Mike, with his slight German accent and Connie, with her infectious smile, make them hard to forget when you meet them. After years working in an elementary school kitchen, Connie has not strayed far from her roots and continues to volunteer in the Advent kitchen, serving meals at funerals and assisting with Sunday morning coffee fellowship.
Mike and Connie Krieg became members of Advent after many years of sporadic attendance due to Connie’s Sunday work conflicts. After her retirement, they decided to make the commitment to become members and cite the “welcoming spirit” of Advent as the reason for joining. They have both been faithful to God throughout their 30+ years of marriage and blended families.
Tragedy struck their family in June when their son, Michael, passed away following a car accident. Connie described getting the news and then headed to church to help in the kitchen for a funeral. She didn’t immediately tell anyone about the news, needing time to process. After finishing her tasks in the church kitchen, Connie went into the sanctuary and felt “at peace” in talking with God.
Both Mike and Connie describe their gratitude that they were able to talk through their pain with the pastors and knew that they could count on their church home for support. They are grateful that their son had also found a church home prior to his death. After his funeral, Mike and Connie felt at peace because their son was finally at peace.
Thank you, the people of Advent, for creating a place with a welcoming spirit, providing pastoral care in times of crisis, and for being supportive of people in their darkest hour.
