Our Journey So Far
Optimistic! Enthusiastic! Looking forward to the future God has planned! Above all, participatory! These words describe the Advent family from its beginnings.
In the early 1980's a study by the Greenville District and the SC Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church projected rapid growth in the Woodruff Road area of Greenville/Simpsonville.
- Heritage Lakes Clubhouse 1986
In June 1986 Clarence "Smoke" Kanipe was appointed to pastor a new congregation in the area. Services for the new church began at the Heritage Lakes subdivision's clubhouse with 17 people in attendance. A new church was chartered early in 1987 with 63 members.
- First Sanctuary 1988
A first building (the current Music Suite) was built in September 1988. By 1993, the education wing was built. This space housed the staff, space for worship and Sunday Schools, and places where Bible studies were held.
- New Sanctuary 2000
In November 1999, construction began on the current sanctuary. The Sanctuary was completed in 2001.
In 2005 additional land and the Advent House were purchased to provide more room to grow. On August 19, 2007, the Christian Life Center was Consecrated. The Christian Life Center has a full kitchen, dining room, youth suite, walking track, 8 classrooms, storage, and gym. The facility cost $1.8 million had has 21,500 square feet on two floors.
- Christian Life Center 2007
But this church was not, and is not, about buildings. It is about family. It is about prayer. It is about serving God through service to the world, community, and each other. It is about making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Even as we start our second 20 years of mission and ministry, the name chosen for this church community remains more than just a name. "Advent" means "coming" - the future that God has planned coming to to pass.
Today, Advent continues its "coming" through the leadership of the current Pastor, Susan Leonard-Ray. Now there are over 1200 members of the Advent family who are on this journey of faith as together we connect to God, connect to others, and transform the world.