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  • What to Expect
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Welcome

Welcome to St. Alban’s Church! Every Sunday, and most days in between, people gather in this place to worship, to learn, to grow, to share the joys and struggles of our lives, and to seek God’s grace in the midst of our lives. We do not come because we have it all figured out, but because we are seeking light on the way. We come as we are and welcome one another.

On this website, you can find information about our worship, our classes for people of all ages, membership at St. Alban's, and about how we seek to make a difference in this world. We warmly encourage you to join us for a Sunday service or for some of the many other events that happen here. You belong at St. Alban’s.

Please fill out this welcome form to connect with us.

Contact us with any questions. Call (202) 363-8286 or email the church office.

 

Service Times

Beginning on Trinity Sunday, May 30, 2021, worship will be open to anyone without pre-registration or distancing requirements. We will continue requiring that worshippers be masked for now. 

Our schedule of services will remain the same throughout the summer:

 - 9:00 a.m. (English) in the church

 - 10:30 a.m. (English) in the church

 - Noon (Spanish) in Nourse Hall

Communion in one kind (i.e. wafers) will be offered at the main altar, although we will happily bring communion to those for whom steps are challenging. 

Masked hymn singing both indoors and outdoors will be permitted, and music will be supported by a soloist and organ. 

On-line worship services in English and Spanish are available on Sundays beginning at 8:00 a.m. on our YouTube channel.

 

 

Directions

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church is located next to the Washington National Cathedral at the corner of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues in the northwest section of the District of Columbia.

From either direction on the north loop of the Capital Beltway/I-495 follow signs for Route 355/Wisconsin Ave south toward DC. St. Alban’s is located on the left just before the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues NW. Make a left onto Lych Gate Rd before you reach Massachusetts Ave. As you enter the drive, the church will be on your left and Satterlee Hall and the Rectory on the right. Stay on Lych Gate until it becomes Pilgrim Rd.

From any Virginia main in-bound thoroughfare (George Washington Memorial Parkway, I-395, Route 50, I-66), follow signs to Rosslyn and take the Key Bridge from Rosslyn north across the Potomac River into Georgetown. Go right on M St, left on Wisconsin Ave. St. Alban’s is located on the right just after the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues NW. Make a right onto Lych Gate Rd after passing Massachusetts. As you enter the drive, the church will be on your left and Satterlee Hall and the Rectory on the right. Stay on Lych Gate until it becomes Pilgrim Rd.

Parking is available on Pilgrim Road Monday-Friday after 3:30 pm and all day Saturday and Sunday. Parking is also available in the Cathedral’s underground garage for a fee Monday- Saturday and for free on Sunday.  You may also park on neighborhood streets according to DC parking signs.

What to Expect

Visiting a church for the first time can be a bit daunting. So we have tried to put together the answers to some of the questions you’re likely to have and to ensure that you find a warm welcome here. Click on the questions to learn more.)

How do you worship?

What time are services on Sunday morning?

How long do services last?

Where can I park?

Do you offer programs for children?

What should I wear?

Do you have provisions for the differently-abled?

For Your Kids

Children’s Ministry

At St. Alban’s, we believe that a child’s spiritual growth is just as important as their physical and intellectual growth. Our goal is to help children name and value the presence and love of God in their lives. We do this through a variety of means – by providing stable and consistent adult mentors, encouraging strong peer relationships, and supporting parents in their families’ faith lives at home.

Worship: Children’s Chapel meets at the start of the 9:00 a.m. service. Starting in September 2021, Children’s Chapel with Communion will be held outdoors on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 9:00 a.m. To learn more, contact the Rev’d Emily Griffin.

Education: All church school classes resume the Sunday after Labor Day with our annual Open House. Instruction starts the following Sunday.

