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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

SUNDAY SERVICES (after Labor Day through May)
8:00 a.m.       Holy Eucharist: Rite I (spoken)

9:00  a.m.      Holy Eucharist: Rite II

                        Children's Chapel

11:15 a.m.      Misa in Español (Little Sanctuary)

11:15 a.m.      Holy Eucharist: Rite II (Rite I during Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter)

WEEKDAY SERVICES
Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.  Daily Morning Prayer

Tuesday, 7:30 a.m.                                    Holy Eucharist: Rite II

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 Parish the formation of our children is a high priority.  While we know that a significant amount of a child’s faith comes from the home, we aim to provide excellent children’s formation throughout the year to complement the formation that is ongoing in a child’s life.  Our goal is to help children easily point to the love of God in their lives.

Worship: Children’s Chapel meets at the start of the 9:00 a.m. service in Nourse Hall. Children join the congregation in "big church" at the Peace, in time for Eucharist.

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

Nursery care: Child care is available from 9:00 to 11:05 a.m. during the program year (September to May) for infants and children under 3 who aren’t quite ready for our 2s & 3s class.

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. 

Worship:  St. Alban’s Teen Service Fellowship starts at 9:00 a.m. and is a separate service just for our teens held in the Little Sanctuary at St. Albans School. This interactive service offers teens time to talk about life, the Gospel, and to celebrate Eucharist together.  The teens return to "big church," before heading to their classes at the conclusion of the 9:00 a.m. worship service.  Friends are always welcome.

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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Articles

Latest News

01.26.19 | News, Connect

    What's new at St. Alban's? Read on for Vestry updates and other news from the St. Alban's community.

    MATTHEW STEYNOR TO BE MUSIC DIRECTOR

    Announcement from Geoffrey Hoare:
     
    I am delighted to announce that I have invited Matthew Steynor to join us at St. Alban’s to lead our music program. He has accepted with enthusiasm, as you will see from his note to us below. Matthew has served since 2007 as the Director of Music for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Miami, Florida. While there he started and sustained an Evensong Chorale and a successful community choir of boys. He has accompanied and led music for liturgies in English and Spanish for the Cathedral in addition to major Diocesan events and services. Matthew has also led choir tours and overseen a significant concert series in Southeast Florida. His early training was as a Senior Organ Scholar at Queens’ College, Cambridge and then at Great St. Mary’s, the University Church in Cambridge. He subsequently served at Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau, Bahamas and St. Thomas’ Parish in Coral Gables, Florida. (I recommend searching his name on YouTube where you will find some examples of his playing and conducting while at Queens’.) He is excited not only by the quality of our adult choirs but also by the potential of our Choral Scholar and Chorister programs.
     
    Matthew struck the group advising me (Laura Ingersoll, Kate McNamara, Chuck Burg, Doug Dykstra and the clergy) as a particularly good fit for us among an extremely strong field of candidates. His references are stellar as is his reputation in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. I believe he has the gifts to lead us to great things in the next season of our parish life.
     
    Matthew will begin with us on May 15, 2019. I hope you will mark your calendars and plan to join us to welcome him on that day.
     
    He writes:” Greetings and ¡Saludos! from Miami, Florida, where I have lived and made music for the last fifteen years. I am tremendously excited to be joining your dynamic Rector and team at St Alban’s in mid-May, and to be continuing the wonderful musical tradition that has been part of this parish for many years. It is a distinct pleasure to be succeeding Jeremy, having been an admirer of his playing since I was a teenager. The St Alban’s choir is super and, as I witnessed when I visited in November, can sing anything!  It will be especially thrilling to be part of a thriving church where both adults and children make great music since in my current situation they are thirty miles apart. I look forward to meeting you all and to serving God and the St Alban’s congregation for many years to come.”

    NEW LAY LEADERS ELECTED

    The results are in from the annual meeting. The following were elected:

    Senior Warden (three-year term)
    Ken Patterson
     
    Junior Warden (one-year term)
    Lucy Fraser Cage
     
    Vestry Members (three-year terms)
    Paul Brewster
    Barbara Manard
    Josepha Musabyemariya
    Dudley Winthrop

    We are thankful for all who stood for election.

    JANUARY VESTRY NEWS FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN

    by Laura Ingersoll
     
    The Vestry unanimously approved a balanced Operating Budget for 2019, based upon the nearly $1.3 million in pledges made to date (thank you, dear fellow parishioners!) and other income sources including $79,822 in unspent funds carried forward from 2018.  The budget funds our increasingly robust music program and anticipates hiring a youth director for the 2019-2020 program year.  It also accounts for ongoing planned maintenance and repair projects, and our communications infrastructure upgrade.  We increased our outreach budget (not including OpShop and other “pass-through” receipts/disbursements) to $111,516 to match our slightly increased annual Diocesan contribution – continuing to move each item toward our aspirational goal of a 10% tithe of the Operating Budget.  The Operating Budget, plus over $200,000 in pass-throughs (including WSA funds and designated Endowment Funds), tops $2 million.
     
    Director of Music Jeremy Filsell discussed a report prepared by Schantz Organ Company, based on a recent inspection and assessment of our organ, which recently received a comprehensive overhaul.   Our current organ was installed in 1998 to replace a much smaller 1928 instrument, and is deemed to be somewhat too large for our space and sub-optimally sited, leading to performance and maintenance challenges. While no near-term change is recommended, the Vestry will keep these factors in mind for the future.    
     
