Church of the Advent is an Episcopal community, members of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Rooted in deep commitment to following Jesus in ways which are curious, creative, honest, and brave, we long to connect the ancient roots of the Christian faith to vibrant expressions of community, art, music, and ongoing service to our neighbors in Walnut Hills, Ohio.

Our community has been in Walnut Hills since 1855. Over the years, we’ve gone through many changes. Liturgical changes, community changes, building changes—change isn’t new to us. We believe a living church is a changing one, and every generation is called to the hard work of figuring out what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in their own time.

Today we’re a community of Jesus followers who have gathered around the following:

Being both ancient and modern. We’re part of the centuries-old Anglican tradition which grounds us in the sacraments, the ancient rhythms of the liturgy, and the church calendar. We take our ancient Christian roots very seriously, and part of this commitment is finding new ways the liturgy can speak through story, symbol, and song.

The Arts. We believe that the arts aren’t just for decoration—they are a critical part of how God speaks in this world. There are things about God which can be said only through the arts, and so we embrace creativity in all forms.

Justice and service. We understand the Christian life as a call to seek justice and to oppose systems of structural evil in this world. Our parish has focused on the particular project of food justice, seeking ways to bring nourishing food to our neighbors in Walnut Hills. We pursue this work through our Open Door ministries: our neighborhood food pantry, our 24-hour free fridge, and our neighborhood veggie gardens.

The Earth. We believe that our Christian faith calls us to be mindful of our relationship with the natural world. We love gardens, flowers, veggies, and animals. We feel called to love our non-human neighbors.

Learning and education. We understand the call of Christian discipleship as an invitation to engage in committed study of scripture, theology, and church history. We gather regularly to learn as a community. We value dialogue, honesty, and hard questions.