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September 21, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
A Place to Call Home
When my family and I first came to Advent Lutheran Church, we were looking for something that had been missing from our lives for a long time: a place we could truly call home. We wanted more than a church to attend on Sundays. We were looking for a community where our family would feel welcomed, where our children could grow in faith, and where we could build meaningful relationships with people who shared similar values. As a child and young member of my church, I grew up surrounded by friends and brothers and sisters in faith. The church was more than a place of worship; it was a community that helped shape who I am today. Those relationships and experiences were incredibly meaningful to me, and as my own family grew, I realized how much I missed that sense of belonging. I wanted my children to experience the same kind of faith-centered community that had such a positive impact on my life. One of my first memories of feeling that Advent could become our church home was during the worship service. The contemporary style of the service, combined with the quality and execution of the music, immediately resonated with us. The worship felt genuine, engaging, and meaningful. At the same time, Pastor Alisha made a lasting impression. She was incredibly welcoming without being intrusive, creating an environment where we felt comfortable and respected. She gave us the space we needed while making it clear that we were welcome. That balance made us want to come back and continue exploring what Advent had to offer. What I appreciate most about Advent Lutheran Church is the sense of community it creates. It is a place where people genuinely care for one another and where families have opportunities to connect, serve, and grow together. Since becoming part of Advent, we have found much more than a church. We have found friendships, support, and a place where our family feels connected. I especially value the church's investment in children and families, providing opportunities for the next generation to learn about faith, build relationships, and develop strong values in a welcoming environment. My understanding of generosity and stewardship grew as I became more involved in the church. When I learned that the church's ministries, programs, and outreach efforts are sustained by the faithful financial support of its members, I realized that I needed to do my part. I came to understand that giving is not simply about supporting a budget; it is about investing in a mission that impacts lives, nurtures faith, serves families, and strengthens the community. Supporting the church became a way for me to contribute to something much greater than myself. I choose to support Advent Lutheran Church because I believe in the mission and the difference it makes in people's lives. I want other families to experience the same welcoming community that we found here. I want children to have a place where they can grow in faith, build lasting friendships, and know they are loved and supported. Through our giving, we help create opportunities for others to encounter God's love and experience the same sense of belonging that has been so meaningful to our family. My greatest hope for Advent Lutheran Church is that it continues to grow and welcome even more families, children, and individuals seeking a church home. I hope our ministries continue to expand and reach more people throughout our community. Most importantly, I hope Advent remains a place where children can grow in faith, form lifelong friendships, and become the next generation of believers, leaders, and servants. My prayer is that future generations will experience the same sense of belonging, support, and community that my family has found here, and that together we continue sharing God's love with an ever-growing number of people.
September 19, 2026 • 5 Minute Read
This Week at Advent (9-19-26)
Welcome to the weekly roundup 👋 This is your one-stop spot for everything happening around here. Find the calendar for the week, announcements, worship streams, and more. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days... Sunday, September 20 Contemporary Worship - 9:00am, “Come and See” in person or online! Kidstown Sunday School - during the 9:00am worship, Sunday School programming for grades K-5 Aloha Bible Study - 10:15am adult Bible Study in the Community Engagement Center Traditional Worship - 11:00am, “Come and See” in person or onlineat 11:00am! Monday, September 21 Senior Gamers - 2:00pm in the Knoedler Center Fellowship Hall Tuesday, September 22 Watercolor Group - 12:00pm in the Community Engagement Center Youth Ensemble/Chimes Rehearsal - 4:30pm in the sanctuary (contact Curtis Lanouefor more information) Chancel Choir Rehearsal - 5:30pm in the sanctuary (contact Curtis Lanouefor more information) Wednesday, September 23 NO Genesis Bible Study - usually meets at 6:30pm in the Community Engagement Center, will resume next week (September 30) Thursday, September 24 D13 Band Rehearsal - 6:45pm in the Sanctuary Weekly Food Pantry Distribution - 5:00-6:00pm in the parking lot. Interested in volunteering? Click here. View latest distribution reports here. Saturday, September 26 ELCA Space Coast Conference