us. We are Grounded in the promises of Scripture, prayer, worship, Baptism, and Holy Communion. And then, covered, called, and grounded, we are Sent into the world to love our neighbor. September gives us a beautiful opportunity to live that out. On Sunday, September 13, Advent will participate in God’s Work. Our Hands. This is an opportunity for us to turn our attention outward and serve the community around us. Sometimes churches can become very good at looking inward. We take care of our programs, our buildings, our schedules, our traditions, and one another—and there is nothing wrong with caring for the family God has entrusted to us. But the church of Jesus Christ can never stop there. There is a world beyond our doors that God deeply loves. There are people who are lonely. Families who are struggling. Neighbors who need encouragement. People who are hungry. People who simply need someone to notice them. And sometimes the most powerful witness the church can offer is not a sermon or a program. Sometimes it is simply showing up with open hands and an open heart. That is what I love about God’s Work. Our Hands. It reminds us that grace has feet. Grace shows up. Grace serves. Grace listens. Grace gets its hands dirty. And grace does not ask whether someone deserves to be loved before deciding to love them. As we move through September, our ministries will continue settling into the rhythm of another year. Faith Formation will be underway, Bible study and other opportunities for discipleship will continue, and preparations for Oktoberfest will move into high gear. There will be plenty to do. But I want us to be careful about something: the goal is not simply to become busier. A busy church is not automatically a faithful church. What matters is whether what we are doing helps people encounter Jesus, grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, serve their neighbors, and discover where God may be calling them. And please hear this with grace: you do not have to do everything. But I do believe God calls each of us to do something. Maybe this is the year you serve in a ministry for the first time. Maybe you return to something you once loved. Maybe you join a Bible study. Maybe you work beside someone at God’s Work. Our Hands. Maybe you volunteer at Oktoberfest. Maybe you will invite someone to worship. Maybe you simply begin praying, “Lord, show me where you need me.” ---- That prayer may be more than enough to begin. Please hear this as you read, I am grateful for you. I am grateful for those who quietly serve week after week without recognition. I am grateful for our children laughing on campus, for our seasoned members who continue to pray and encourage, for families trying to raise children in faith, for volunteers who keep showing up, and for everyone who continues to believe that God still has something for Advent to do in this community. So, as September begins, may we keep our eyes open for where Christ is already at work—and may we have enough courage, humility, and grace to join Him there. We will not do everything perfectly and we do not have to. We are walking in grace. Covered when we are weary. Called even when we feel inadequate. Grounded when the world feels uncertain. Sent because somebody beyond our walls needs to experience the love we have already received. Grace and Peace, Pastor Carl

Carl Taylor

Senior Pastor

August 1, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
August is Here!
July may have moved at a different pace as we move through our Summer Series of “Come & See”, and now August is arriving with plenty of life, energy, and opportunities to gather as the family of Advent. The weekend of August 2 will mark the final weekend of summer and our final weekend of Come & See. Throughout the summer, we have experienced worship in fresh and unexpected ways, and we are grateful for everyone who came with an open heart, ready to see what God might reveal. Then, on the weekend of August 8 -9, we will celebrate the Blessing of the Backpacks for all our children and youth as they prepare to begin a new school year. We will surround our students, teachers, administrators, and families with prayer, reminding them that wherever they go, they are covered by God’s grace. And we are only getting started! On Sunday, August 9, from 3:00–5:00 p.m., Advent will host Rally Day, and everyone is invited. There will be bounce houses, magic shows, Kona Ice, hot dogs, chips, and plenty of activities for children and families. Each Advent ministry will also have a table in the KC Building, giving our congregation and community an opportunity to see the many ways God is working through Advent— and to discover where they may be called to connect, serve, grow, and belong. So come on out, bring your family, invite a friend, and let’s kick off the new ministry season in a big way. At Advent, there is a place for you, a ministry for you, and grace enough for all of us. Come and see. Come and connect. Come and celebrate Grace and Peace, Pastor Carl

