In Oakton, Virginia, Unity of Fairfax is known for combining an inclusive Unity spiritual path with a full life of worship, learning, prayer, and service. At 2854 Hunter Mill Road, the Sunday gathering is built around a simple sequence - music, meditation, message - while weekday classes, family programs, community projects, and EarthCare work extend that rhythm beyond the Sanctuary. People from many religious backgrounds are welcomed, and the center describes its purpose as transformation of consciousness and awakening the spiritual light in all people, with spiritual truth put into action.
Music, Meditation, and a Practical Message
The 11 a.m. Sunday service fills the Sanctuary with music from the Unity Chorus, the New Day band, guest artists, soloists, and the congregation. Music Director Amy Conley leads much of the musical work, while guest performers such as Nina Gibson and LeAnne Gioeli, and Carole and Roger Tomhave, appear throughout the year. Congregational songs use projected lyrics, and the range can move from contemporary Christian music and gospel to spiritual ballads, heart-opening solos, festive chants, and praise songs. The result is a service that is contemporary in energy while treating music as a central part of worship.
After the music, a guided meditation lasts five to ten minutes. It includes an extended period of silence, prayer, and an intentional quietness that may feel unusual to someone accustomed to a more vocal worship style. The stillness is not a pause before the main teaching; it is part of the service's meaning, a time to commune with the divine and become more consciously aware of God.
Senior Minister Russell Heiland delivers an interactive, Spirit-filled message described as a practical Life Lesson that listeners can apply in daily life. Guest speakers from Unity ministries and the wider New Thought world sometimes lead the message when he is away. Sunday remains deliberately participatory, with newcomers welcomed during the service and an invitation to remain afterward for coffee and light refreshments in the atrium.
The livestream and message archive make the same mix of music, meditation, and teaching available beyond the Sanctuary. The Sunday stream opens at 10:45 a.m. for the 11:00 service, while the Wednesday Prayer and Meditation Service begins at noon. These broadcasts grew from support provided by a John Templeton Foundation grant for the live-streaming project.
Arriving at the Hunter Mill Road Sanctuary
Unity of Fairfax has a 142-space parking lot, including four accessible spaces and two ramp entrances from the lot. Reserved visitor parking is also available. A greeter stands at the front door before the service, offers a name tag, and helps first-time guests find their way. Ushers give newcomers a welcome folder if they are comfortable raising a hand, and the atrium provides a natural place to meet people and ask questions.
Children are checked into the nursery or age-specific classrooms before the 11:00 service. At the end of the service, the children come into the Sanctuary for a brief dialogue about what they learned, then are signed out. Families may instead keep their children with them throughout the service, and Youth of Unity participants generally join the congregation for worship when no separate youth program is taking place.
There is no formal dress code, but the Sanctuary is treated as sacred. Unity asks attendees to dress and behave with respect and reverence for the space and for other people. No food or beverages are allowed in the Sanctuary, although water is fine. The atmosphere is spiritual rather than formal: visitors are encouraged to join the meditation, listen, receive a welcome, and take part at a pace that feels comfortable.
That combination of spaciousness and structure is important to the center's character. Unity of Fairfax welcomes people of all religious backgrounds and beliefs, all creeds, sexual orientations, and social backgrounds. It also welcomes those who maintain a Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist practice, as well as people who follow the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, or other spiritual teachers. Formal affiliation is not required to attend services, classes, volunteer, or receive prayer support.
Direct Experience of God and the Five Unity Principles
Unity of Fairfax calls Unity a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. It also describes the local congregation as a trans-denominational spiritual center, a term that reflects its openness to people of varied traditions. At its core is the conviction that everyone has an innate capacity to know God through direct experience.
God is understood as Spirit, the one power and all-good presence that continually creates and sustains creation. Human beings are individual, eternal expressions of God, inherently good and able to express divine potential. Jesus is honored as a master teacher and Way Shower who demonstrated that potential; Christ names the divinity present within every person. In this teaching, heaven and hell are states of consciousness rather than fixed locations, prayer works, and thoughts shape human experience.
The Bible remains the chief reference for Rev. Russ's messages and the center's classes, but Unity reads it as history and allegory and looks for its practical inner meaning rather than applying a literal interpretation. The New Revised Standard Version is the Bible primarily used by Rev. Russ, and Unity also draws on Gnostic-inspired Aramaic translations and other sacred texts. Affirmative prayer releases counterproductive thoughts and holds spiritual truths in mind; meditation brings awareness of God's presence and is expected to transform life.
These ideas are summarized in five principles:
- God is the only true presence and power in the Universe.
- People are individualized expressions of God, and their divine potential and spiritual essence are called Christ.
- Conscious thoughts shape the reality people create.
- Prayer and meditation reveal oneness with God.
- Spiritual truth must be practiced to change life.
For Unity of Fairfax, those principles are not confined to belief. Five core values - Spirit Centered, Integrity, Oneness, Love, and Engagement - shape its mission of co-creating a world that works for everyone, its vision of peace, abundance, and respect for creation, and the practical service carried out by its congregation.
