History of Advent Episcopal Church

This year, 2005, Advent Episcopal Church, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. Our first service as a parish was on the second Sunday in Advent, December 4, 1955. However, our roots go back to the beginning of the century.

 

In 1905, the Girl's Friendly Society, an organization of the Episcopal Diocese, purchased sixty acres of land "away out in the country" for Holiday House. Here on the edge of Pine Lake for the next five decades a camp was conducted every summer for girls from age seven through young adulthood.

 

For fifty years, the Chairman of the committee was Miss Frances Sibley of Detroit. She was a woman of broad interests with a mind that was always four jumps ahead of anyone else. After the end of the Second World War, she saw the trend of the population moving from the city to the suburbs. She advised the Holiday House Committee that the day was soon coming when the camp would have to move farther away from Detroit. In 1954, with the sale of the sixty acres in mind, she suggested that the Girls' Friendly Society give a choice five acre plot of ground to the Diocese, for the purpose of founding a new mission.

 

The offer was gratefully accepted. Before proceeding further, however, a door-to-door survey of the area was first conducted under the guidance of a Diocesan field worker, Mrs. Ethel Hogle. It was discovered that for some months prior, a number of families from Christ Church Cranbrook and All Saints' Episcopal Church in Pontiac had been interested in starting a mission in this area. Sixteen dedicated people, under the direction of Mrs. Hogle, "rang doorbells for the Lord." Back of all this interest and work was Archdeacon Ralph Parks, who directed the missionary efforts for the Diocese as a whole.

 

The survey indicated that this excellent site would serve the rapidly expanding area between Telegraph Road and Green Lake. It would go south to Maple Road and north toWaterford Township.

 

In November 1955, a Bishop's Committee to investigate and guide the project was appointed. The old Pine Lake School at the corner of Middlebelt Road and West Long Lake Road was rented as a temporary meeting place. Chairs were borrowed from Holiday House and Christ Church Cranbrook, tattered used prayer books and hymnals from the same sources, candles from here, linens from there, dyed cheese cloth for Altar hangings, two pickle jars for flowers; and the first service was held by Archdeacon Parks on December 4, 1955, on the second Sunday in Advent. It was from this season that the new parish took its name -- The Episcopal Church of the Advent. There were ninety people present to hear Archdeacon Ralph Parks, Mrs. Hogle and Bud Guest lead the congregation.

 

The mission grew steadily from that beginning. Work groups transformed an abandoned country school-house into an attractive chapel. The young people painted the leaky basement. Pews and other furnishings came from surrounding churches and individuals. Furthermore, through the strong and active support of its own members and a gift from Christ Church Cranbrook, a full-time minister was called -- The Reverend John W. Wigle, who began with the little parish on July l, 1956.

 

As previously mentioned, the Pine Lake Mission was under the sponsorship of the Diocese. But as the mission grew, interest on the part of Christ Church Cranbrook mounted. Finally, by mutual agreement, and with the consent of the Bishop, on December 31, 1956, the Church of the Advent became a parochial mission of Christ Church Cranbrook.

 

In May 1958, ground was formally broken at the current site for the Church of the Advent with approximately 100 people in attendance. Bishop Emrich officiated at the Dedication Service. The first unit of Advent's new church building was completed in February 1959, and the service was held in the chapel that has since been converted into Sibley Hall.

 

Frances Sibley continued to be deeply interested in the progress of Advent. She died in 1958, and shortly thereafter our Vestry was notified that the residue of her estate was to be divided between the Girls' Friendly Society and the Episcopal Church of the Advent. We were truly blessed! Along with being the prime mover to establish the parish, she became the first major benefactor of Advent.

 

At a special meeting of the congregation on January 1, 1961, the parish elected their first Vestry and voted to accept the Articles of Incorporation. Rogers I. Marquis was elected Senior Warden and Dr. Charles L. Bowers was elected Junior Warden.

 

Our Mission status was changed to that of a Parish. We were on our own, and would have to show our responsibility to the Diocese and the community at large. In a very short time, the Parish had outgrown the first unit and it was necessary to start a second building fund. A connecting "link" unit was built and dedicated in December 1962. The long-hoped-for goal, the permanent worship unit, was completed in June 1965. Many of the early members had come from large parishes which because of the size made them seem cold. With this thought in mind, the Vestry decided that a seating capacity of three hundred would help the parish to be a closely knit group. The sanctuary features a free standing Altar, with a large cross suspended over the Altar to focus attention on the Holy Table stressing the centrality of the sacrament of Holy Communion. The design combines contemporary freshness and openness with traditional warmth through the use of fir beams, cedar, brick, and cathedral glass.

