About Us

Welcome to Church of the Advent
Online.
     Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie

Senior Warden - Marion Collins	Junior Warden - Charley Coleman
Parish Secretary - Leslie Penn	Sexton - Andrew Black

Current Vestry Members

CHURCH OF THE ADVENT

  HISTORY 

In a small real estate office located at West Adams and Longwood Avenue, the Church of the Advent

was organized on the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, 1921, at 11:00 a.m.  On Christmas day of

that same year, the Rt. Rev. W. Bertrand Stevens, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, celebrated

Holy Communion in the little portable building which is now a part of the kitchen in the Parish Hall. 

This humble setting was to become the Chapel of the Advent named after Bishop Steven's  home

parish in Boston, Massachussetts. The church edifice was erected in 1925, thanks to the combined efforts of Bishop Stevens and the

Rev. Kenneth Mearl Crawford, the first vicar.  Much of the actual masonry work was done by Fr.Crawford, who served until 1946.

The Rev. George Lyon Pratt succeeded Fr. Crawford in January, 1946.  Within nineteen months the

Mission became an independent Parish.  The Parish became the focal point of many community and

civic activities.  Fr. Pratt was also among the founders of the Community Concerts held at the  Shrine

Auditorium. At one period during the mid-forties and fifties, the Advent family included several persons of local and

national prominence.  Among these were James Roosevelt, Georgiana Hardy, Lyle Talbot, Nat Cole,

and J. Alexander Somerville.  Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, in her nationally syndicated newspaper column

included a photograph of Church of the Advent and referred to Advent as, "a sweet little church (where)

...strangers are welcomed."

In December 1954, Industrialist Norton Simon donated a two-story, 13 room house at 1739

Buckingham Road, to the Church.  The property served as the Rectory.  In a similar gesture, the late

Nat "King" Cole gave a benefit concert at the Shrine Auditorium netting over $13,000, which the Diocese

and the Parish shared.  Several years earlier, Mrs. Ida Marriott White, a parishioner, established a

trust fund in the name of the Parish.  The proceeds of this trust fund contributed $50.00 monthly

the stipend of the incumbent rector. 
 

From its inception, the Parish was the recipient of many generous grants and gifts some of which

were anonymous such as the gift of a Kimball organ. 
 

Fr. Pratt resigned in 1959  and was succeeded by The Rev. Arthur W. Rudolph, who served for two

years. 

In October 1961, The Rev. Canon Lewis P. Bohler Jr. came to the Parish.  During his nearly thirty-

five years as Rector, Fr. Bohler immersed himself in the spiritual, educational, political and cultural

growth and development of the church and the Los Angeles community.  His contributions will be

recognized and appreciated for many years to come. 
 

Recognizing the cultural significance of the Church of the Advent, the Los Angeles Cultural Society

designated the church a cultural landmark.  On January 13, 1994, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake

struck Los Angeles causing serious damage to the church structure.  Because of its historical

significance to Los Angeles, the building had to be rebuilt to maintain the structural integrity of the

outside edifice. 
 

Among Advent's many unique architectural and design features are its richly colored stained glass

windows representing a mixture of Gothic and English styles and techniques of craftsmanship little

changed since the middle 800's.  The restored windows were unveiled and dedicated on December

2, 2001.  The final stained glass window was unveiled and dedicated on June 9, 2002.  This window

features a representation of Our Lady of Czestochowa, also known as the Black Maddona.  Also

represented in the window is a portrait of Bishop Barbara Harris the first woman elected and

consecrated Bishop in the Anglican Communion.  Another noteworthy feature of the church is a

beautiful triptych located behind the altar composed of mosaic tiles representing Jesus, St. Michael

and the Angel Gabriel.
 

The Rev. Giles L Asbury joined our congregation as its interim rector in September 1996. 
 

The present Rector is The Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie who came to Advent in 2000. The institution of  "Rev. Vanessa" took place on Sunday, February 18, 2001

with the Rt. Rev. Chester L. Talton officiating.  Ordained in 1991, Rev. Mackenzie came to the United States from Johannesburg, South Africa,where she served

in various parishes including St Peter's Krugersdorp, St Martin's Rosebank, (As associate) Christ the King Coronationville (Rector) and senior assistant at the

Cathedral of St Mary's Johannesburg from where she was the assisting priest at the Cathedral of St. Mary.  She is a dynamic speaker with an intensely

spiritual family oriented message who welcomes visitors and friends and all who are seeking a new

Church home. 

Check out our calendar of upcoming events on the homepage.