"So All May Know Christ's Love" on Meade Street
Advent Lutheran Church sits on Meade Street in Westminster, Colorado, just minutes from the U.S. 36 bikeway in the northern Denver metro. The congregation carries a simple mission statement beneath its name: "So All May Know Christ's Love." It is an open, ELCA congregation in the Rocky Mountain Synod that has built its identity around welcome, service, and an unusually creative mix of ministry for a church of its size.
Visitors are greeted on Sunday mornings at 9 am by the smell of coffee and treats waiting in the narthex, and by a community that has thought hard about who belongs inside a sanctuary. The congregation is recognized as a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community, meaning it publicly affirms that people of every sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, age, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, ability, and socio-economic background are embraced as a reflection of God's creation. The church's own welcome statement runs from those who are "single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich" to "bleeding hearts" and doubters, ending with a simple "and you!"
Sunday Worship: Lutheran Liturgy with Open Communion
Every Sunday at 9 am, Advent gathers in the sanctuary for a Lutheran liturgical worship service. Most Sundays include special music from the Chancel Choir, the Handbell Choir, or soloists, weaving music into the flow of confession, scripture, preaching, prayer, and Holy Communion.
The church practices open communion. All who come forward are welcome to receive, because, as the congregation puts it, "God's gifts are always free." Sermons are preached by Pastor Alena Lamirato, a Colorado native who grew up at Advent, served as its volunteer youth director for eight years, and later returned to lead the congregation. She holds a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and a Doctor of Ministry focused on spirituality and why people are leaving the church. Pastor Alena's recent sermons are posted online as PDFs.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed on Facebook and made available for later viewing on the congregation's YouTube channel. Coffee and treats follow each service in the narthex.
A 7-Circuit Chartres Labyrinth in the Backyard
One of Advent's most distinctive features sits outside on the north side of the building: a 7-circuit labyrinth based on the pattern set into the floor of the Cathedral of Chartres in France around 400 AD. The 300-plus stones are Lyons Red Sandstone, originally installed on a hilltop at the Loretto Convent and Retreat Center in Littleton, Colorado. When that retreat center closed in the spring of 2018, members of Advent relocated the labyrinth to the church grounds in memory of Barbara Berrett and Maxine Bobier.
The labyrinth is open to anyone, anytime, for walking meditation and prayer. Benches ring the perimeter for resting. Advent encourages three movements as walkers follow the single winding path inward and back out: release, as the mind quiets; receive, in the stillness of the center; and return, carrying the experience into daily life. A virtual labyrinth is also available for those who cannot come in person.
Chancel Choir, Handbells, and a Long Lutheran Song
Music has been woven into Advent's life for years, and the congregation leans into its Lutheran inheritance. Worship opens with Psalm 95: "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!" Several of the hymns sung from the pews were written by Martin Luther himself.
The Chancel Choir rehearses in the sanctuary at 7 pm on Wednesdays, September through May, with a brief break for summer. The Handbell Choir follows at 7:45 pm in the narthex. Both groups welcome new singers and ringers regardless of experience. Greg Komma serves as organist and music director for the choir, and Lisa Cook directs the handbell program.
An Active Food Pantry and a Ton of Food
Advent runs its own food pantry and has turned feeding the surrounding community into one of its signature ministries. Anyone in need of food can call the church office at 303-428-7501 to arrange a pickup time. Everyone who comes receives a generous assortment of groceries and can be connected to additional resources.
On the first Sunday of every month, called Can Can Sunday, members fill the pantry's shelves with donations. Monetary gifts marked "food bank" are also welcome. The Social Outreach Committee also collects specific items each month (syrup, canned chicken, cold cereal, canned ravioli in September, for example) and supports a Community Food Drive for the Growing Home Food Pantry. In one recent drive alone, the congregation delivered more than a ton of food (2,196 pounds) to Growing Home, using two pickup trucks and two SUVs to haul it.
Beyond the food pantry, the Social Outreach team supports Hope House by providing a monthly lunch or dinner to clients and staff, runs an annual school supply drive for Gregory Hills Learning Center each July and August, collects coats in October, fills Thanksgiving baskets in November, and decorates a Cap and Mitten Tree each December. Members also contribute to ELCA global gifts and Lutheran World Relief, supporting ministry far beyond Westminster's city limits.
Quilters and the Radio Players: Two Unexpected Ministries
Two of Advent's most distinctive programs have grown quietly into local institutions.