Meeting - 9:30am in the Knoedler Center Fellowship Hall. Informal Traditional Worship - 5:00pm in the sanctuary. A casual in-person worship experience Save the Date! Upcoming Events: Drive-Up Pet Blessing with Florida Wildlife Hospital - October 10, 9:00am-12:00pm under the portico Oktoberfest - October 17, 11:00am - 2:00pm everywhere on campusFull calendar of events Announcements: Youth Ministry Update 🎉 Advent’s youth and family ministry is in full swing! If you want to keep up-to-date about the youth and family ministry events, click the card below to visit the collection, where you can subscribe and get monthly updates!Youth and Family Ministry Updating our Records 📝 We are updating our membership records and want to be sure everyone’s information is up-to-date. We want to be sure that when we send you mail or want to reach out, we can reach you. Even if you think your info is correct, please fill out a member information form (located in the lobby) and return to PA or PC. Thank you! Supporting Local Schools 🏫 The Outreach Team is collecting school supplies, toiletries, feminine products and snack food items for the many homeless students attending Eau Gallie High School. For more information see the September Advocate, or contact Bill or Tammy Leahy. Attention Animal Lovers 🐾 Florida Wildlife Hospital will be visiting our Faith Builders Youth group with an educational opportunity, teaching them about some of God’s “creepy-cool creatures”! To support FWH’s inspiring (and important) stewardship of God’s amazing animals, our Youth Ministries are running a donation supply drive. Basic supply items such as unscented liquid bleach, Purina Dry Cat Food, Dawn Dish Soap, and Laundry detergent will be collected in October until the 11th. For more information, you may contact Carolann Robbins. God’s Work. Our Hands. Last weekend was a wonderful success, thanks to your help! Click below to read more about how Advent served on GWOH Weekend!God's Work Our Hands Featured Advent Story of the week: Two years after they moved to the area, Melanie had a severe medical situation that had a recovery time of more than a year. Throughout that year, Melanie remembers how Advent showed up for her family in many ways... click below to read more!Melanie and Jon's Advent Story This week’s Worship Livestreams:Contemporary Worship: September 20 @ 9amTraditional Worship: September 20 @ 11amLast week's Sermon Food Pantry Report:Food Pantry Report Print Newsletters:Click here to download the Weekly MessengerClick here to download the Monthly Advocate Online Giving: Your generosity makes ministry possible. We’re so grateful for you. If you think you’ll miss church services, consider setting up recurring giving. It takes just a few moments to get started, and your regular donations will help sustain us throughout the year. You can click the button below to set up a secure, recurring contribution from your bank account, credit card, or debit card. It takes seconds to use your smartphone to give by text or our mobile app. Download the free Vanco app from the App Store or Google Play to give through our mobile app and search for our church by name. We sincerely thank you for your generosity to Advent’s community and various ministries!Click Here to give online Fostering Generosity: Giving isn’t just about putting money in the offering plate. Even without spending a cent, there are many ways to contribute to this congregation, helping support Advent’s mission and serve the community! More information about these options can be found on our giving page by clicking here. Monthly Council SummaryCouncil Summary Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your email inbox. 📸 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Weekly Worship: Saturdays at 5:00 PM · Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM 7550 N Wickham Rd. Melbourne, FL 32940 Next Week: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Psalm 25:1-9 Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32
September 17, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
9-17-26
Fresh Manna each day This week's food pantry served 83 families representing 263 individuals. We distributed 134 bags of food and welcomed 1 new family. We were blessed by the helping hands of 13 volunteers. As we close this week, I've been reflecting on the neighbors I've come to know at our pantry. What began as a weekly handoff of groceries has become something richer — conversations where people trust me with what's really going on in their lives. It's a rollercoaster of emotion: the joy of a birthday one week, the ache of a suffering loved one the next. In the wilderness, God gave manna fresh each morning — enough for that day, gathered in that moment. I've come to believe our Thursday mornings work the same way. God brings us together for that moment, and what we share is never only physical nourishment. I'm grateful for you: our volunteers, mission partners, and supporters who make these encounters possible week after week — you're providing far more than food. "When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance... Moses said to them, 'It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.'" — Exodus 16:14-15 Current needs: Boxed cereal Boxed Mac & Cheese Canned pasta / pasta-meat (e.g., Campbell's Spaghettio, Chef Boyardee,...)
