The Cathedral Church of the Advent stands on the corner of Sixth Avenue North and Twentieth Street in downtown Birmingham, the historic worship space of an Episcopal congregation that has shaped the city's religious life since 1872. It serves as the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama and is known throughout the region for its gospel-centered preaching, traditional Anglican worship, the Cathedral Choir, and a long-running Lenten Preaching and Lunches series that has drawn hundreds of worshippers each weekday for more than a century.
From Sixteen Episcopalians to the Cathedral of the Diocese
The Advent's story begins with the founding of Birmingham itself. In 1872, the new industrial center established by the Elyton Land Company was little more than undeveloped land, and Bishop Richard Hooker Wilmer of Alabama sent the Rev. Philip Fitts to serve area congregations. Fitts found sixteen Episcopalians in the new city and began meeting with them at a corner lot purchased for $5.00. By 1893, the congregation had built its Nave, the worship space that still anchors the parish's life. The first Lenten Preaching Series began in 1908, an annual tradition that continues to this day. The Advent Episcopal School opened in 1950, and in 1982 the church was designated the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.
Through subsequent decades, renovations and additions expanded both the building and the school, while satellite locations grew the parish's footprint beyond downtown. Cranmer House, at 2814 Linden Avenue in Homewood, hosts many of the weekday Bible studies and women's ministry gatherings, and Advent House, at 2317 Arlington Avenue South, serves as a center for prayer ministry and pastoral care. In 2022, the Rev. R. Craig Smalley was called as Dean and Rector and now leads the cathedral family.
For those who want to explore the architecture and visible history of the downtown building in detail, the church recommends the book Witnesses to the Light: An Adventure into God's Workmanship, Past, Present, and Future by John Harris Harper, copies of which are available in the Advent Bookstore.
Gospel at the Center, Anglican in Form
The Advent describes itself as a gospel-centered congregation within the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama and the Anglican Communion. The parish holds what it calls a living, daring confidence in God's grace, and it points to the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the unchanging center of its life and teaching. Members are often called "Adventers," a name that appears throughout the parish's materials, newsletter, and audio recordings.
The most comprehensive statement of the cathedral's traditional Anglican doctrine is found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, and the congregation worships within the liturgy shaped by the Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer. Members are baptized, married, and buried within the historic worship of the church, and the cathedral is the seat of the diocesan bishop.
Sundays at the Advent
Worship is the heartbeat of parish life, and on Sunday mornings the cathedral offers three services in the Nave - at 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 a.m. - along with an additional 9:00 a.m. service in the Refectory. The 7:30 a.m. service is a quiet Holy Communion rite. The 9:00 a.m. Nave and 11:00 a.m. services are led by the Cathedral Choir with sacred music drawn from the Anglican tradition; the 11:00 a.m. service is Morning Prayer. The 9:00 a.m. service in the Refectory blends traditional hymnody with contemporary music led by the Advent Band, a team of professional and volunteer musicians that welcomes new players with gifts to share.
All four services include a sermon preached by Advent clergy or staff, and most services run about an hour. The 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services are livestreamed, along with other special services throughout the church year.
On a typical Sunday, adult education classes meet at 10:15 a.m. between the two main Nave services. The Dean's Class gathers in the Refectory and pairs theological reflection with cultural topics; recent series have drawn on 90s alternative rock, the films of Pixar, the music of Arvo Pärt, and crime fiction. The Inquirers' Class meets in the Diocesan Conference Room and is designed for those considering membership. Fellowship with God meets in the Chapter Room and works through the story of redemption. Bible 101 meets in the Assembly Hall and walks through the Old and New Testaments. The 20s & 30s Class gathers in the Lower School Library for conversation and teaching aimed at young adults.
Music for the City and the Cathedral
Music sits at the heart of the Advent's identity. The Cathedral Choir is composed of auditioned adults and sings the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Nave services each Sunday and all major services of the church year. The choir has recorded eight albums, the most recent of which is available on major streaming platforms, and presents Evensong services and concerts as part of the Cathedral Music Series. Its most recent recording, A Service of Advent Lessons and Carols, captures a tradition the cathedral offers every December.