Carl Taylor

Senior Pastor

July 1, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Covered for the Road Ahead
Siblings in Christ, July has a way of slowing some things down while reminding us that life keeps moving. Families travel. Children are home from school. Calendars shift. Some people are away, some are returning, and some are simply trying to catch their breath. And somewhere in the middle of it all, somebody is probably asking, “How is summer already moving this fast?”But here is the good news: grace does not take the summer off. Even when routines change, God remains faithful. Even when people travel, the church keeps praying. Even when the heat rises, ministry continues. Even when the calendar feels scattered, the Spirit is still gathering us, forming us, and sending us. As we move through July, we also continue stepping into Year Two of Walking in Grace with our theme: Covered. And let’s be clear: covered does not mean hidden. Covered does not mean passive. Covered does not mean we avoid hard conversations or pretend everything is easy. Covered means we belong to God. Covered means grace holds us while truth shapes us. Covered means mercy gives us courage for the road ahead. That matters for us as a congregation. This summer, we also kicked off a new worship series on Father’s Day weekend called “Come and See.” And yes, that title is intentional. We are changing some things up in our worship experience this summer, but we are not giving everything away ahead of time. Why? Because some things are better experienced than explained. Some things have to be encountered. Some things require you to show up, lean in, and discover what God might be doing among us. That is the invitation of Come and See. Come and see how worship can still surprise us. Come and see how grace can meet us in familiar places and new patterns. Come and see how God continues to speak through Word, song, prayer, table, community, and holy imagination. Come and see what happens when we make room for the Spirit to move among us.Advent Lutheran Church is in a season of movement, discernment, and growth. We are giving thanks for new council leadership, faithful ministry teams, those who serve quietly behind the scenes, and the many ways this congregation continues to show up. The Food Pantry keeps feeding. The Bread Ministry keeps sharing. Worship keeps gathering. Music keeps lifting us. Children keep growing. Families keep connecting. Care keeps being offered. People are living into their Stewardship Commitments made in January (we are still running behind our budgeted goal, but the year is not over). And the mission of the church keeps moving forward. That does not happen by accident. It happens because God is faithful, and because God works through ordinary people who are willing to serve with love walking in grace, Covered, called, grounded, and sent. July also reminds us that being covered by grace does not mean we are careless. We are in hurricane season, so we prepare. We pray for those traveling, those vacationing, those returning home, and those who cannot get away at all. We remember those who are grieving, healing, waiting, working, caregiving, or carrying more than others may know. We pay attention to one another because that is what family does. And Advent, we are more than a church. We are a family. Relationships matter 4 Real. So, this month, I want to invite us to stay connected. Come to worship when you are in town. Pray for the church when you are away. Check on someone you have not seen in a while. Serve where you can. Give faithfully. Encourage generously. Laugh when you can. Rest when you need to. And yes, this summer, Come and See. Come and see what God is doing. Come and see how grace is moving. Come and see how Advent is still becoming. We are not covered so we can stand still. We are covered so we can walk in grace together. -Pastor Carl

