A Traditional, Inclusive Parish on Columbia Pike
St. Alban's Episcopal Church sits at 6800 Columbia Pike in Annandale, Virginia, in the heart of Fairfax County. The parish describes itself as Anglican, traditional, and inclusive - rooted in the Book of Common Prayer and Anglican heritage, but open to people across a wide spectrum of backgrounds and beliefs. Members include young families, couples, singles, and long-time parishioners from every walk of life. From its place along one of Northern Virginia's busiest commuter corridors, St. Alban's maintains a rhythm of daily prayer, Sunday Eucharist, midweek healing services, and a wide network of community outreach that has made it a fixture of Annandale life for more than half a century.
Two Sunday Eucharists at 8:00 and 10:30
Sunday worship centers on two celebrations of the Holy Eucharist in St. Alban's Nave. The earlier service at 8:00 a.m. is a quieter liturgy, typically with only an opening and closing hymn and no choir. The later service at 10:30 a.m. adds many more hymns, the Adult Choir, and usually a choral anthem. Both services draw on Rite II (contemporary language) from the Book of Common Prayer, though the parish notes appreciation for Rite I (traditional language) as well. Ushers hand out a printed bulletin with page numbers from the BCP and hymnal and gentle stage directions so newcomers can follow along easily. The atmosphere is described as heart-felt and authentic: formal in its rites, but welcoming in tone.
The church encourages casual dress and invites visitors simply to follow what others do, or to relax and observe. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive the bread and wine of Holy Communion - bread is received by holding out the hands, and the wine may be sipped from the common chalice or by intinction (dipping the bread). Those who prefer not to receive may come forward for a blessing by crossing their arms over their chest. After each Sunday service, the Parish Hall opens for Coffee Hour - a low-key gathering with coffee, tea, and snacks where newcomers can meet parishioners and clergy without pressure to stay long.
A clean, well-staffed nursery is open during both Sunday services for infants and children up to age four. The nursery is staffed by trained attendants, and its policies are modeled on Commonwealth of Virginia guidelines for licensed day care centers. A quiet room with a televised feed of the worship service is also available for those who need a calmer space.
Tuesday Morning Eucharist with Healing Prayers
On Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m., the Nave hosts a third weekly celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with a focus on healing. Following the distribution of communion, the priest offers prayers for healing, and everyone is welcome to bring prayers of intercession for themselves or others. The service is generally without music and includes a dialogical sermon. It is described as a quiet, intimate gathering that allows space for reflection and personal prayer. In the regular schedule, this Tuesday service takes the place of a typical midweek service, giving parishioners three distinct opportunities to receive communion during the week.
Daily Prayer and Compline on Zoom
St. Alban's extends the prayer life of the parish beyond the Nave through two weekday online offerings. Morning Prayer is held Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. via Zoom, drawing on the Daily Office of the Anglican tradition with readings of Scripture, Psalms, and recitation of prayers. The service lasts roughly 20 to 25 minutes, and printed booklets for each season of the church year (Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, and Ordinary Time) are available in the narthex or as downloadable PDFs.
On Wednesday evenings at 8:15 p.m., Compline - the ancient Night Prayer - is also broadcast on Zoom, providing a brief and quiet way to close the day. Like the morning offering, Compline draws on the Anglican tradition of set daily prayers and runs about 20 to 25 minutes. The Zoom link for both services is shared in the parish's weekly email newsletter, St. Alban's Message. Recorded services and sermons are archived on St. Alban's YouTube channel, where visitors can also find livestreams of the Sunday services.
Formation for All Ages
Children and Sunday School
Sunday School meets at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays throughout the school year. Registration is open year-round, and any child is welcome whether previously registered or not. The curriculum is designed to walk children through the Christian story in age-appropriate ways, and parent volunteers are encouraged to help in the classroom, provide supplies, or assist with special events.