 

The Reverend John J. Lohmann was called to Advent in January 1969, and served the congregation for seven years. Under his guidance, the church grew to approximately 225 families.

 

The parish has always been community minded. Advent founded the first child day-care center in Pontiac, Michigan, and the Outreach Commission served as its first board of directors. The original staff members were all volunteers and members of Advent. Advent founded the Pontiac Ecumenical Ministry, and in 1974, started a camping program for needy children to attend church camp. Our members have been actively involved in supporting Mariners Inn for homeless men which is located in Detroit. We have been one of the parishes in the Diocese that gives, per capita, the highest amount to CESA (Combined Episcopal Service Agency).

 

In 1971/72, with the loving dedication of many members, an "organ fund" was started. Twenty-six thousand dollars was raised and the Rogers Electronic Three-Manual Classic Model Organ was installed in December 1973. This organ, today, is valued at $50,000.00.

 

Another effective project which was given whole-hearted cooperation on everyone's part is our Prayer Center, now located in the transept of the sanctuary. In July of 1975, the Altar Guild drafted a proposal for a Prayer Center and submitted it to the Vestry for approval. The Prayer Center is a memorial to Bettie Lott Cunningham. So praise God and light a candle with your special prayer and act of devotion. The Altar Guild is responsible for its perpetual care.

 

The Reverend Jeffrey Meadowcroft was called to Advent in August of 1977. An indication of the continuing vigor and spirit of this congregation was the successful production of "Noye's Fludde" by Benjamin Britten, a dramatic musical opera, performed in the church on February 9 and 10, l980. This was truly a musical offering to the glory of God which reached out to the entire community. The opera required the talents of 270 individuals of all ages, and the four performances were enjoyed by 1,200 people.

 

Early in 1979, the Worship Commission appointed a committee to formulate long range plans to beautify and redecorate the church. This committee met on numerous occasions with artisans and interior decorators. They visited other churches for ideas and professional advice. As a result, the cathedral glass windows have been restored. This was a cooperative effort, with the financial support coming from the membership as memorials to loved ones. The leaded art work, a memorial to Al Matisse, is unique in its simple, classic beauty. The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit and the Crown and Cross -- King of Kings! Lord of Lords!

 

In 1982 the Rev. Gregory Sims accepted a call to Advent and served as priest for the next five years. He brought with him a reverence for worship and left behind a group of well-trained acolytes.

 

In 1988 the Rev. Ken Davis was called as rector and was the first to live in the newly completed rectory located in the neighborhood immediately adjacent to the church. A true evangelist, Ken was responsible for the conversion and return of many who did not know the Lord or had stepped away from their faith. He brought a heightened sense of the Holy Spirit's ministry in the lives of many parishioners before he retired in 1993.

 

In 1994 the Rev. Kevin Warner accepted the unanimous call of the Search Committee and Vestry and began his ministry as Rector. Kevin continues to share his excellent gifts of teaching and preaching and in the eleven years he has been here, Advent has seen significant growth in numbers of worshipers, parish giving, and commitment to Christ. In 1998, the Rev. Geoffrey Piper accepted the call to share his remarkable talents in Christian formation, music, and mission, as our Assistant Rector for Youth Ministries.

 

We are midway through a $2.4 million dollar campaign called Power it Up!, that has enabled us to dramatically expand and refurbish our worship space and classrooms. Our Sunday School thrives with the innovative Rotation curriculum. Our Youth Group is flourishing, guided by our talented lay advisors in the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) program. The teens and their advisors do an Appalachian Adventure each summer, serving impoverished communities in rural West Virginia with a local ministry, Mustard Seeds and Mountains. Small group ministries reach more people each year with the love and mercy of Christ.

 

Other active organizations within the parish include the Altar Guild, Acolytes, Chancel Choir and Praise Ensemble, Bible Studies, Outreach, and Prayer Groups. In 1997 Advent affiliated with the American Anglican Council, affirming the need for the church to carry out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) while upholding the authority of Scripture in the conduct of this mission. Advent has become a regional center for teaching, hosting two Acts 29 Ministries conferences a year. We are committed to outreach ministries throughout the local community, on the University of Michigan campus, in Zimbabwe, Ghana, and in various international relief and development initiatives.

 

Over the past fifty years, our Lord has provided all things necessary for the abundant life He promises us. His grace has guided the devotion, love, vision and plain hard work of many people. We thank our Lord for His presence among us in the Holy Spirit, in Word and Sacrament. We thank Him for the faithful servant hood of so many, for their generous offerings of time, talent, treasure, wisdom, patience, and dedication. We hope you might join us in the journey as sinners, seekers, servants, disciples and witnesses discovering the love of God in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Download Advent's fifty year celebration picture book (Adobe Acrobat file) by clicking here

 

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