Carl Taylor

Senior Pastor

June 1, 2026 • 9 Minute Read
Walking in Grace Into the Long Green Season
Siblings in Christ, June has a way of arriving quietly in Florida. The Easter lilies have been put away. The alleluias of Easter morning have settled into memory. The rush of Holy Week and Easter Sunday has moved into the steady rhythm of summer heat, afternoon storms, longer daylight, and the beginning of what the church often calls the long green season. But green is not boring. Green is not empty. Green is growth and we have seen growth. The month of May gave us a beautiful witness to the life of the church. We celebrated FIVE baptisms in one month. Five times, water and Word met ordinary human life with the extraordinary promise of God. Five times, we were reminded that grace does not wait until we are ready, polished, perfect, or able to explain everything. Grace comes first. Grace claims. Grace covers. Grace calls. Grace grounds. Grace sends. Every baptism is a holy interruption in the life of the church, a visible sign that God is still making promises, still welcoming children and families into the body of Christ, still writing resurrection into the story of ordinary people. The Month of May gave us Mother’s Day, a Sunday filled with gratitude, tenderness, memory, and honest emotion. For some, Mother’s Day brings joy. For others, it carries grief, longing, or complicated memories. The church has to be big enough and gentle enough to hold all of that. So, we gave thanks for mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, spiritual mothers, aunties, mentors, and all those who have loved with courage, patience, sacrifice, and grace. We had a wedding in May, another sacred reminder that love, covenant, promise, and community still matter. In a world where relationships can be treated as disposable and commitments can be taken lightly; the church gets to stand in a holy place and say that love is not merely a feeling. Love is a promise. Love is a witness. Love is something God blesses, strengthens, and surrounds with community. On May 17, we gave thanks for the opportunity to recognize and bless Hannah Jones and Lucy Presecan as they step into the next chapter of their lives. Each received a Legacy Youth Educational Grant from the Legacy Committee, along with other gifts on behalf of the church. Moments like these remind our young people that they do not walk alone. They are surrounded by a congregation that sees them, prays for them, celebrates them, and trusts that God will continue guiding their future. We also gathered for our Annual Meeting, and that gathering mattered. Annual meetings are not always glamorous, but they are important. They help us tell the truth about where we have been, what God has done among us, what still needs attention, and where we believe the Spirit is leading us next. This year’s meeting was about more than reports, motions, and the election of new council members. It was part of the larger work of Advent becoming clearer in purpose, stronger in ministry, healthier in community, and more aligned in mission. Towards the end of May, we celebrated a beautiful end-of-school-year moment with Grace Lutheran Preschool and our Bible Enrichment Club. Throughout the year, children have been learning Bible stories, singing songs, asking questions, hearing about Jesus, and discovering that they are loved by God. As the school year came to a close, we were able to place colorful, kid-friendly Bible books into young hands. That may sound simple, but it is not small. A child receiving a Bible storybook is a seed being planted. A child hearing that God loves them is a foundation being laid. A child being welcomed by the church is a glimpse of the kingdom of God. Our Faith Builders also celebrated with a pool party and time of joy, fun, laughter, and fellowship. That matters too. Children and youth need more than programs. They need belonging. They need safe spaces. They need faithful adults who know their names. They need moments where church feels not only like a place to sit still, but a place where joy, friendship, and faith can grow together. Faith formation does not happen only at a desk or in a classroom. Sometimes it happens around food, water, laughter, conversation, and the simple gift of being together. And across the life of Advent, our ministries are growing and working hard—not just for our own congregation, but for our wider community. Our Food Pantry Ministry and Bread Ministry continue to feed neighbors with dignity and compassion. Our worship and music ministries continue to shape hearts, carry memory, teach theology, and help us lift our voices to God. Our staff, volunteers, ministry leaders, council members, and faithful servants continue doing the steady work that often happens behind the scenes but holds the church together in visible and invisible ways. That is the truth I want us to see as we move into June. We are not entering an empty season. We are entering a growing season. In June, we will continue walking in that spirit we celebrated on Pentecost Sunday, as we remembered that the church was never meant to sit still, hidden behind locked doors, waiting for safer conditions. The Holy Spirit came like wind and fire, not to make the disciples comfortable, but to make them witnesses. Pentecost reminds us that the church is alive when it is Spirit-filled, outward-facing, courageous, multilingual in love, and willing to speak good news into the world God still loves. We will also have celebrated Trinity Sunday, standing before the holy mystery of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday reminds us that God’s own life is communion, relationship, love, and movement. That matters for the church. We are not called to be isolated individuals sitting near one another. We are called to be a people formed by the relational life of God, drawn together in grace, and sent together in love. The long green season (the season after Pentecost) teaches us an important truth: God’s work is not always dramatic. Holy things do not always arrive with fanfare. Often, grace takes root quietly, and the Spirit moves through faithful, everyday moments—steady service, honest meetings, shared meals, open Scripture, music, ministry, celebration, and people who still trust that Jesus is not finished with the church. On June 3–6, leaders from across our wider church will gather for the Florida-Bahamas Synod Assembly. Synod Assembly reminds us that Advent is not alone. We are part of a wider Lutheran witness, connected with congregations, ministries, pastors, deacons, lay leaders, and mission partners across Florida and the Bahamas. We belong to something larger than ourselves, and our work here in Melbourne is part of God’s wider work through the church. June also brings Father’s Day, and we will hold that day with the same pastoral care we brought to Mother’s Day. We give thanks for fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, uncles, mentors, coaches, teachers, spiritual fathers, and all who have offered steady love, guidance, protection, wisdom, and presence. We also remember that Father’s Day can carry grief, hurt, absence, disappointment, or longing. The church can hold all of that because Christ holds all of us. Later in June, our Council Retreat will take place on June 26–27. This retreat will be an important time of prayer, reflection, discernment, and planning as we continue clarifying Advent’s direction for 2026–2027. This is not about creating paper for the sake of paper. Advent does not need more documents pretending to be vision. We need shared clarity. We need spiritual alignment. We need honest conversation. We need practical goals. We need leaders who are not simply managing church life but listening for the movement of God among us. We will also install our leaders during worship that weekend: Saturday, June 27 at 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, June 28 at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Installation is more than a public announcement. It is a holy reminder that leadership in the church is not about status, control, or personal preference. Leadership is service. Leadership is stewardship. Leadership is prayerful responsibility. Leadership is helping the people of God walk faithfully together. And as Floridians, June also means the beginning of hurricane season. Preparation is not fear. Preparation is wisdom. We prepare because we care about one another. We prepare because some of our neighbors live alone. We prepare because the church is called to be steady in the storm. So, I encourage each of us to review our home plans, check on vulnerable neighbors, keep emergency supplies ready, and remain attentive to how Advent can continue being a community of care when storms come. Siblings in Christ, this is where we are: Easter has not ended. Easter is growing roots. It is growing in baptismal water, wedding promises, and children receiving Bible books. It is growing in Faith Builders laughter, food pantry bags and bread tables. It is growing in worship and music, church council discernment and leaders preparing to serve. It is growing in every place where God’s people keep showing up with faith, hope, and love. So, let’s keep walking. Not perfectly. Not anxiously. Not scattered in every direction, but together. As we are Covered by the grace that found us first. Called to follow Jesus one faithful step at a time. Grounded in worship, Word, sacrament, service, and truth. Sent into Melbourne, Brevard County, and beyond with mercy in our hands and Christ’s love in our hearts. We are followers of Jesus Christ for the sake of the world, walking in grace—covered, called, grounded, and sent. With grace and peace, Pastor Carl D. Taylor Senior Pastor

Carl Taylor

Senior Pastor