Home Page - The Church of the Advent

COMING UP!

Sunday, January 27 -- The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
10:15am, Annual Parish Meeting

Sunday, February 3 -- The Solemnity of the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas)
8:00am, Low Mass
9:00am, Blessing of Candles, Procession & Sung Mass
10:15am, Ent'racte with Fr. Welch
11:15am, Blessing of Candles, Procession & Solemn Mass

Sunday, February 10
After the 9:00am Mass, Parish Forum on the Search Process

Sunday, February 17
After the 11:15am Mass, Parish Forum on the Search Process
4:30pm, Organ Recital
5:00pm, Solemn Evensong & Benediction

Introducing our Interim Rector

We are pleased to announce that the Rev'd Truman Welch will serve as Interim Rector during our period of transition and search following Father Allan Warren's retirement. Father Welch will take up his position effective Monday, January 28, 2019. His first Sunday will us will be February 3, 2019, when we celebrate Candlemas. We will hear Father Welch preach that day and welcome him at celebratory coffee hours after both the 9 am and 11:15 am Masses.

Fr. Welch retired four years ago as Rector of Good Shepherd, Waban. By happy coincidence, Father Welch's predecessor there was none other than our own Father Warren! So in addition to his experience as the leader of a parish, Father Welch is deeply familiar with our Anglo-Catholic traditions of worship and teaching. He also has a wonderful personal calmness and pastoral presence about him, which are excellent traits for a time of transition.

We are grateful to our Bishop for his careful attention to the Advent in proposing Father Welch to us, and for his counsel and guidance in discerning the right path for us during the upcoming period of transition. We are also thankful to the Vestry and the Clergy for their thoughtful and prayerful participation in this process. Please keep Father Welch and Bishop Gates in your prayers, just as you have Father Warren.

Faithfully your brothers in Christ,

C. Thomas Brown & Paul J. Roberts, Wardens

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Church of the Advent is a Christian community, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, which gathers together day by day and week by week to know and make known the grace of God which comes to believers through Jesus Christ. All that we are and all that we do is empowered by the grace of God which is given to us through the Sacraments instituted by Christ, particularly the Sacrament of the Altar. And by means of this abundant grace we enjoy a diverse, vital, and close-knit parish family - young, old, rich, poor, of various ethnic origins and differing backgrounds. From our extraordinary music program to a growing church school, our guilds of bell ringers, gardeners and acolytes, to those who serve our long-standing Tuesday Night Community Dinner for the needy, the Advent is a community of faith which tries to keep the Gospel close to her heart and to live by Jesus' teaching.

The mission of the Parish, as defined by its charter in 1844, is "to bring to a portion of the city of Boston the ministrations of the holy Catholic Church; and more especially to secure the same to the poor and needy in a manner free from unnecessary expense and all ungracious circumstances." To that end, the Advent was founded as the first church in Boston without compulsory pew rent. Over the years we have welcomed into our fellowship worshippers not only from the city and suburbs, but also from all New England. An appreciation of the importance of prayer and the ancient traditions of Christian worship inspires all our services, from a quiet weekday Mass in the Lady Chapel to the full splendor of Solemn High Mass on a Sunday morning. We are committed to preaching the Word of God and ministering His Sacraments to all who desire them, and we hope to have you join us in this mission.

And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Anglo-Catholic Worship

The Advent is part of the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Massachusetts, and the world-wide Anglican Communion. We celebrate the Eucharist daily, base our worship on the Book of Common Prayer, and invite all baptized Christians to join us for Communion. Sunday services are at 8 AM (Said Mass, Anglican Missal), 9 AM (Sung Mass, Rite II), and 11:15 AM (Solemn Mass, Rite I). Nothing would make us happier than to have a chance to worship with you!

View Our Full Worship Schedule

Community

Our parish is very diverse, and we strive to be open and welcoming to everyone in our community. Whether you're liberal or conservative, young or old, gay or straight, rich or poor, just visiting or a Boston native -- we hope you'll feel at home at the Advent. If you join us for Sunday Mass, please also join us for coffee hour immediately afterwards (downstairs in Moseley Hall). Smaller community groups meet throughout the week, and we encourage all members of the parish to be involved in some form of Christian formation.

More About Christian Formation

Mission

From our founding back in 1844, the Advent has been committed to ministry and outreach. We march in Project Bread's annual Walk For Hunger, and every Tuesday evening, members of the parish serve a nourishing meal to people in need. We have also sponsored relief efforts in Haiti, have participated in our diocese's B-SAFE summer program, and have an active Care and Prayer team. We are always looking for more ways to help do God's work in the world, so please check back often to see current service opportunities.

Learn More About Our Ministries

Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Jay C. James at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 20, 2019, the Solemnity of the Confession of St Peter

Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ And Jesus answered him. ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church,
Collect for the Solemnity of the Confession of St Peter

Almighty Father, who didst inspire Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the Living God: Keep thy Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and
This Week at the Advent, January 20-26, 2019

The flowers at the high altar are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Peter Ward Britton. The flowers at the crossing are given in loving memory of Vincent Bohlen and Edgar Bohlen, and in thanksgiving for the baptism of Bea Egan. If you are visiting or new to the Advent,
Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 13, 2019, the First Sunday after Epiphany

In the name of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is striking that the Church calendar, after the great Feast of Christmas, plunges rather rapidly after Low Sunday into two particularly fascinating episodes. First the story of the Epiphany and secondly the Baptism of Christ. Both are deeply intriguing as soon as we
Collect for the First Sunday after the Epiphany

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan didst proclaim him thy beloved Son and anoint him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with thee and the
This Week at the Advent, January 13-19, 2019

The flowers at the High Altar are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Nancy Hockfield LaPosta. If you are visiting or new to the Advent, we hope that you will feel welcome and at home. Please fill out a visitor’s/newcomer’s card so that we will have a record of your
Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Dr Jeffrey Hanson at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 6, 2019, the Feast of the Epiphany

Today the Christmas season comes to a close. It comes to a close in the feast the Church calls the Epiphany. It may interest you to know that the early church started celebrating Epiphany before initiating a commemoration for Christmas, so important was it in the minds of our forebears in faith. So why so

The Church of the Advent

Serving the city of Boston since 1844

Visit Us

30 Brimmer Street, Boston, MA 02108

Anglo-Catholic Worship

Community

Mission

The Church Cat Welcomes You!

A Brief History

Mass for the Solemnity of the Feast of the Holy Cross

The Advent Choir on SoundCloud

Recent Posts

Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Jay C. James at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 20, 2019, the Solemnity of the Confession of St Peter

Collect for the Solemnity of the Confession of St Peter

This Week at the Advent, January 20-26, 2019

Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 13, 2019, the First Sunday after Epiphany

Collect for the First Sunday after the Epiphany

This Week at the Advent, January 13-19, 2019

Sermon Preached by the Rev’d Dr Jeffrey Hanson at the Church of the Advent, Sunday, January 6, 2019, the Feast of the Epiphany