In the early 1950s, a number of residents of the northern suburbs of Saint Paul, Minnesota asked that the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Synod to start a new mission congregation.  The Synod’s Board of American Missions responded by beginning the work of starting that new congregation.  The Board assigned the Rev. Thomas Basich, a 1951 graduate of Augustana Theological Seminary (Rock Island, Illinois), to the Twin Cities.  Ordained in Chicago in June of 1953, Rev. Basich and his wife Lavergne arrived in the Twin Cities in July, and on September 12, 1953, Advent Lutheran Church was founded, with the formal charter signed on November 29.

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After groundbreaking on August 29, 1954, construction began in earnest, with Advent charter member Cy Sheehy overseeing the build, at cost, without profit.  Barely four months later, the church building hosted a Christmas Eve candlelight service on December 24, 1954.  But the congregation expanded faster than anticipated, and on May 14, 1961, another groundbreaking ceremony took place, this time for a larger sanctuary, education wing addition, and the east parking lot.  These were dedicated on Palm Sunday, 1962.  Through pledges and contributions, a pipe organ was installed in the loft and dedicated in December of 1975.

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Pastor Matthew Basich succeeded his father, the Rev. Thomas Basich (1926-2011), as Pastor at Advent Lutheran.  A Roseville native, Pastor Matthew earned his B.A. from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and his M.Div. from Luther Theological Seminary in Saint Paul.  Having served in has served in nearly every possible role and position for years, Matthew was ordained in a ceremony at Advent Lutheran in 1986.

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Nowadays, when some congregations have strayed from their original missions and driven their own members away, Advent Lutheran remains a welcoming, comforting, and edifying church.  As always, Martin Luther’s precept remains firm at Advent:  Christ Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, and Grace Alone.