Abby Meindl attended her first worship service at Advent when she was seven days old, so she can say she’s been attending this church all her life. Daughter of Steven and Bonnie Meindl, Abby witnessed through her parents’ service in the church what blessings can come from active participation. Abby was baptized in this church. In the baptism service, congregants are asked if they will support the child being baptized in his or her journey in Christ. As far as Abby’s concerned, Advent has done just that. She has experienced intergenerational love; as a result, she treats young children as her lovable charges, adults as her friends in faith, and the elders as a source of wisdom. She grew in this approach because of her experience of care in this congregation.
As a youngster, Abby was involved in the little kids’ choir, Vacation Bible School, and Sunday School. During this period of her life, Janet Nepsund was her caregiver during the day while her mother worked as a nurse, and Luann Graber used to fix her hair before dance recitals. All of her Sunday School teachers have had a special place in her heart. In middle school and high school her involvement deepened. Abby became very active in Vacation Bible School and Sunday School as a support person running the arts and crafts in both those programs. As a senior high student, she was involved in dinner theater and several mission trips. Additionally, she ran the nursery. Of all of her ministries, running the nursery seemed to be her calling, which might explain why she is pursuing teaching children in a church setting. One of the most meaningful and challenging experiences she had was a mission trip to the Far East. She is so thankful for the experience she had there, which was financially supported in part by the Advent congregation, both the body of the church and individual contributions.
Being in her twenties, Abby is well aware that there aren’t many people her age attending worship at Advent, but also understands people her age are sometimes working two jobs, traveling, or completing their education. Currently, Abby is working for a church in the northwest suburbs in their children’s ministry program, but who knows where she’ll go next. Until then, she will be in the narthex hugging the children who love her as she gives back what this congregation has given her, which is support and love on her faith journey. Abby thanks the members of this church for living out its commission to support her journey in the formative years of her life. In her third decade who knows where her journey will take her, yet she thanks Advent for a firm foundation.
