A Welcoming Church on Arlington Boulevard
Faith Lutheran Church sits at 3313 Arlington Boulevard, a few blocks east of the heart of Arlington, Virginia, and within an easy drive of Washington, D.C., Alexandria, and Falls Church. From the front sidewalk the building has the look of an established mid-century church, with the worship space opening onto the boulevard and a second entrance tucked along the quieter Jackson Street on the north side of the property. Members describe the congregation as a hub for people who move into and out of Arlington on military, foreign service, and professional assignments, alongside families who have been part of the church for generations, and they lean into the constant coming and going as part of who they are.
What sets Faith apart, and what the leadership names first, is a posture of radical welcome. Faith is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) church, promising the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, and committing itself to racial equity and anti-racism work in partnership with ReconcilingWorks. The welcome statement, read by members during worship, says plainly: "you are beloved, accepted, and affirmed here." The church commits itself, alongside that welcome, to supporting social and economic justice, environmental care, and anti-racism efforts as faithful responses to God's call to love neighbors and creation.
Sunday Morning at 10 a.m.
Worship happens in person and on the livestream every Sunday at 10 a.m. The service follows the Lutheran pattern of confession and forgiveness, Bible readings, a sermon, and Holy Communion, with a great deal of music. Each person in the pew gets a bulletin containing all the readings, hymns, and songs so the whole assembly can follow along. Communion is celebrated every week and is open to anyone who wishes to partake; children who have been through the congregation's "Explore Communion" class are welcome at the table as well.
The musical life of the church runs from traditional hymns to newer songs, and the Director of Worship and Music regularly welcomes guest musicians alongside the Adult Choir, which sings roughly once a quarter from September through May, and the Children's Choir, which begins around age five or six and sings in worship at least once each quarter. On selected Sundays the music is anchored at the piano and organ.
Children are full participants in the 10 a.m. service. A children's library sits in the front of the worship space, busy bags with small quiet toys are available, and kids' bulletins are printed each week. An optional respite care room lets children step out with a supervisor while parents stay in the sanctuary.
What to Wear, Where to Park, How to Get In
Dress is "come as you are." The sanctuary on a typical Sunday holds everything from jeans and flip-flops to suits and ties, and no one is turned away for what they are wearing.
There are two parking lots. The front lot faces Arlington Boulevard; the rear lot is on Jackson Street, a half block up from the boulevard on the left. From the front lot the sanctuary can be reached through the wooden doors facing Arlington Boulevard. From the rear lot, double doors facing Jackson Street open into the fellowship hall, and signs lead through a short hallway to the sanctuary. The accessible ramp and entrance are also on the Jackson Street side of the building, at the rear, and lead to the same fellowship-hall hallway. The preschool's double glass doors face the front lot and are locked on Sunday mornings.
Auditory aids are available for anyone who needs them; ushers can supply one on request. Other accommodations can be arranged with advance notice.
What Lutherans Mean at Faith
Faith stands within the ELCA, which "confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and trusts the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. The word "evangelical" in the church's name refers to this centering on the Good News of Jesus's liberating, saving power as proclaimed in the Gospel. The Lutheran tradition itself grew out of the study and teaching of Martin Luther more than five hundred years ago and holds that the love and grace of God are freely given to all people; nothing needs to be earned to receive that grace. In response, Lutherans are called to love and serve their neighbors, and at Faith that calling is worked out through a long list of partnerships and hands-on ministries.
Two sacraments are celebrated. Baptism marks the beginning of a person's faith journey and is the way someone is first received into the Christian community. At Faith baptisms take place on Sunday mornings during worship; Pastor CJ prefers to meet in advance with anyone requesting a baptism, so the church asks for at least two weeks' notice. The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is celebrated every Sunday and is understood as an open meal at which none are turned away.
Christian Education Across the Week
Sunday School for children meets at 9 a.m. each Sunday from September through May, with breaks on long and holiday weekends. Students experience God through music, loving teachers, and a Bible-based, age-appropriate curriculum. A Child Protection Policy, available for download, governs how adults and children interact in every program the church runs.
Confirmation at Faith follows the ELCA's model of helping students identify more deeply with the Christian community and participate more fully in its mission. The program is designed for students in sixth through eighth grade, with a confirmation ceremony in ninth grade. Classes typically meet once a month on a Sunday afternoon at Faith or at one of the congregation's partner congregations in Falls Church or Alexandria, and the program also includes periodic weekend retreats and service projects.