Youth in Grades 6 to 12
St. Alban's youth ministry hosts activities for teenagers in grades 6 through 12, typically meeting twice a month on the second and fourth Sundays. Many youth also serve regularly as acolytes, lectors, lay committee members, and outreach volunteers. The Rev. Paul Moberly, Associate Rector, serves as facilitator and primary organizer, supported by a group of lay volunteers. The youth group takes an annual mission trip to Hurley, Virginia, in Appalachia, where they spend a week helping build and repair homes for local families. The parish also has an acolyte corps made up of youth and adults who provide liturgical leadership during Sunday services and special events; older youth mentor and supervise younger acolytes.
Adult Forum and Bible Study
At 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, adults gather for the Adult Forum, a series of structured programs and discussions exploring Christian principles and their application to everyday life. On Wednesday evenings during Lent, the parish hosts special talks, often featuring professors from Virginia Theological Seminary and other guest speakers.
Each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., the Laylor Library hosts a Bible Study that delves into the upcoming Sunday's lectionary readings, with discussion, debate, and reflection. The group meets in person in the library and welcomes drop-ins.
Education for Ministry
St. Alban's hosts a group in Education for Ministry (EfM), a four-year certificate program of theological education for laypeople administered by the School of Theology at the University of the South. EfM: Classic covers Hebrew Scriptures in Year 1, Christian Scriptures in Year 2, Church History in Year 3, and Christian Ethics and Spirituality in Year 4. A one-year EfM: Wide Angle option is also available for those who want a survey of the four-year curriculum. Tuition is $367.50 per year, with scholarship assistance for St. Alban's members. The St. Alban's EfM group meets online on Mondays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and runs from January through November.
Contemplative Prayer
A newer ministry at St. Alban's explores centering prayer, labyrinth walks, and other contemplative practices. The group organizes Quiet Mornings during Advent and Holy Week, facilitates the Maundy Thursday Vigil, and offers prayer support for youth and adult mission trips. Those interested in centering prayer meet on Wednesdays in the Chapel of Repose.
Music and the Muldoon Concert Series
Music is central to the life of St. Alban's. Adam Detzner has served as Minister of Music and Organist since August 2021, overseeing the Adult Choir, Boy and Girl Choristers, and the Muldoon Memorial Concert Series. Detzner holds a Master of Music in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and a B.A. from Stanford University. He previously served as Organ Scholar at Trinity Church, Copley Square, in Boston, where he held the inaugural Gerre Hancock Internship from the Association of Anglican Musicians, working under Director of Music Richard Webster and Associate Director Colin Lynch.
Detzner launched a Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) program for young choristers at St. Alban's, which emphasizes sight-singing, music theory, and a healthy vocal technique, with participants working with vocal coach Ketti Muschler in chaperoned private or small-group lessons.
The church's mechanical action organ was built by John Leek, who was born in Alkmaar, North Holland - a connection Detzner has noted with pride after competing on several historic instruments in Alkmaar at the International Schnitger Organ Competition, including one from 1511.
The Muldoon Memorial Concert Series brings outside performers to St. Alban's on a regular basis and is named in memory of Hulda S. Muldoon, a name that also appears in the parish's memorial garden roster.
Outreach Across Annandale and Beyond
St. Alban's outreach ministry is extensive and touches nearly every corner of community life in Annandale, and stretches well beyond it.
Annandale Christian Community for Action
St. Alban's is a founding member of the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA), a coalition of 27 churches and other groups in Annandale and nearby jurisdictions. ACCA volunteers deliver emergency food and sanitary items to individuals and families, provide emergency assistance for rent and utilities, and supply furniture to households moving into the area. ACCA's nationally recognized Child Development Center serves more than 200 children from six weeks of age through pre-kindergarten. Food donations for ACCA can be dropped off in the narthex at St. Alban's; volunteer drivers deliver the food to families' homes each week.
Poe Middle School and Belvedere Elementary
The parish serves a hot meal twice a month for students in Poe Middle School's after-school program, where the average attendance during one recent school year was around 300 students per meal. At Belvedere Elementary, the parish runs a monthly Backpack Program that sends bags of food home with students over weekends. Each summer, the parish collects new backpacks for students ages 5 through 18 at Belvedere, Poe Middle, and Annandale High, with a bin in the narthex for drop-off.
