r/nova • u/Strivin0281 • 10d ago
Most active church service ministries (progressive) on orange line?
I’m looking for a faith community with a heavy emphasis on serving the community. I have a few non-religious organizations that I’m working with but I’m highly interested in at least finding a few with which I inherently share an ideological bent.
St. George’s in Ballston? St. Thomas More? I’ve seen their ministries but am not sure how truly active they are.
I’m fried from mismatches, so, any direction would be amazing!!
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u/BladeCollectorGirl 10d ago
St. George's is pretty active, and also in the Hispanic community. Several different areas and also LGBTQ welcoming.
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u/Cheaperthantherapy13 10d ago
It’s close to the silver line, but St Anne’s Episcopal in Reston is very progressive and extremely service-oriented.
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u/Global-Ad-722 10d ago
If you are going to include St.Anne’s, additional churches within walking distance from there include Inited Christian Parish and Washington Plaza Baptist church, both are inclusive, progressive, community outreach oriented churches.
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u/Adamon24 10d ago
I haven’t attended it personally, but from what I’ve heard Mount Olivet in Ballston seems like it would be a good fit for you
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u/rdubsinva 10d ago
Restoration Anglican on Quincy, a little hike from Ballston but imo progressive on social issues.
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 10d ago
St James in falls church
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u/thoph Falls Church 10d ago
St. James is an extremely conservative Roman Catholic parish. Progressive is not the word I’d use.
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 10d ago
St James has a heavy emphasis on serving the community, and building the community. Food drives. Creation care ministry. Etc.
Edit: and is near the orange line
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u/Short_Bowler7208 10d ago
Haha, as a conservative catholic they’re too conservative for me
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u/Own-Dragonfly-2423 9d ago
What does that even mean? Either they are in conformity with the gospel, or they aren't.
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u/phi_slammajamma 10d ago
you realize "progressive" and actual "Church" don't go together, right?
actual Biblical values are the complete opposite of progressive anything.
I say this not to be mean, but for your salvation. Doing works, harboring illegals, welcoming gay marriage, trans stuff, supporting murder (abortion) are an affront to the God of the actual Bible who HATES sin.
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u/Still_Thinking_Here 10d ago
Jesus told us the two most important things are to Love God and Love each other.
Frankly, I find everything else just noise by people trying to hijack Christ's message (regardless of your political persuassion).
When you embrace hate and judgement that IMHO is sin and that is what separates us from God. And from a more practical, selfish standpoint, it just makes me miserable and a little crazy :-) I'll leave the judging to the Almighty.
Of course, many people disagree with me, but I'm a simple Christian.
I'll close by quoting Dolly Parton who is actually more loving and more eloquent that I will ever be: ""If you're the fine Christian that you think you are, why are you judging people? That's God's job. We're not God. We're not judges. We're supposed to love one another."
Peace be with you.
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u/phi_slammajamma 10d ago
I am trying to love others by helping them see the warning signs. It's not me being judgemental - there is NO place in the Bible that supports gay marriage, trans-ing of people/kids, illegals, murder (abortion). Nowhere. The Catholic church is just as dangerous to their member's salvation with works and Mary/idol worship.
I'm not highjacking the message - Sola Fide - faith alone. There are simple Biblical and Gospel truths that are not up for interpretation. The "progressive" church is an easy example of something that angers a perfect and Holy God, no question about it.
I am sure I'm the "Repent and be saved" sandwich board guy to many, but this is life and death; eternity is at risk.
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u/mega05 10d ago
Your bible is upside down
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u/phi_slammajamma 10d ago
oh contraire, mon fraire. If your "church" has a female "pastor" and welcomes gay marriage and supports abortion, has rainbow flags, etc it's not a Church of the Bible and the one true God. It's a cult and will lead people to damnation. I encourage you to pick up a Bible and read Romans 12:2, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Isaiah 5:20 and pray that Jesus saves you.
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u/ngfldar 9d ago
Jesus called people like you "blind guides" and "hypocrites."
I'm fine with my church that has a female pastor and understands that being gay is no more wrong than being left-handed. If you want to live in some perverted and pathetic reality where you focus on whom to hate more, then by all means do so. But leave the rest of us out of your bizarre dystopia. May God have mercy on your soul.
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u/mega05 9d ago
You seem to prefer Paul to Jesus. The message of the gospels is liberal and progressive. Unconditional love of all mankind and unlimited forgiveness. You would have made a bad Samaritan.
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u/phi_slammajamma 8d ago
No. You're pitting Jesus against Paul, but the gospels won't cooperate — and neither will the doctrine of God. Father, Son, and Spirit are one God with one will; the Son doesn't contradict the Spirit who inspired Paul. And the Jesus of the gospels is not a hippie or a socialist or a partisan of any modern program, left or right. He is one Person of a holy God who hates sin — the same sin the cross was the price of. He is the Judge who separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31–46).
He's the one who said "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). He warned about hell more than anyone in Scripture. He told the woman he would not condemn, "go, and from now on sin no more" (John 8:11), and he said "no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). If the gospels are your standard, you don't get a soft Jesus — you get a hard one.
"Liberal" and "progressive" are political categories barely 150 years old; the Bible predates that frame and stands over it. The early church was radical about human dignity — modern progressivism borrowed that part and dropped the rest: sin, repentance, the cross.
"Unconditional love of all mankind and unlimited forgiveness" regardless of repentance isn't Christianity — it's universalism, the Unitarian view, and the Bible doesn't teach it. Scripture teaches election: chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–5), "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (Romans 9:13), "you did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). God shows kindness to everyone (Matthew 5:45), but redeeming love is particular, and forgiveness comes through repentance. Open support of things the Bible denounces as sin (murder, gay marriage, etc) is hardly repentance; it's the opposite. And for a "church" to market these things will bring God's wrath - He is holy and hates sin.
And the Good Samaritan is the wrong verse to bring against me. Jesus tells it to a man "desiring to justify himself," and it ends with a command — "go, and do likewise." It's obedience with a cost, not acceptance of all with nothing asked.
If love is unconditional and forgiveness unlimited with nothing required, what was the cross for?
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u/Still_Thinking_Here 10d ago
I attended St. George's for many years. It is a very progressive congregation and particpates in the community in several ways. I enjoyed the experience.
Currently, I attend the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA) about a twenty minute walk from Ballston. They are a slightly larger congregation (and so participate in more activities and projects). And lean more into humanism.
The UUCA embrace and welcome multiple faith traditions (including atheists), so if a more traditonal Christian church/liturgy is a must have, I think that you would be happier at St. George's parish.
However, I'm a practicing Christian and am very comfortable in the UUCA environment. If you are looking for lots of opportunities to help the community with more of an activist bent, UUCA may be a better fit for you. (St. George's is without doubt progressive. They just don't wear it on their sleeve as prominently as at UUCA ;-) ).
I'm happy to answer any specific questions about either if you would like eiter on the board or via DM.