    Vestry members ending their terms of service gave heartfelt reflections on their Vestry experiences, and the end of the Vestry term was marked with chocolate cake! 
     
    The first meeting of the new Vestry will be on February 20.
    Previous Vestry meeting summaries can be found here.

    CHRISTMAS THANKS

    To our community Christmas dinner helpers: Thank you to all who planned, shopped, cooked, decorated, set up, welcomed, hosted, “kitchened,” served and, best of all angels, cleaned up.  We served upwards of 150 meals and sent people home with over 50 clamshells of leftovers. While all is still fresh in memory, we would appreciate your feedback:  what worked; what didn’t; what we needed more, or less, of; and any comments received or observations made – yours or others’. Email Phoebe Jane.

    Thanks, as well, to our amazing flower guild for making sure St. Alban's looked its best inside and out during the Christmas season. Flowers on the altar, the font, the pulpit and lectern, and at St. John's chapel were gorgeous. Roping and bows throughout the sanctuary, wreaths on all of our red doors--all of it came together and lasted right up to Epiphany. Did you know you can see the flower guild at work and many of its arrangements in this photo gallery? If you're interested in joining the guild, contact Katie Wilson. 

    TUBMAN HOLIDAY SHOW

    St. Alban's members who volunteer at Harriet Tubman Elementary School got a treat in December when the children performed their annual holiday show. Joy to the world! 

    Located just three miles from St. Alban's, Tubman serves children from three homeless shelters and two housing projects.

    Learn more about our partnership with the school and contact Tom Jansen if you'd like to get involved.

     

    EVENSONG @ ST. ALBAN'S

    St. Alban's hosted the Washington National Cathedral's weekly Choral Evensong, on Tuesday, November 14. The service featured the sublime voices of the Cathedral's Boys Choir under the direction of Brian Glosh (a St. Alban's parishioner). Our Rector Geoffrey Hoare was the officiant.  Choral evensong is an enduring spiritual element of the Anglican tradition, and offers respite, contemplation and inspiration in the midst of our busy modern lives.  

    ROWAN WILLIAMS VISITS

    On a crisp autumn morning, November 8, over a hundred people hungry for faith-understanding gathered at St. Alban’s to hear former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams speak about Christian believing and discipleship and then address thought-provoking audience questions. Parishioners have been reading two of Bishop Williams’ recent books, Being Christian and Being Disciples – slim volumes aimed at helping us work out the essentials of our faith.  Since serving for  a decade as primate of the Anglican Communion (2002-2012), Williams has been Master of Magdalene College at Cambridge University (alma mater of our Rector, Geoffrey Hoare), and continues to be a leader in the contemporary church’s progressive thinking, ecumenism, and interfaith reconciliation work. Listen here:

    BYLAWS APPROVED

    By a unanimous voice vote, members of St. Alban's approved the revised parish bylaws that conform to new diocesan requirements. The new bylaws can be found here. At the meeting on Sunday, October 28, Geoffrey shared some of his hopes for the parish going forward, commenting on music, children and youth ministries, and collaboration with the Cathedral. 

     

    WHAT HAPPENED TO "WATER INTO WINE?"

    Parishioners who are used to putting non-perishable food or items collected for our Water-into-Wine initiatives into the brown bins near St. John’s Chapel in the Nave may have discovered that the bins are no longer there.  While we will still occasionally ask for donations for Water-into-Wine initiatives we will no longer be using the bins.  When collections are announced, drop-off locations will be provided. In the meantime, if you have been placing non-perishable food donations in the bins, thank you! From now on, please put them in the wicker basket located in the Narthex.

    THANK YOU, HEATHER

    Children's Chapel has a new grand piano, a generous gift from St. Alban's member Heather Hunt, who died in September. Heather was a long-time music leader in Children's Chapel, a much-loved and cheerful presence in the lives of our youngest parishioners. Phoebe Jane played Heather's piano for the first time on Sunday, October 7, and it sounds amazing. In memory of Heather, the children came forward to touch her piano and thank her for her gift. 

    CELEBRATION SUNDAY

    It's official! Geoffrey was formally installed as our rector on Sunday, September 16, at a glorious afternoon service. Bishop Mariann commended the Vestry's choice and affirmed the call, asking the congregation, "Are you, the people of St. Alban’s, ready to continue in your ministry, with Geoffrey as your rector?" The people responded with a loud, "We are."

    The service, which also celebrated all the ministries of St. Alban's, was followed by a festive reception. Thanks to Susan Morris, who organized the party, and to all who helped to set up, contributed food and drink, served, and cleaned up.

    THANKS BE TO JO

    Sunday, September 9, was proclaimed "Jo Turner Sunday" at St. Alban's as we thanked Jo for her three years of service (without pay) as our pastoral care coordinator. Many at St. Alban's benefited greatly from the prayers, visits and home-delivered meals Jo helped to coordinate during her time on staff. 

    The Faith Talk blog that Jo has written for several years is taking a break. After some restful discernment, Faith Talk will resume on a less frequent schedule (she thinks).

     

    Looking for something you once found on this page? Want to take a look back at previous events or announcements? Check the news archive page.