The Advent Band leads worship in the Refectory, blending traditional hymnody with contemporary music in a style the parish describes as welcoming and accessible.
The cathedral owns an extraordinary collection of instruments. The Grieb-Williams organ, built by the M.P. Moller Company in 1988 and located in the Nave, includes a playback system, 6,056 pipes, and a four-manual drawknob console that can be moved to the center of the chancel for recitals. The Crawford and Virginia Johnson Carillon, installed in the cathedral tower in 2003, includes the Mattison Memorial Bell and 15 cast bronze bells cast by Paccard Foundry in France, which peal and play hymns throughout the week. In 2019, the cathedral received a 1976 William Hyman French-double harpsichord. The music program also makes use of note bells and additional organs. Concerts and other special programs are offered throughout the year, with the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge typically featured in the opening concert of the season.
Visiting the Cathedral
Visitors are warmly welcomed at every service. Metered parking on the streets surrounding the building is free on Sunday mornings, and the cathedral is also grateful for complimentary parking in the Financial Center tower on Fifth Avenue North, midway between Twentieth Street and Richard Arrington Junior Boulevard; those parking in the garage enter the building across the alley, where a purple Welcome sign marks the door.
The cathedral's historic downtown building has grown alongside Birmingham, and several entrances serve different needs. On Twentieth Street, large wooden doors lead directly into the Nave. On Sixth Avenue, visitors can enter through the walkway by the Bookstore sign or through the entrance under the awning at the corner of Sixth Avenue North and Richard Arrington Junior Boulevard.
People come dressed in many ways, and all are welcome. Many who attend the Nave services choose to wear jackets and dresses, giving those services a "dressed up" feeling; many who attend the Refectory service choose less formal attire.
Children are cared for at every level. The Nursery, for infants through two-year-olds, is available during the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. services. Children in three-year-old preschool through third grade attend Sunday school during the worship service, while fourth through sixth graders attend the full service and have Sunday school available between the two main services from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
The Children's Ministry gathers children from nursery through sixth grade by age and grade level so they can form relationships with their peers and grow in biblical and theological knowledge. Each year, teachers walk through the whole story of the Bible, from Creation to the New Heaven and New Earth, with a different thematic focus. By the time children move into Youth Ministry at the end of sixth grade, the goal is for them to have a solid understanding of the Bible as one story about God's redemptive plan to save the world through Jesus. Tara Davis leads the ministry as Director of Nursery and Children's Ministries, with Gunter Owens serving as Associate Director.
The Youth Ministry, directed by Margot Cooney with Caroline Bass and John Mark Haase, walks with students from seventh grade through high school. On Sunday mornings from 10:10 to 10:50 a.m., seventh and eighth graders gather in the Undercroft to study the Gospel of Matthew, and ninth through twelfth graders meet in Lower Morton to study the Minor Prophets in the fall and spiritual practices in the spring. Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. feature monthly dinners and devotionals, small-group discipleship meetings, and outings throughout the year, from paintball and a church-wide picnic at Regions Field to a Senior High Mystery Trip each winter or spring and a confirmation retreat at Camp McDowell. Weekday Bible studies meet on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at local coffee shops and homes, and high school students may take a discipleship trip to England during the summer. The ministry partners with Park Place for an afterschool program, where the Advent bus shuttles students from Mountain Brook Junior High's Outdoor Classroom to the ministry site, and serves alongside Oak Tree Ministry, Kids2Leaders and Camp Hope, and Holcomb Ministries throughout the year.
The 20s & 30s Ministry provides opportunities for Christ-centered community, fellowship, and engagement for Adventers in their twenties and thirties, regardless of life stage, through social outings, shared meals, and Bible study. The ministry is led by Will Fagan and meets throughout the year, including a fall kickoff dinner at the home of a parish family. A dedicated Instagram account keeps members informed of upcoming events.
