Set on East Broad Street in the City of Falls Church, Dulin United Methodist Church has opened its doors to the same neighborhood for more than a century and a half. The current building went up in 1869 on land given by William Y. Dulin, but the congregation's story stretches much further: the area's first Methodist preaching place was the parlor of William and Ann Adams at Church Hill in 1750, and the Frederick Circuit was organized in 1774. Early preachers at the predecessor Fairfax Chapel included Robert Strawbridge, the first American Methodist preacher, and Francis Asbury, the first American bishop. The fireplace mantel salvaged from that earlier Church Hill building now hangs in the hallway just outside Dulin's sanctuary, a quiet reminder of the long line of worshippers who came before.
Worship That Blends Centuries of Music
Sunday worship at Dulin takes place at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary and is offered in person and online through Facebook and YouTube. The style is deliberately blended. Music draws on classical and gospel traditions alongside hymns from Taizé and Iona, so a single Sunday can move from a choral anthem to a contemplative chant to a familiar gospel hymn. Each service includes a children's message, and Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. Screens display the order of worship and bulletins are available at the door.
Pastor the Rev. James Henry brings a contemplative bent shaped by two years of study with Fr. Richard Rohr, Dr. James Finley, and Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault at The Living School through the Center for Action and Contemplation. Recent sermon series have worked through phrases from the Lord's Prayer in classic Aramaic, including Abwoon d'bashmaya (Belonging to the Sacred Source), Nethqadash shmakh (Living the Sacred Name), and Hawvlan lachma d'sunqanan yawmana (Receiving What Truly Sustains). The Aramaic titles reflect Henry's deeper study of the language Jesus spoke and how it shapes the way the congregation hears the Sermon on the Mount.
Music Ministry: Sanctuary Choir and Chancel Ringers
Music is central to Dulin's identity. The Sanctuary Choir, directed by Dr. Donna Whited, sings during the regular worship service from September through July and presents semiannual concerts at Advent and Easter. Repertoire ranges across eras and genres, performed both with organ accompaniment and a cappella. The Chancel Ringers handbell choir rehearses every Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m., September through June, playing hymn medleys and arrangements of sacred pieces on up to three octaves of Schulmerich bells. Smaller vocal ensembles, instrumental soloists, and instrumental ensembles all have a place in worship as well. Cantors help lead congregational singing on Sundays.
Children Welcome in the Pews and the Classroom
Children are welcome in the sanctuary, and there is no dress code. Each service includes a special children's time. For younger children, the Dulin Church Nursery provides care for infants through age five with professionally trained childcare workers who have passed background checks and completed Child Protection Policy training. Children's Sunday School for kindergarten through fifth grade meets during the 10 a.m. worship service, with seasonal crafts and activities that tie into the lectionary. Past projects have included building a golden calf craft to explore patience and modern idols.
Older children are drawn into worship through programs like the Dulin Puppet Ministry and an annual Children's Nativity Play during Advent. The congregation also participates in a tradition of Laity Sunday when members of all ages take leadership roles in the service.
Youth Ministry and Confirmation
Middle school (grades 6 through 8) and high school (grades 9 through 12) students meet regularly for fellowship, games, and faith formation. The youth group partners with the Appalachia Service Project, joining adults from Dulin each year for home repair trips in central Appalachia. Local service days have included work at Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. Confirmation is offered as a focused season of learning and growth for youth ready to claim their faith journey.
Learning Together: Adult Small Groups
An adult Sunday School class meets at 11 a.m. in Room 11 under the leadership of Rev. Dave Lough. The class works through video series from various biblical scholars, paired with a study guide, and is open to anyone who wants to attend. United Women in Faith gathers as the Joshua's Way circle on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Two weekly email newsletters, the Dulin Headlines and a separate Children's Headlines and Youth Headlines, keep members informed about upcoming studies, service projects, and fellowship events. The church also hosts a podcast feed so sermons and conversations can be heard on demand.
Outreach from Falls Church to the World
Dulin's ministry reaches well beyond its building. The Ministry of Hope prepares a monthly Grab and Go Breakfast on the second Sunday of each month for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Volunteers are trained and welcomed into the work at any time.
Globally, Dulin partners with Brother's Brother, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Helping Children Worldwide in Sierra Leone, So Others Might Eat, and a Cuba Volunteers in Mission team led by Sunita Lough. Nationally, the church sends teams each year to the Appalachia Service Project and Rebuilding Together, including a Rebuilding Together work day in late April that draws youth and adult volunteers alike.
Locally, Dulin supports Falls Church Community Services, the Falls Church Homeless Shelter, Bethany House for Abused Spouses, Homestretch, Grace Ministries, L'Arche Greater Washington DC, HOPE of Northern Virginia, Jill's House, NOVA Human Trafficking Initiative, Just Ask VA, Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop, and AIDS Walk/Run. The church also hosts the Dulin Cooperative Preschool and partners with the Falls Church McLean Day Care.
A Library That Grew with the Church
Tucked inside the building, the Fannie M. Shreve Library has served the congregation for more than 50 years. Stocked with current books on Christian topics, Bible study, and a growing collection of children's and youth titles, the library is open every weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. New children's books are featured on a dedicated shelf each year to encourage family reading around kindness and faith themes.
Getting to Dulin: Parking, Accessibility, and the Metro
Dulin sits about a mile from the East Falls Church station on the Orange and Silver Metro lines, making it accessible by transit as well as by car. Three entrances and two large parking lots make arrival straightforward. The building is fully handicap accessible, with ramps and an elevator; visitors who need step-free access are encouraged to use the back parking lot and to ask the Sunday morning greeters for directions to the sanctuary. Coffee Talk follows each worship service in the Wesley Room at the back of the sanctuary, a relaxed setting to meet new friends and catch up with old ones.
Beliefs and Affiliation
Dulin United Methodist Church abides by the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church. The congregation's stated mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and its vision is to be a caring congregation empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring God's ministry to all people and to serve Jesus Christ with love. The church shares the denomination's Social Principles, including commitments to human sexuality as a sacred gift, marriage as a lifelong covenant, gender equality, and socially responsible investments that promote racial and gender justice and protect the natural world.
Seasonal Rhythms Throughout the Year
The Christian year shapes Dulin's calendar as much as the weekly schedule. Ash Wednesday is marked with a special service, and Holy Thursday is observed as a joint service with Calloway UMC, Christ Crossman UMC, and Galloway UMC. Christmas Eve brings two services: a 5 p.m. Family Christmas Eve service and an 8 p.m. Traditional Lessons and Carols service, framed by a Music Ministry Concert. The church also offers a Taizé service on New Year's Eve, a Children's Nativity Play during Advent, and an annual Music Ministry Concert at Advent and Easter.
The Staff Behind the Work
The ministry team is led by Pastor the Rev. James Henry, a graduate of the University of Virginia in Religious Studies and Wesley Theological Seminary, who has served United Methodist churches in Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland. Dr. Donna Whited, Director of Music, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and has served Methodist and Episcopal churches across Northern Virginia since 2005. Katie Pisocky serves as Office Manager, and Roxana Arias serves as Building Superintendent, caring for the property that has hosted this congregation for more than 150 years.