Adults have several entry points. A weekly Midweek Lectionary Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. in the undercroft; it is a chance to get a head start on the Sunday readings alongside Pastor CJ. The church also hosts Adult Forums on a variety of topics throughout the year, and an "Explore Communion" class is offered at least once a year for any age. The class is family friendly, lasts about an hour and a half, and walks participants through the meaning and history of communion, the practice of forgiveness, and what happens when the meal is shared each Sunday; it can be used as preparation for a first communion or as continuing education for someone already taking the sacrament.
Pastor CJ and the Staff
The spiritual leader of the congregation is Pastor CJ Valenti. Pastor CJ is described by the church as grateful to be connected to a deep and wide community wrestling with the questions life offers, and is particularly passionate about building community, faith formation for the youngest members, and creation care. She is reachable through the church office.
Justin Streletz is the Director of Worship and Music. He works with the leadership team to select, arrange, and share music for worship, directs both the Adult Choir and the Children's Choir, and plays piano and organ. Carrie Field, who joined the staff in 2014 and is a certified play therapy specialist and a licensed clinical social worker in Virginia, directs Faith Lutheran Preschool. Mindi Boyagian is the Communications Coordinator, keeping the congregation informed about what is happening; both of her children attended the preschool and are confirmed members of Faith. Day-to-day operations are handled by Business Administrator Jody Manning. Vilma Salgado De Ulloa and Luis Salgado Ulloa serve as the congregation's caretakers, and Carrie rounds out the team with the rest of the preschool faculty.
The church is governed by a Council made up of elected congregational members. The Council meets at 7:15 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month; meetings are open, and anyone from the congregation or community is welcome to attend. Council President Jeff Olson, Vice President Emily Crofford, Secretary Jennifer Dillon, Financial Secretary Cate Florenz, Treasurer Holly Jewell, Property Trustee Jim Jewell, Members at Large Alejandro Gonzalez Roman and Anne Christenson, Social Ministry Lay Leader Maril Olson, Education Lay Leader Jody Manning, Outreach Lay Leader Leslie Herman, and Stewardship Lay Leader Denis Dillos make up the current leadership, and the congregation's constitution, bylaws, and operational ethics policy are all posted online for anyone who wants to read them.
Faith Lutheran Preschool
Tucked into the same campus is Faith Lutheran Preschool, founded in 1990 and now in its fourth decade. FLP describes itself as one of the oldest and most established Reggio Emilia-inspired programs in the Arlington area. Children from age two through pre-kindergarten learn in classrooms that are intentionally set up to be the "third teacher," full of natural light, indoor and outdoor elements, and materials that invite children to draw, build, sculpt, and explore. Dedicated STEM, art, and music classes are part of the weekly rhythm, as is a chapel time that introduces the children to the rhythms of the wider congregation.
Three class levels are offered for the 2026-2027 school year. The "Minnows" twos class runs 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with an optional Lunch Bunch that extends the day to 12:45. The "Lizards" threes class meets 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with a four-day option adding Fridays. The "Frogs" fours and pre-k class meets 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays, with a five-day option adding Mondays. Before Care is available five days a week starting at 8:15 a.m., and Afternoon Enrichment is offered on site by FLP staff until 3:00 p.m.
Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are open through Brightwheel, with a $100 non-refundable application fee. The lottery is held on the second Monday of February, and priority enrollment is given to FLC church members and alumni families. A one-of-a-kind outdoor classroom extends the learning into nature, and the school's gardening beds supply produce to the Arlington Food Assistance Center as a way of weaving school life into the wider Social Ministry work of the congregation.
The preschool's faculty includes Carrie Field as Director, Cynthia Strawser as Specials Teacher (with a Montessori background, a B.S. from George Mason, and a Core Certification in Godly Play), Frog Teacher Sue Campbell, Lizards Teachers Trish Montgomery and Steven McKenzie, Frog Teacher Mike Valenti, and Minnows Teachers Nicole "Coco" Montana and Jen Magruder. Families can follow the school on Facebook and Instagram as FLP.
Social Ministry: A Year of Partners
Faith's Social Ministry Team organizes the congregation around the call of Matthew 25 to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. Each month the church highlights one of its mission partners in worship and through a special "Mission of the Month" offering collected in the pews and through the church's app and online giving portal.
The 2026 rotation moves through outdoor ministry in January with Mar-Lu-Ridge Camp and Caroline Furnace Camp; Just Neighbors in February; the Arlington Food Assistance Center in March; Bridges to Independence in April; Arlington Foster Care and Adoption in May; The Village at Rockville in June; Reach for Uganda in July; Cristo Rey in August; Village of Hope in September; Offender Aid and Restoration in October; the Pine Ridge Reconciliation Center in November; and Angel Trees in December. Hands-on work accompanies the financial gifts, including purchasing and bagging fresh fruit for AFAC, packing hygiene kits for Bridges to Independence, and assembling clothing kits for new immigrants and refugees.