Bible Studies and Small Groups
Bible studies meet throughout the year on a weekly basis, with most weekday studies held at Cranmer House in Homewood. The women's studies include Galatians on Thursday mornings, the Gospel of Mark on Thursday early mornings, Revelation on Wednesday mornings, and a Galatians study for mothers with young children (with nursery provided) on Thursday mornings. Men's studies include a Galatians study on Tuesday mornings, another on Friday mornings, and a Wednesday noon study. Co-ed groups include the Sunrise Sinners study in the Refectory on Thursday mornings with breakfast provided, and the Neighborhood Bible Study in the Chapter Room on Wednesday mornings, also with breakfast.
The Advent's Small Groups ministry is built on the conviction that meaningful Christian friendship, especially in a large church, is best formed in smaller settings. Groups typically include 10 to 12 adults who meet regularly for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. Members describe these groups as kitchen-table friendships: groups that pray for one another, share life together, and create space for faith to grow beyond what Sundays alone can offer. Newcomers are paired with a group through Fontaine Pope, the Director of Small Groups and Newcomers' Coordinator.
Men's and Women's Ministry
The Men's Ministry seeks to equip and empower men to follow Jesus, lead their families, invest in others, and model Christ in their lives, with shared meals, Bible studies, retreats, and an annual sporting clays outing at Pursell Farms. The ministry is supported by clergy and lay leaders including Adam Young and Gil Kracke.
Women's Ministry is led by Leslie Housman and centers on Bible studies, monthly events and fellowship groups, service opportunities, and an annual weekend retreat. Scripture reflections by Advent women appear in a regular email letter called Women of the Advent. The ministry welcomes women at every stage of life and stage of faith, with the explicit hope that each woman will be involved in ways that challenge, equip, and encourage her. A fall kickoff gathering at Cranmer House each September opens the program year, and the ministry hosts study weekends with visiting theologians, such as a recent weekend on the visions of Ezekiel led by Dr. Erika Moore.
Pastoral Care, Prayer, and Counseling
The Advent's Pastoral Care ministry is available to those who are ill, caring for a sick family member, transitioning home from a hospital stay, grieving, or experiencing other difficulties. Robin Turner, the Pastoral Care Coordinator, organizes baptism for infants several times each year during regular Sunday worship, arranges hospital visits by clergy, and oversees a Meals Ministry that delivers food to those recovering from surgery or facing serious illness.
At Advent House, a team of trained prayer intercessors offers prayer appointments for those who desire to seek God for healing, guidance, and intervention; men, women, and couples are welcome, and Kathy Logue coordinates the ministry. The Advent's counseling ministry is staffed by clergy and licensed counselors, who are available for one-on-one meetings. Each fall, the parish offers a six-week Grief Recovery support group that meets one evening a week at Advent House.
Mission and Outreach in Birmingham and Beyond
The Advent engages in what it calls the spiritual and material restoration of the city of Birmingham and the world. The parish regularly hosts food and coat drives, participates in local service days, and plans trips that build relationships with other Christian organizations working in gospel ministry. The congregation supports ministries that develop leaders who serve unreached people with the gospel, who support the persecuted church, and who give to those in need.
Five primary ministry partners anchor the cathedral's outreach. Global Teams is the Advent's sole mission-sending partner, with a special relationship with field partners in Malawi. Restoration Academy is a Christian K-12 school in Fairfield, Alabama, that takes a holistic approach to education and life-on-life discipleship. Brother Bryan Mission serves men in Birmingham at the lowest points of their lives through a nine-month recovery program and a back-to-work program, and several Adventers serve as mentors. Bridge Ministries is a front-line responder to crisis situations in Birmingham, providing case management and compassionate care to vulnerable clients. The Advent also supports Anglican partnerships through the Caritas Foundation, leadership development through Beeson School of Divinity and East African Christian College, ministries to unreached people through Mockingbird Ministries and Partners Across Cultures in Nepal, rehabilitation work through The Foundry and the Salvation Army, and relief to the poor through Episcopal Place, Pathways, and Advent Outreach Services.
Members can support the church's outreach with regular giving, with memorial or honorific gifts, and through designated giving to specific ministry funds.