The Advent Quilters meet the first and third Thursday of each month at 10 am in the church basement. No sewing experience is required to join. The group produces more than 160 quilts a year, sold for about $40 each at a biannual Quilt Blessing and Sale. Remaining quilts are donated to Lutheran World Relief for distribution across the United States and around the world. With support from Thrivent and Advent members, the Quilt Patch is self-supporting.
The Advent Radio Players, founded in 2012, perform live old-time radio plays using original scripts from shows like The Whistler and Suspense, complete with stand-up microphones, "on the air" and "applause" lights, vintage sound effects, and period commercials. The casts and crews are drawn from the congregation and the wider Westminster community. A recent performance raised $604 for Holy Hammers, a part of Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver.
Bible Study, Book Group, and a Walking Men's Group
Advent's adults gather around the Bible in several formats.
The Women's Bible Study meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 10 am in the Fireside Lounge, working through the study included in each issue of Gather magazine. Recent studies have followed the journeys of Hagar, Ruth, and Mary Magdalene. A Wednesday morning Bible Study meets at 11:30 am in the Fireside Lounge, and a Thursday evening group meets at 7 pm in the same room; both resume in October. The Advent Book Group selects a single title each season (most recently They Left Us Everything by Plum Johnson) for discussion and a potluck.
Men in Mission, Advent's men's group, gathers for breakfast on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 am at Morning Story Restaurant, 8025 Sheridan Blvd in Arvada. The group also plans service projects throughout the year and connects with Lutheran Men in Mission gatherings across the region.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Children are a visible part of Sunday mornings at Advent. Sunday School for ages 4 through 11 takes place during worship each Sunday, with children dismissed after the children's sermon and returning in time for Holy Communion. Confirmation classes are typically offered for youth ages 12 to 14 and are led by Pastor Alena. The youth group has traveled to the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park for an annual winter retreat.
Christian Care and the Wider Community
The Christian Care Team is a volunteer network that sends birthday, graduation, new-birth, confirmation, welcome, get-well, and sympathy cards to Advent members and friends. A Home Visiting sub-team visits members who can no longer come to worship in person. Visitors are always needed, and both Pastor Alena and Karen Trinidad welcome new volunteers.
The Fellowship and Evangelism Team plans events like Friendship Sunday, potlucks, and seasonal activities, and represents Advent at community gatherings such as the Westminster Block Party and the Broomfield Westminster Pride Event at Aerostat Park.
The Green Team and Creation Care
Advent takes recycling and waste reduction seriously. The Green Team meets on the third Friday of each month in the Fireside Lounge and runs monthly recycling projects that change with the calendar: bottle caps in September, corks in October, clean candy wrappers in November, bread bag closers in December, and Christmas lights in January. Over the years, the congregation has swapped plastic utensils for flatware, paper plates for reusable ones, and Styrofoam cups for mugs at coffee hour, potlucks, and shared meals.
Members also take part in Election Earth's 10-Week GOTV Challenge, taking one small action each week for the climate during election season.
Bike to Work and Other Annual Traditions
Each June, Advent hosts a station along the U.S. 36 bikeway for Bike to Work Day, serving snacks and cold drinks to passing commuters. The Green Team typically pitches in, and bananas are always the most popular item. Other annual traditions include the Season of Creation Blessing of the Animals, a Pride Sunday celebration, the blessing of the quilts, and an Outside Cleanup Day in the fall.
What to Wear, Where to Park, and What to Expect
Worship at Advent is liturgical but relaxed; members and visitors wear everything from jeans to dresses, and the church's own welcome statement pokes fun at anyone who feels they have to be "more Lutheran than Luther" to belong. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm. Visitors who want a place to start can simply show up at 9 am on a Sunday morning, join the congregation for coffee after the service, and introduce themselves to Pastor Alena or Cindy Lindholm, the office administrator. Those who prefer to arrive a bit early can also walk the labyrinth on the north side of the building before worship.
Supporting Advent
Financial gifts to Advent are accepted online through Tithe.ly. Members who bank with Thrivent can direct Thrivent Choice Dollars to the congregation, and shoppers who use King Soopers can enroll Advent Lutheran Church as their Community Rewards organization at no extra cost. Volunteer opportunities range from ushering, lectoring, and serving on the altar guild during worship to singing in the choir, joining the quilt group, helping with the food pantry, serving on the Green Team, or volunteering with the property team.
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation
Advent Lutheran Church is recognized as a Reconciling in Christ congregation, publicly committed to the welcome, inclusion, and affirmation of LGBTQ+ people. The congregation participates in Rocky Mountain Equality events and resources, and has called the work of racial and gender equity part of its ongoing calling. The church points visitors to Rocky Mountain Equality as a local nonprofit partner serving LGBTQ+ communities across Colorado.