CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE ADVENT

The 4, 000 member Episcopal Anglican cathedral of the Diocese of Alabama U S strives to serve God in Jesus Christ from the center of Birmingham through evangelism and mission Providing traditional language services with choir, Christian education, nursery on Sundays, as well as outreach activities through Episcopal Church Women, Youth, Bookstore, daily preaching series during Lent The Very Rev Dr Paul F M Zahl, dean of the cathedral

Growing a new church and a new city was more challenging than the "magic" that Birmingham's "Magic City" nickname suggests. Just as the congregation prepared to celebrate admission to the diocese and Fitts's ordination to the priesthood, they also encountered a financial panic that was sweeping the nation, followed by a devastating cholera epidemic. On the heels of these two calamities came a depression in the struggling city's economy that lasted six years. So, despite the touted promise of plentiful natural resources for making iron and great fortunes, Adventers and other pioneering settlers faced lean times.

Our church has grown and continues to grow. We grow not only in numbers but also in our walk with that one man, Jesus of Nazareth, who came to redeem us. "Adveniat Regnum Tuum" - Thy Kingdom Come - is emblazoned on our coat of arms. These words, taken from the prayer Christ taught us, remind us that it is God's hand, not our own, that guides us on this walk into a new millenium.