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 SEPTEMBER 26, 2025
This Sunday, September 28, 2025, is the Sixteenth 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 Amos 6:1a, 3-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; and Luke 16:19-31.
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 Sept. 28 - First Day of Sunday School
Sun Sept. 28 - Handbell choir practice, 10:45 a.m.
Tue Sept. 30 - Office and sanctuary drop-in hours, 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Wed Oct. 1 - Bible Reading Group, 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Wed Oct. 1 - VIC General Meeting, 11:30 a.m., at Mount Vernon Unitarian
Thu Oct. 2 - Reading Group, 2:00 p.m., church office or on Zoom
Fri Oct. 3 - EWS Children’s Chapel, 11:30 a.m.
Sat Oct. 4 - Blessing of the Animals, 9:00-11:00 a.m., front lawn
Sun Oct. 5 - New Member Welcome, during 9:30 a.m. service
Mon Oct. 6 - Reading Group, 10:00 a.m. on Fort Belvoir
Sunday School Starts September 28
This week, Sunday, will be the start of our biweekly Sunday School program.
1) For the very youngest among us (ages 2 to kindergarten), we’ll invite them to go with a teacher during the readings and sermon time during the regular worship service for a story and prayer. They’ll return during the exchange of peace (and perhaps share a song or something of what they’ve learned with the rest of the congregation).
2) For young folks in grades 1-6, we’ll have a Sunday School lesson immediately after the service from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. This will include a Scripture story, discussion, and an activity.
Blessing of the Animals
St. Francis of Assisi, the 12th century church reformer, was famous for – among other things – his love of animals and nature. Our fellow creatures join with us in praising God and sharing God’s blessings with us.
On St. Francis Day – Saturday, October 4 – we will invite our members, our neighbors, and our friends to an outdoor Blessing of the Animals from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on the church front lawn. Everyone is welcome to bring their pets (even their stuffed animals!) and to give thanks to God for the blessing of animals.
Reading and Discussion Groups
Our book reading group continues this Thursday, October 2, at 2:00 p.m. We’ll discuss Axiom 2 in Sternke & Tebbe, Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith, pages 35-50.
The next session of our Fort Belvoir faith discussion group will be on Monday, October 6, at 10:00 a.m. at the Starbucks at 5976 12th Street on Fort Belvoir. Our discussion article can be found by clicking here..
VIC General Meeting Oct. 1
Epiphany participates in Ventures in Community (VIC), which brings together faith communities and community organizations along the Richmond Highway corridor to advocate for and serve our neighbors in need. Our next general meeting will be Wednesday, October 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria VA 22307. Our speaker for the October 1 meeting will be Daniel Adams, senior peer and community liaison at The Chris Atwood Foundation, and he will speak on "A Second Chance to Get a First Chance Right: How Faith Communities Can Address Mental Health and Substance Abuse." A light lunch will be served, and all are welcome to attend.
Drop-In Office Hours
The church office is open on 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.
VOICE - Homes for All Assembly
Half of Virginians can’t afford where they live. Our ever-growing housing shortage is driving more and more families out of the state, into hours-long commutes, and unsafe housing conditions. This statewide problem needs a statewide response, and state leadership.
On October 19th, Virginians Organizing in Community Engagement (VOICE) invites you to participate in their Homes for All Assembly, where 1,000 community members and 20+ elected officials will gather to push housing to the top of Virginia’s agenda. This assembly will include Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Sikh faith leaders, nonprofit and business partners, and elected officials from across the region. Together, we will call for bold, bipartisan action to address Virginia’s growing housing shortage and rising costs—starting at the state level.
If you are interested in attending the assembly, please sign up using this link and/or contact Dulcie Davis for more information.
Calendar of Commemorations
The ELCA remembers saints and reformers of many Christian traditions on specific days throughout the year. Upcoming commemorations include:
Michael and All Angels (Mon Sept. 29)
Michael the archangel, captain of the heavenly hosts, is remembered on this day along with the other angels and archangels. The word "angel" means messenger, and in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, these beings have a fully spiritual nature and no physical body.
Jerome, translator, teacher, died 420 (Tue Sept. 30)
Jerome was a biblical scholar and translator, but rather than translating the original Hebrew and Greek scriptures into classical Latin, he worked in the commonly-spoken Latin of the day, creating a version called the Vulgate.
Francis of Assisi, renewer of the church, died 1226 (Sat Oct. 4)
Born into the family of a wealthy merchant, Francis gave up his inheritance to serve poor people. He formed the Order of Friars Minor (called Franciscans), who took on poverty and the task of preaching "using words if necessary." Francis had a spirit of gratitude for all of God's creation.
Theodor Fliedner, renewer of society, died 1864 (Sat Oct. 4)
Fliedner helped to bring about a revival of the ministry of deaconesses among Lutherans. He was influenced in this by Moravian deaconesses he had met. The motherhouse he founded in Kaiserswerth, Germany, inspired many around the world to take up this ministry.
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.