Bethany House and the Hypothermia Program
St. Alban's supports Bethany House of Northern Virginia, a faith-based shelter serving women and children fleeing domestic violence. The parish provides monetary donations, household items, school supplies, personal care items, and children's items, plus volunteer time. Each August the parish collects school supplies for Bethany House, and each November and December it gathers Christmas gifts for the residents.
During the coldest weeks of winter, St. Alban's hosts the Bailey's Crossroads Shelter overflow in its Parish Hall, typically for a week around Christmas. Volunteers feed as many as 40 guests each night, and cooks, servers, and clean-up volunteers are always needed.
Nursing Home Ministry at Sleepy Hollow
For more than 50 years, St. Alban's has provided worship services on Sundays and holy days for residents of Sleepy Hollow Healthcare Center. The parish offers more than 55 services a year, giving 40 or more residents a regular rhythm of Book of Common Prayer worship with Scripture, hymns, and monthly communion.
Lockwood House and Elmwood House
Lockwood House (opened 1985) and Elmwood House (opened 1995) are two low-income senior apartment communities near Seven Corners, both opened under the guidance of the Rev. John R. Frizzell, a former St. Alban's Rector. The parish continues to serve on the boards of both houses, and parishioners donate, cook, and serve Thanksgiving dinner to the residents each year.
Adopt-a-Highway
The parish has adopted a one-mile stretch of Sleepy Hollow Road from Columbia Pike to Tansey Drive and conducts trash pickups four times a year. Volunteers must be at least 10 years old, and bright orange safety vests are provided.
Samaritan Ministry and International Missions
St. Alban's is a founding partner of Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, which works with people taking their own next steps toward change. The parish hosts the Samaritan Ministry's Northern Virginia Christmas party each year, organized in coordination with the parish's deacon.
Across the wider world, St. Alban's supports Our Little Roses in Honduras, which rescues girls from lives of risk and prepares them for lives in society, and Holy Trinity School in Haiti, both with financial gifts and prayer commitments. The youth group's annual mission week in Hurley, Virginia, brings teenagers and adult leaders into the Appalachian region to help build and repair homes.
Interfaith Communities for Dialogue
St. Alban's is a member of Interfaith Communities for Dialogue (ICD), a non-profit that brings together people of various faiths in the area for learning and shared service. The parish participates in ICD statements on matters affecting the wider community, including letters of solidarity with neighbors after incidents of hate in the region.
The Christmas Bazaar and Parish Life
Each November, the St. Alban's Christmas Bazaar brings the parish and the wider Annandale community together for a single day of shopping, food, and fellowship. The bazaar - an annual tradition for more than 50 years - features handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, candy, jewelry, toys, books, gently used household items, Christmas decor, and affordable gifts for children. Visitors can enjoy a raffle, a cozy cafe, face painting, and visits with Santa. Many of the items sold at the bazaar are made year-round by the Chatting Fingers crafting group, which meets Tuesday mornings in Room 11 from 10:00 a.m. to noon, with proceeds supporting the parish's outreach ministries.
Other parish gatherings knit the community together through the year. The Parish Life Committee organizes the annual parish picnic, ice cream social, Chili Cook-off, and Oktoberfest. Family Ministry hosts monthly Family Dinners and social events for parents and kids to meet one another. The Golden Rule Guild delivers meals to parishioners facing illness, bereavement, or new babies. The All Saints' Guild provides receptions after funerals and memorial services, when those are held at the church. A Young Adults and Professionals group also meets regularly for fellowship around the Annandale area, and the Grief Support Group gathers monthly in Room 11.
Memorial Garden and Building Use
The Memorial Garden - a peaceful, landscaped corner of the church property with a granite altar, cross, benches, and screening plantings - has been consecrated for the cremains of St. Alban's congregants, families, and friends. Names of those interred are recorded on a roster going back several decades, with services occasionally held in the garden itself. The parish also maintains a Memorial Grove behind the sanctuary with lawn, garden, and woods, cared for by volunteer labor.
