Epiphany Lutheran Church is an ELCA congregation in historic Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia.
We are a welcoming and affirming Christian community that lives with a daring confidence in God’s gracious love for all people.
Come Worship with Us
In Person or Online
Sundays at 9:30 a.m. / Christmas Eve Dec. 24 at 4:00 p.m.
UPDATED DECEMBER 26, 2025
This Sunday, December 28, 2025, is the Sunday After Christmas. Our Sunday service will be at the usual time of 9:30 a.m.
On-site: Come join us in the sanctuary for the full service.
On-line: The service will also be livestreamed on our YouTube channel and also through our usual Epiphany Zoom connection. To join us on Zoom, just click on this link or follow the instructions below.
The readings will be Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-15; and Matthew 2:13-23.
For those joining the service online, you can download a PDF copy of the bulletin (including music, readings, and prayers) by clicking here.
We will have a time of fellowship following the service, both in person and on Zoom.
Calendar of Events
Tue Dec. 30 - Office/sanctuary drop-in hours, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thu Nov. 1 - New Year’s Day - Happy 2026 to all!
Sun Jan. 4 - Epiphany Sunday Service, 9:30 a.m.
Mon Jan. 5 - EWS resumes
Wed Jan. 7 - Bible Reading Group resumes, 10:00 a.m.
Wed Jan. 7 - Ventures in Community general meeting, 11:30 a.m. at First AME Church Alexandria (relocated from Richmond Highway to 5350 Shawnee Road)
Wed Jan. 7 - Evening Faith Discussion Group resumes, 6:30 p.m. at Panera Bread
Sun Jan. 11 - Congregation Council meeting, 10:45 a.m.
Sun Jan. 11 - Sunday School, 10:45 a.m.
Mon Jan. 12 - Fort Belvoir Discussion Group resumes, 10:00 a.m. at 12th St. Starbucks
Sun Jan. 25 - Annual Congregational Meeting, 10:30 a.m.
EWS Update
EWS is on Christmas break. Classes resume on Monday, January 5.
Congregation Meeting and Council
Our annual congregational meeting will take place immediately following the service on Sunday, January 29, 2026. As part of this meeting, we will be electing new members of our Congregation Council and members to serve as voting members of the Metro DC Synod Assembly, which will meet on Saturday, June 6, 2026 in Gaithersburg. All members are invited to prayerfully consider serving in one or both of these roles.
The Metro DC Synod will be hosting a Congregation Council Training session on Saturday, February 7 for newly elected and returning congregational council members. Topics include church leadership best practices, constitution & bylaw processes, and questions/answers. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is hosted by Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 5114 Twinbrook Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032. There is no charge. For more information or to register, please click here.
In addition, the Synod’s Stewardship and Mission Support Team will host a Zoom meeting for pastors, council presidents, treasurers, and others interested in cultivating the financial resources of the church. The meeting will be on Tuesday, January 27 from 7-8 p.m. and repeated on Wednesday, January 28 from 1-2 p.m. To receive the Zoom, link, e-mail the team at this link.
Bible Reading Group
Our weekly Bible Reading Group is on Christmas break and will resume on Wednesday, January 7. We meet at 10 a.m. on Zoom for an hour each week; everyone is welcome to participate.
Immigrant Solidarity - Accompaniment Training Opportunity
The Metro DC Synod is sponsoring a Guardian Angels training on Saturday, January 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in conjunction with the DMV Accompaniment Network.
Guardian Angels volunteers act as part of the ELCA’s AMMPARO (“Accompanying Migrants with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities”) Migrant Ministry. They are the physical presence of the church as we accompany members of our communities who have to report to ICE, appear in immigration court, or attend other immigration-related appointments. The goals of the Accompaniment are to be a witness, help identify and avoid process problems, provide emotional and spiritual support, and possibly help with logistics (e.g., transportation)
If you are interested in participating, consider participating in this training. The registration link and location information will be sent to those who have contacted us, and it's never too late to join in. Please send an e-mail to the Synod Secretary, Barbara Bilodeau, by clicking here.
Drop-In Office Hours
The church office is open every Tuesday from 2-6 p.m. You can just drop by to check in, chat with Pastor David, or take some quiet time in the sanctuary.
Pastor David is also available at other times during the week … feel free to contact him by e-mail pastor@epiphanylutheran.org to set up a time.
Synod and Churchwide News
An Christmas message from our synod bishop, Rev. Phil Hirsch, was printed the Christmas Eve bulletin. If you missed it, you can read it by clicking here.
Our ELCA Presiding Bishop, Rev. Yehiel Curry, has a video Christmas message in the form of a children’s sermon. You can watch it by clicking here.
Calendar of Commemorations
The ELCA remembers saints and reformers of many Christian traditions on specific days throughout the year. Upcoming commemorations include:
John, Apostle and Evangelist (Sat Dec. 27)
The son of Zebedee and brother of James, John was one of the twelve disciples and witness to the transfiguration. Tradition has named him also the writer of the Gospel of John, the three New Testament letters bearing his name, as well as Revelation.
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Sun Dec. 28)
This day commemorates the young children killed by Herod in Bethlehem in his jealous attempt to murder the baby Jesus, a sobering reminder of the evil that led Christ to be born for our salvation.
Name of Jesus (Thu Jan. 1)
By Jewish law, every baby boy was circumcised and named on the eighth day of life, so on the eighth day of Christmas the church celebrates this event in Jesus' life. The keeping of the covenant as well as Jesus' name are signs of God's salvation given to us through him.
Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe, renewer of the church, died 1872 (Fri Jan. 2)
Loehe was a pastor in nineteenth-century Germany. Loehe's chief concern was that a congregation find its life in the holy communion, and from that source evangelism and social ministries would flow. He sent pastors to North America, Australia, New Guinea, Brazil, and Ukraine.
Connection Details
You can join our services or other events on Zoom from anywhere in the world you may be. If you’ve never used Zoom before, you may need to download some software first (it’s free and only takes a minute).
To join, click on this link: https://zoom.us/j/2886238502?pwd=RU9ZZjk1TTdKREd5YmpBN1A2dWlsZz09
or open the Zoom app and use meeting number 288 623 8502 and password 971936;
or (for audio only) call (646) 558-8656 or (301) 715-8592 – When asked for the meeting ID, press 288 623 8502 and then the # key. When asked for the password, press 971 936 and then the # key.
In addition, the service is available on our YouTube channel. If you cannot participate live at 9:30 a.m., the videos will remain available so you can participate at whatever time you can.
United Community
United Community’s “Choice Food Pantry” is located at 7511 Fordson Road. UC serves local residents in need during its open hours of Monday 1-4 and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10-12. Food is also distributed from 4-5 on the first Monday of each month at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School, 4015 Fielding Street. For more information about the food pantry, connecting with other available services (including rental and utilities assistance), or for how to volunteer with United Community, visit their web site here.
Connecting With Us
If anyone is sick or in the hospital or otherwise in need, we are ready to help out and to support one another. Please let us know! The easiest way to reach Pastor David quickly is by sending an e-mail to pastor@epiphanylutheran.org.
Financial Support for Epiphany
If you are not able to join us in-person for worship and are able to continue to support Epiphany, we regularly monitor mail deliveries and so you can continue to send checks by mail. In addition, there is a “Donate” button on the web site www.epiphanylutheran.org (just scroll all the way down to the bottom) and you can make a contribution electronically using Paypal or a debit or credit card. We do pay a small service charge for online contributions, but this may be the most convenient option for many.