Learn more about Children's Ministries


Youth Ministry

Four teen groups participate in formation classes at St. Alban’s on Sunday mornings. We use the nationally recognized Episcopal curriculum “Journey to Adulthood," or J2A. J2A has two guiding principles: 1) Manhood and womanhood are gifts of God; and 2) Adulthood must be earned. This is a strong program with over 50 youth participating, many of whom engage in a wide variety of ministries at St. Alban’s. Two or three adults mentor each of the groups for two years, sharing their own faith journeys and forming strong bonds of fellowship with the participants.

Learn more about Youth Ministries

The Episcopal Church

As Episcopalians, we follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe God is active in our everyday lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and with each other in Christ. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the gospel, and promotes justice, peace and love. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all of its members.

We uphold the Bible and worship with the Book of Common Prayer. We believe the Holy Scriptures are the revealed Word of God. In worship we unite ourselves with one another to acknowledge the holiness of God, to hear God's Word, to offer prayer and praise, and to celebrate the Sacraments. The Celebration of Holy Eucharist is the central act of worship in accordance with Jesus' command to His disciples. Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians, not only members of the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion with 70 million members in 165 countries.  The word "Episcopal" refers to government by bishops. The historic episcopate continues the work of the first apostles in the Church, guarding the faith, unity and discipline of the Church. Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible for ordination as deacons, priests and bishops. 

We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person. We welcome all to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.

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Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is a gift from God when we are in crises or difficult life transitions. At St. Alban’s, the clergy are the primary pastoral caregivers, but every parishioner is a caregiver to those in need. St. Alban’s also has several dedicated caring ministries that serve as extensions of the pastoral care offered by the priests.

Please call the church office at (202) 363-8286 if you need pastoral care. In the event of illness or death outside of regular office hours, a member of the clergy can be reached at (240) 670-4898. 

St. Alban’s WeCare

The St. Alban’s WeCare team is comprised of volunteers wishing to meet the needs of others in the church family. These needs may include transportation to church or medical appointments, errands, meals, visits in the home or hospital, notes and calls, child or pet care during a crisis … just about anything that poses a challenge. Care team volunteers can be available for a single task or teamed for an ongoing commitment to one parishioner. If you need help from the care team, or would like to be part of this comprehensive caring effort, contact the Rev. Jim Quigley.

Communion for Homebound

Communionwafers (600x600)We are the people of God outside our church as well as inside. Supplementing home Communion offered by clergy, Eucharistic visitors (EVs) are trained and licensed by the diocese to bring Holy Communion to people in their homes, hospitals and nursing homes. If you are interested in this ministry or would like to have Communion in your home, contact the Rev. Emily Griffin.

Stephen Ministry

StephenMinistryLogoStephen Ministry, a nation-wide program, is an integral part of St. Alban’s pastoral care. Stephen Ministers are carefully selected, spiritually mature parishioners who receive extensive training and supervision. They meet with their care receivers to listen and comfort, providing one-on-one support for those facing difficult life changes such as loss, illness, divorce or unemployment; the relationships are strictly confidential. If you would like to know more or think you might benefit from supportive home visits,contact Ann Nix or Jo Turner.

Healing Ministry

God’s hope for the world is healing and wholeness. At most services, parishioners who are part of St. Alban’s healing ministry offer prayers and laying-on-of-hands for healing during worship services provide an “outward and visible sign” of how we care for one another as a parish. If you want to learn more, contact Elizabeth Fisher (202) 223-3493. Parishioners interested in becoming a healing minister may contact the Rev. Emily Griffin.

Prayer List

St. Alban’s maintains two prayer lists for use during Sunday worship, and both lists are published in our weekly service bulletin’s yellow pages. Names added to the Sunday intercessory prayer list are read aloud during worship for a period of three weeks. Those with longer term struggles or illnesses are added to an additional yellow pages prayer list for three months; parishioners are encouraged to use the intercessory prayer list in their personal devotions during the week. To add friends or loved ones to either list contact the Rev. Jim Quigley.

Pastoral Emergencies

If you need to reach a member of the clergy in an emergency outside of regular office hours--in the event of illness or death--please call (240) 670-4898.