Aurora Advent installs new senior pastor

On April 19, the Rev. Matt Mull was installed as the 23rd senior pastor of the Aurora Advent Christian Church, 905 N. Edgelawn Drive.

The Rev. Mark Woolfington, chairman of the AC Prairie States Ministerial Committee and pastor, Church of the Highlands in LaGrange, presided.

The Rev. William Norwood of Hillside, president of the Prairie State Advent Christian Conference brought greetings and read congratulatory two messages. They were from the Rev. Ray Bezanson, Watertown, Wis., president, Central Advent Christian Mission Society; and from the Rev. Ron Thomas, Charlotte, N.C., executive director, Advent Christian General Conference.

Others who brought greetings were the Rev. Dan Haas, Aurora, for the community; Ted Parge, executive vice president, Aurora University (Advent Christians founded Mendota Seminary, forerunner of Aurora College, in 1893); and Bob Dillon, Aurora, Aurora AC Church head elder.

Woolfington gave charges to the congregation and the church. Clergy attending gathered around Mull at the front of the church to give prayers of commissioning.

Mull gave a benediction to close the service. A reception followed in the church's fellowship hall.

He was named church youth pastor in October 2002. In 2012, he assumed expanded duties and was named executive pastor in 2013. He accepted the congregation's call to serve as senior pastor in October.

An Aurora native, the 40-year-old attended West Aurora schools except for kindergarten and eighth grade which he completed in Jerusalem, Israel.

He earned a bachelor's degree at Aurora University in 1986 and a master's in divinity at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2002. He was ordained in 2007. Mull's family includes his wife, Tori, and children Elias, Zephan and Jerem.