Why St. Alban’s?
New to the Annandale area? New to the Episcopal Church? New to Christianity? Wherever you are in your life of faith, you are welcome at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.
St. Alban’s is a special place: Traditional and Inclusive; Anglican and Episcopal; Catholic and Protestant.
We are an active, Christ-centered community of people who follow Jesus and serve the Annandale area through a variety of ministries and outreach programs.
Our members include young families, couples, singles, long-time parishioners — people from every walk of life. Our worship service is a traditional liturgy, rooted in the Book of Common Prayer and thousands of years of Christian tradition.
We Believe ...
… in a God that loves unconditionally, regardless of race, identity, gender, or belief – no exceptions!
We Believe ...
… in the mystery that, through Jesus, God assumed humanity and that Jesus is one who is simultaneously fully human and fully divine.
We Believe ...
… that Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection are radical acts of love for all humanity.
Plan a Visit
The best way to get to know us is to join us for one of our Sunday morning worship services. We offer two services every week:
- Our 8:00am service typically has an opening and closing hymn only, with no choir.
- Our 10:30am service has many more hymns, with choir, and usually a choral anthem.
A clean, well-managed nursery is available during both services, as well as a quiet room with a televised feed of the worship service.
Where We Are
We’re located at 6800 Columbia Pike in Annandale, Virginia. There is plenty of parking, and we are also easily reached by bus (Routes 16A, 16L, and 26A). We’d love to meet you!
What to Expect at a Worship Service
Our worship is liturgical, which means we have “formal rites and instructions” for public worship. (Don’t worry, our worship may be “formal,” but casual clothes are welcome.)
Typical services mix readings, prayers, hymns and a sermon. In every case, while a priest leads the service, the congregation participates extensively—singing hymns and speaking or singing prayers, the creed, responses and psalms.
Our worship is heart-felt and authentic, and at the heart of all Episcopal worship is the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), and the principal weekly service is the Holy Eucharist—also known as Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper or Mass.
All baptized Christians are welcome to receive the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion, the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. This is done by holding out your hands to receive the bread. To receive the wine, guide the chalice to your lips, or dip the bread into the wine. (You may choose not to receive the wine.)
If you do not wish to receive Communion, or have not been baptized, you may come forward to receive a Blessing from the priest. Please indicate this by folding your arms across your chest.
When you visit, an usher will provide you with a program bulletin that lists an outline of the worship, complete with page numbers from the BCP and hymnal, and “stage directions” (such as when to stand or kneel).
If you’ve never attended an Episcopal worship service before (or even if you have!), you might have some questions, and that’s okay. Follow along with what you see others do, or just relax and enjoy the experience. Attend more than once and you will find you soon get used to it.
After the service, please introduce yourself to our clergy — they would love to have a chance to meet you. Then be sure to join us in the Parish Hall for Coffee Hour. It’s a low-key, low-pressure way to meet new folks and get to know our parish a little better, while enjoying treats! (And don’t worry, “Coffee Hour” is just what we call it — you don’t have to stay that long!)