The Parish Hall is available to rent for birthday parties, reunions, receptions, quinceaneras, business meetings, dance and athletic programs, and other social events. It accommodates 148 seated guests with tables and chairs, or 316 guests with chairs only, and features a stage with a baby grand piano, theater lighting, and an electric motorized projection screen. Special pricing is available for 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, and parishioners who have pledged in the current year may use the hall free of charge, subject to availability.
An Emergency Plan approved by the Vestry addresses fires, tornadoes, floods, and other disasters, and designates St. Alban's as a potential shelter and refuge for neighbors in case of local emergencies.
Clergy, Staff, and Parish Leadership
The Rev. Jeff Shankles has served as Rector since September 2013, having joined St. Alban's in 2005 as Assistant Rector and served in various roles since. Before ordained ministry, Shankles served in the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command as a Russian linguist in West Germany in the 1980s and later worked in information technology as a programmer, system administrator, and data center manager. He was ordained to the vocational diaconate in 1998 at St. Stephen's, Boise, in the Diocese of Idaho, where his diaconal ministry focused on establishing his parish's participation at a local soup kitchen. He later discerned a call to the priesthood and moved to Northern Virginia in 2002 to attend Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria before being called to St. Alban's.
The Rev. Paul Moberly joined St. Alban's in 2017 as Assistant Rector and became Associate Rector in 2018. A graduate of St. Olaf College and Virginia Theological Seminary (M.Div., 2017), Moberly grew up Lutheran and was drawn to the Anglican tradition from an early age. He was confirmed in the Episcopal Church at St. Michael's, Brattleboro, Vermont, in 2010 and served as seminarian at St. Paul's Church, K Street, in Washington, D.C. (2015-2017). He was ordained a transitional deacon on the feast of the Epiphany 2017 and ordained as priest at St. Alban's on September 6, 2017, both ordinations conferred by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Ely, the Tenth Bishop of Vermont. Moberly and his husband, Gerardo Mazariegos, were married at St. Paul's K Street in 2017.
Adam Detzner serves as Minister of Music and Organist. Deacon Theresa serves with the parish in coordinating outreach partnerships. Lauren Munroe is the parish administrator. Sue Mairena, CPA, CGMA, serves as Treasurer. Carlos Guzman is the Sexton, and Kim Tanner oversees the nursery. The Vestry - the elected lay leadership body that helps define and support the parish's mission - includes members who serve three-year terms, with four new members elected each year at the annual meeting.
Stewardship and Giving
Stewardship at St. Alban's centers on the annual pledge, which supports the church's operating budget and outreach ministries. Pledge cards are submitted in the fall; the parish encourages members to remember the abundance with which they have been blessed and to give freely from that abundance. A pledge is a statement of intent rather than a legal obligation, and it can be changed at any time.
Electronic giving is available through myEoffering, with options for one-time or recurring deductions from a checking account or credit card. Easter, Christmas, flower, birthday, and other special offerings can also be given through the service. The Birthday Fund, in place since the 1970s, currently supports Shrine Mont scholarships for children and youth, helping families afford the annual parish weekend at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, Virginia.
One Church in the Anglican Communion
St. Alban's is a parish of the Diocese of Virginia, within The Episcopal Church, and part of the global Anglican Communion. The parish identifies as Anglican, traditional, and inclusive, with a stated belief in a God who loves unconditionally, regardless of race, identity, gender, or belief; in the mystery that through Jesus, God assumed humanity and that Jesus is fully human and fully divine; and in the radical acts of love expressed in Jesus' birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection.
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plenty of parking is available at the Columbia Pike location, and the church is reachable by Fairfax Connector bus routes 16A, 16L, and 26A. The parish maintains active social media channels on Facebook and Instagram (@wearesaintalbans) and a YouTube channel for livestreams and archived videos. The parish's print newsletter, The Word, is published ten times a year, and the weekly email newsletter, St. Alban's Message, carries the Zoom links for daily prayer.