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.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 14, 2025
This Sunday, November 16, 2025, is the Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost. 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 are Malachi 4:1-2a; Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 16; and Luke 21:5-19.
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
Sun Nov. 16 - Congregation Council, 10:45 a.m.
Mon Nov. 17 - Fort Belvoir Reading Group, 10:00 a.m. at Starbucks, 12th St.
Tue Nov. 18 - Office/sanctuary drop-in hours, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Wed Nov. 19 - Bible Reading Group, 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Thu Nov. 20 - Book Reading Group, 2:00 p.m., church office or Zoom
Sun Nov. 23 - Christ the King Sunday (handbells during service)
Sun Nov. 23 - Sunday School, 10:45 a.m.
Sun Nov. 30 - First Sunday of Advent
Wed Dec. 3 - Epiphany serves at VIC Hypothermia Shelter
Wed Dec. 17 - Epiphany serves at VIC Hypothermia Shelter
Wed Dec. 24 - Christmas Service, 4:00 p.m.
Hypothermia Shelter - Save the Dates!
Epiphany — along with many other congregations in our area — supports our regional hypothermia shelter each winter hosted by Rising Hope United Methodist Church. This supplemental shelter provides meals and a warm place to sleep for people experiencing homelessness along Richmond Highway.
Epiphany is scheduled to provide and serve the meals on four dates this winter: Wednesdays December 3 and 17, and Tuesdays February 3 and 17. We’ll need volunteers to take on some or all of these tasks: donate food to be prepared, cook at home, bring it to Rising Hope around 6:30 p.m., serve dinner and clean up from 7-9 p.m., and stay and visit with guests until lights-out at 11 p.m.
Training is being offered this week at Rising Hope for all volunteers: Sunday (Nov. 16) at 6:00-7:30 p.m.; Monday (Nov. 17) at 1:00-2:30 p.m.; and Friday (Nov. 21) at 5:30-7:00 p.m.
If you are interested in participating either or both December nights, please contact Jessie McManus before or after Sunday’s service.
Reading and Discussion Groups
The next session of our Fort Belvoir faith discussion group will be on Monday, November 17, at 10:00 a.m. at the Starbucks at 5976 12th Street on Fort Belvoir. Our discussion article can be found by clicking here.
Our book reading group will meet next on Thursday, November 20, at 2:00 p.m. We’ll discuss Axiom 6 in Sternke & Tebbe, Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith, pages 103-117.
Our evening faith discussion group will meet next on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Panera Bread in the Beacon Center, 6670 Richmond Highway.
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.
EWS Update
This week, the students will learn about the first Thanksgiving and celebrate class feasts with their classmates.
EWS is also conducting a food drive to support our local food banks - it concludes this week, so if you are able to donate any nonperishable items, please bring them to the service this Sunday and they’ll be added to the EWS drive.
Metro DC Synod News and ELCA News
This week, the presiding bishop of the ELCA, Rev. Yehiel Curry, released “A Pastoral Message for These Troubled Days.” You can read 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:
Elizabeth of Hungary, renewer of society, died 1231 (Mon Nov. 17)
Born in Hungary, Elizabeth was betrothed to the son of the Landgrave of Thuringia, and at age four was taken to be raised with him at the Wartburg Castle. Ten years later they were married. She was very generous to the poor, and after her husband's death she lived in cruel hardship until her own death at age twenty-four.
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 65 households daily during its open hours of Monday 10-1, Tuesday 12-3, Wednesday 2-5, and Thursday 12-3. 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.