September 16, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
September Council Summary
SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 Meeting Summary For the month of August 2026, General operating income was $39,948 (18% under budget). General operating expenses were $29,357 (39% under budget). Operating income exceeded expenses in August by $10,601. August income for Grace Preschool was $32,704 and expenses were $26,804. Meeting Notes: Church council had preliminary discussions on development of 2027 budget. Updates on plans for Stewardship Campaign were provided by members of the Stewardship Committee Report on God’s Work /Our Hands was presented. Council members provided updates on plans for Women’s Ministry forum and Student/Active duty care packages.
September 14, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
In Sickness and In Health
When we moved to the Melbourne area in 1993 our son was finishing the fifth grade. As lifelong Lutherans, Jon and I knew one of our first priorities was to find a warm, welcoming church home with an active youth group. After our first visit to Advent, Pastor Jake Knoedler visited us at the hotel we were staying in and wanted to know more about us. From that conversation he helped us to feel welcomed to the community and to Advent. Advent was a small church then but already was generously reaching out and serving the community and the Advent family. Two years after we moved to the area and joined Advent, I had a severe medical situation with a recovery of over a year. The Advent family supported us with prayers, cards, calls, meals, visits and love. It meant so much to our family to feel the love of our church family. As a long time member I have had the privilege to be a part of and witness the hearts and hands of members and friends of Advent step in and serve Advent and our community with their time, offerings and talents. Through the generosity of Advent friends and members, Advent has done, and continues to do, wonderful things to make a difference in people’s lives. I learned generosity from my parents. They were wonderful examples of being generous with their time, talents and giving to the church and to the community. Our family were farmers and we had a big family with six children. Our home farm has been in our family for over 100 years. We had dairy cows, fields of crops and big gardens. We worked together and we shared the bounty of vegetables from our gardens and the fruits from our trees with our church family, community and those in need. In those days most of the farmers in the area had immigrants who would come in the summer to work in the fields. We would post a sign by the road that they were welcome to come and take fruit from our trees and vegetables from the gardens. After my father passed away and my mother could no longer live alone on the farm she moved to an assisted living facility and had a one-bedroom apartment. Coming from a five-bedroom farmhouse there was a lot of furniture and accessories that would not be able to go with her. We discussed having an auction sale or garage sale but my mother said to give it all to the church for the church’s annual rummage sale. Mom said the Lord had blessed her with it and now it was time for it to be a blessing to new families and the church would be good stewards of the money it received from the sale. Another beautiful lesson in generosity. We have been faithful givers to Advent for over three decades. In that time, we have seen Advent be faithful in shining the light of Christ in our worship, within the Advent family and into our community. Advent has been committed and faithful in growing ministry outreach, care and service to members and the community. I hope that Advent continues to be committed and faithful in serving the Lord within the congregation, surrounding areas, Brevard County and beyond. I hope that people in our community will be drawn to Advent to see it as a place to be open and accepting to all, focused on the word of God and pouring His love, grace, mercy, peace and generosity to our church family, our community and beyond.
September 13, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
God's Work. Our Hands
God’s Work. Our Hands. This weekend we participated alongside ELCA Lutherans across the country in a time of service, focusing on the daily call to love and serve our neighbor. Together, we brought coins to the local laundromats, helping people with the expense of washing clothes (Average cost per load is between 2-5 dollars, and can be up to $8!) We prepared, cooked, and distributed meals to the Cocoa Veterans Village The Faith Builders and Senior Youth Group made Ham and Cheese and PB&J sandwiches for Matthew’s Hope You can view the full gallery of photos by clicking the button below:God's Work Our Hands Photos More about the day from our denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: “God’s work. Our hands.” is the ELCA’s annual day of service. It is a blessed opportunity for all our congregations to celebrate who we are as a church, engaging in projects and activities that explore our convictions as Lutherans: that all life in Jesus flows from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace. The ELCA is one church, freed in Christ to love and serve our neighbor every day.