Fellowship Across Generations
Rather than running separate youth, young adult, singles, or seniors groups, Faith tries to plan fellowship and community events that welcome and celebrate people across generational, gender, and cultural lines. Three regular rhythms anchor that life.
On the fourth Sunday of every month, the church hosts a hot brunch after worship with egg bakes, muffins, fruit, and juice, all provided by church members and friends. A sign-up sheet goes around so anyone can bring a dish; the only rule is that no one has to bring anything to be welcome at the table.
The XYZ Group is a Tuesday lunch-hour gathering of people who enjoy exploring the local food scene together. Locations vary, and the group usually meets at a different restaurant each month.
Once a year, and sometimes more often, the church hosts "Jammin' on Jackson," a neighborhood block party on Jackson Street. The event is free, with food, live music, and activities for all ages, and guests are welcome to bring their own beer or wine. The June version of the gathering is listed on the calendar as "Jammin' on Jackson II," and a fall version is added when the weather and the calendar line up.
Building Partners: The Church as a Neighborhood Hub
Faith's mission statement is "Rooted and Reaching Out in Love," and a lot of the reaching out happens through the building itself. At any time of day or evening, the church's spaces fill with fitness classes, music lessons, the smell of something baking in the kitchen, scout meetings, and gatherings of community organizations. The church's Building Partners program includes regular users such as Beth Wolfe Goat, Puppy and Kitten Yoga Classes; Rhythmaya Bollywood Dance Classes; Scout Troop Meetings; Confidence Youth Coaching; VHC Health Classes; Soaring Starts Arts Classes; Ozfeka Catering; Bella Property Maintenance; the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra; Ludosport Fitness Classes; Military Musicians; and the Mothers of North Arlington (MONA) social group. The church also partners with community organizations, schools, and individuals for fundraisers, special events, and celebrations of life, and is open to inquiries from anyone looking for a venue.
The Faith App, Giving, and the Livestream
Worship is livestreamed every Sunday at 10 a.m. on the church's YouTube Live broadcast and on Facebook Live. Recordings of recent sermons are posted as a podcast, with each episode's accompanying Scripture passages listed below the audio. Sermon titles from the most recent months include "Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost" on Jonah and Matthew 20, "God's work. Our hands. Sunday" on costly forgiveness from Genesis 50 and Matthew 18, and "Creation in Christ," a new feast day celebrated alongside the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches, with Genesis 1 and John 1.
Giving is available online through the church's Pushpay giving portal, and a free Faith App, available for iOS and Android, brings the livestream, sermon archive, calendar, and giving tools together. The app can be added to a phone by scanning a QR code or by texting FLCVA APP to 77977.
Prayer requests can be submitted online, and anyone who wants to be added to the prayer chain can sign up separately. The church office is open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays, with the church office reachable at 703-525-9283 and the preschool at 703-525-1375.
A Neighborhood of Many Faiths
One of the quieter signs of the church's openness is visible on the calendar itself. The Saturday-morning "5 a.m. Worship" line that runs through much of the year belongs to the Debre Genet Kidist Kidane Mehret Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Tigray, an Ethiopian Orthodox congregation that shares Faith's sanctuary. The Orthodox community gathers in the same space early on Saturday, and the Lutheran congregation gathers later on Sunday morning, a back-to-back witness to a wider Christian neighborhood sharing one set of walls.
Across the week, that same building hosts MONA Saturday Socials, the Praise in Motion weekly evening gathering, confirmation classes, a summer Vacation Bible School, a summer book club, a fall Defiant Requiem screening and discussion, the quarterly Celebration of Creation Sunday, the October Blessing of the Animals in the rear parking lot, and a Reformation Sunday observance. The Council meets on the third Thursday of every month, the Social Ministry Team gathers on the second Sunday after worship, and brunch follows worship on the fourth Sunday. Every part of that calendar is listed in plain view, and the building is busy in the way a healthy neighborhood church tends to be.
Joining the Life of Faith
Anyone curious about the church is welcome to come as they are. The simplest way in is to show up on a Sunday morning, park in either lot, and follow the signs to the sanctuary. Anyone who would like a personal introduction can contact the office, and anyone who would like to be part of the church's worship life is invited to sign up to light candles, read, greet visitors, usher, or assist with communion on Sunday mornings. Children, youth, and adults each have a place in the program, and the building partners and Social Ministry partnerships offer many ways to serve that don't require being a member of the congregation. The Welcome statement sums up the rest: no matter who someone is or where they are on their faith journey, the church invites them to join.