Membership and the Inquirers' Class
Anyone wishing to join the Advent begins with the Inquirers' Class, a seven-week series designed to help newcomers get to know the parish as the parish gets to know them. The class covers what the Advent believes and why, with baptism and confirmation explained along the way. Confirmation at the Advent, in which a bishop is present to witness the public profession of faith, takes place once each year, typically in the spring.
Baptism is available for unbaptized persons of any age. In general, membership is required for baptisms, weddings, and funerals hosted at the cathedral. Membership classes are coordinated by Fontaine Pope.
The Liturgical Year at the Cathedral
The Advent follows the rhythms of the Christian liturgical year with deep commitment. The Lenten Preaching and Lunches series, running continuously since 1908, begins on Ash Wednesday each year. Guest preachers from across the United States and around the world share the gospel each weekday at 12:05 p.m., and hundreds of Advent volunteers transform the cathedral's space into a restaurant, serving lunch to all who enter. The series runs through Holy Week, with special services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and concludes with five Easter Sunday services with music led by the Cathedral Choir accompanied by a horn section.
Rally Day, the first Sunday after Labor Day, opens the program year with a special 9:00 a.m. service in the Nave that features a gospel-centered skit and the commissioning of Sunday school teachers, followed by a family-friendly picnic at The Switchyard at Regions Field in the evening.
During Advent and Christmas, the cathedral offers several Services of Lessons and Carols based on the structure popularized by King's College, Cambridge, with passages of Scripture read alongside anthems, hymns, and carols that draw worshippers into the story of Christ's coming. December also brings Christmas Eve services and a Christmas Day service, with worship spaces decorated with greenery and candles for a traditional Christmas in downtown Birmingham.
The Advent Bookstore and the Episcopal School
Inside the cathedral near Clingman Commons, the parish fellowship hall, the Advent Bookstore offers a curated selection of books, Bibles, and gifts intended to help people learn and grow in the Christian faith. Parents and grandparents find resources for teaching the faith to children, including the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones and the Adventure Bible. The store also carries titles by Advent staff and members, seasonal gifts for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, and items for baptisms, confirmations, and weddings. Hours run from Sunday morning through Thursday, with the store closed Friday and Saturday.
The Advent Episcopal School, opened in 1950, is part of the cathedral's wider ministry. The school shares space with the parish in downtown Birmingham, and the Canon Pastor of the cathedral also serves as the school's chaplain, linking the academic and worship life of the parish community.
Giving, Communications, and Pastoral Records
The Advent offers several ways to give. Members complete pledge cards during the fall Stewardship season, and online, text ("Give" to 855-714-1136), plate, and mailed gifts are all available throughout the year. Stock and legacy gifts can be arranged with the finance office, and contributions can be designated to specific ministry funds. The cathedral's accounts are audited annually by an independent CPA firm, and giving records are accessible only to the finance staff. Paper financial statements are mailed quarterly.
Parish-wide emails are reserved for matters of critical importance to the entire congregation. The Adventurer newsletter is emailed weekly and is also available in print. Pastoral Care notices share news of births and deaths in or close to the parish. Women of the Advent is a regular email ministry that shares Scripture reflections by Advent women.
Record keeping and online giving are managed through Realm, the cathedral's online community. The audio archive, which includes more than a decade of sermons, classes, Lenten preaching, and stewardship talks, is available at audio.adventbirmingham.org and through the cathedral's podcast channels. The cathedral's music recordings and concerts are shared on YouTube, and its livestream is available through the cathedral's livestream page each Sunday morning.
The Cathedral and the City
From its beginning with sixteen Episcopalians and a $5 corner lot, the Cathedral Church of the Advent has grown into the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama and a spiritual center for downtown Birmingham. Its work spans traditional liturgy and gospel-centered preaching, an active music program and a carillon that rings across the neighborhood, a children's ministry that walks families through the whole Bible, a youth ministry that takes students to retreats and to England, men's and women's ministries that meet around tables in homes and at Cranmer House, and a mission network that reaches from Birmingham to Malawi. The cathedral's Lenten Preaching and Lunches, in continuous practice since 1908, remains one of the city's most distinctive annual traditions, drawing hundreds of worshippers each weekday through the Lenten season to hear guest preachers and share a meal prepared by Advent volunteers.