Our Mission & Affiliation

The Mission of Advent Lutheran is:

  • To Gather as God’s people and nurture one another
  • To Know the Word of God
  • To Grow in faith, love, and service
  • To Go into the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ
ELCAAdvent is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) and the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA).
Leadership Team
Lead Pastor:
The Rev. Matthew Ollikainen did most of his growing up in nearby Newtown and is a graduate of Council Rock High School.  He graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia in 2002, and served his first call at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norwood in the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod.
 
The Rev. Ollikainen served his second call at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and served his third call at Christ Lutheran Church, Niantic, PA
.
In the congregation, the Rev. Ollikainen is comfortable being referred to as Pastor Matt. His passion in ministry is to witness people as they catch on fire with the power of God’s love through the Holy Spirit and to humbly know that he has been a part of it.  Pastor Matt has two teenage kids, Erik and Eva. He enjoys cooking, hiking, bicycling and visiting the shore.
Michael Dettra_Music Director
Music Director:  Michael Dettra is a graduate of Council Rock High School, Temple University and is currently earning his Master’s Degree in percussion performance at West Chester University. Michael is an experienced church pianist, organist and choir director, previously at Solebury United Methodist Church. He has taught band and music at Our Lady of Good Council School in Southampton, plays several shows a month at Woods School in Langhorne, and has accompanied many groups including the Newtown Arts Company. He also frequently plays concerts throughout the region on Steel Pan and Marimba. Michael, lives with his wife                                                                     Katie and their two children, Will and Teddy.
 

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