Midweek Prayer and the Chaplains' Chapel
The Wednesday Prayer and Meditation Service runs from noon to 12:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary and by livestream. A Prayer Chaplain or the Senior Minister shares the leadership with the Director of Music and Arts. The half hour includes affirmative prayer, inspiring music, periods of healing silence, and a supportive atmosphere intended as a spiritual reset in the middle of the week.
The Community-Wide Chaplains' Chapel meets on Tuesdays at noon for 30 minutes. A Prayer Chaplain reads from the prayer list, participants may add names, concerns, and gratitudes to the circle, and a short inspirational reading precedes about 20 minutes of shared silence. Sunday also offers one-to-one prayer with Prayer Chaplains before and after worship. Chaplains are commissioned lay members who create and hold a sacred space, listen with care, and keep what is shared in confidence; they do not function as counselors or problem solvers.
Before and after the 11:00 service, the Chapel is also open as a silent room for prayer or meditation. The Thought for the Day can be heard by telephone at 703-281-0335 at any hour, and written prayer requests can be placed in the Prayer Box or submitted through Unity's prayer ministry. These practices keep prayer woven through the center's week rather than limiting it to the Sunday service.
From a Fairfax Town Hall to an Oakton Sanctuary
Unity of Fairfax began in 1956 when licensed educator and later ordained minister Rev. Mildred Park founded the Unity Study Group. The group met at the Fairfax Town Hall until 1958, then moved to a small white building at 202 E. Main Street in Fairfax. In 1961 it took the name Unity of Fairfax Church of the Daily Word. As the congregation outgrew that building, Sunday services were held at Robert Frost Middle School from 1973 through 1975 while plans for an Oakton home took shape.
Unity of Fairfax moved to 2854 Hunter Mill Road in 1975. By 1986 the congregation had outgrown the building again and worship moved to James Madison High School. The purchase of the adjoining Hill House property brought classrooms, offices, and more parking, and services returned to Hunter Mill Road in 1988. Hill House remained until a larger building program called for its demolition.
That transition created another temporary chapter. From June 2001 to November 2002, Sunday services met at Fairfax High School, office work was handled in donated space in a Mastercraft Furniture store, and classes, choir rehearsal, and other meetings took place at a private home called Pinecrest. A volunteer drove the bookstore, podium, platform chairs, youth supplies, coffee pots, and other materials each Sunday. In November 2002 the congregation entered its present modern Sanctuary and accompanying facilities.
In 2003, members named the original building the Mildred Park Center in honor of the minister who started the study group. The long sequence of homes shows the center's character: growth has required temporary locations, practical improvisation, volunteer effort, and repeated reinvestment in one Oakton property. The result is a campus shaped not only by a Sanctuary but also by classrooms, offices, gardens, gathering spaces, and the places where people meet before and after worship.
Deep Questions, Shared Practice, and the Unity Chorus
Sunday begins with the Metaphysical Group at 9:30 a.m. in Classroom 1 and on Zoom. The weekly adult class examines spiritual traditions and ideas in an open, interactive format, encouraging participants to ask questions and practice critical reflection. The group has explored the Bible as history and allegory, affirmative prayer, healing, awareness, and the works of spiritual teachers, with recordings of some sessions available as podcasts.
The Sages of All Ages gathers on Wednesdays from 12:45 to 2:00 p.m. after the noon Prayer Service. Each week brings a new topic intended to stimulate curiosity, imagination, and useful learning; participants are invited to bring a bag lunch and stay for companionship as well as discussion. A Wisdom Practice Circle meets every other Thursday morning in the Chapel and on Zoom, and a Course in Miracles with a Unity Twist gathers on Wednesday evenings for deeper study and conversation.
Music is also a path into community. The Unity Chorus rehearses on Wednesday evenings in the Sanctuary, and anyone may join without prior performance experience. The Music and Arts ministry also welcomes musicians, singers, sacred dancers, and theater performers. The Bookstore carries Unity literature, books from other New Thought and metaphysical authors, and gift items; it opens from noon to 1 p.m. after Sunday worship.
Retreats offer another setting for spiritual renewal, with settings both on the church grounds and beyond Oakton, including contemplative days, workshops, and shared silence. The Hiking Club approaches nature as a place to experience spiritual connection and organizes outings across easy and challenging terrain, with routes accessible for people using canes or walkers. The Biking Club welcomes every riding level and emphasizes relaxed local and scenic trips, friendship, and stops along the way.
Those who wish to learn about belonging can take the hybrid Journey to Unity class. It introduces Unity's history, five principles, Bible interpretation, and the role of prayer and meditation. Voting membership has an established process, while anyone who appreciates the congregation's programming and fellowship may regard themselves as a member. Participation in services, classes, prayer support, and volunteer service does not require formal membership.
Children, Uniteens, and Youth of Unity
Youth and Family programs meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Sundays in several classrooms. The nursery cares for children from birth to three and a half years during the 11:00 service. Elementary-age children use arts and crafts to learn Unity principles and take part in service activities such as the Kid's Corner in the Unity garden. Uniteens serves middle-school students, while Y.O.U., Youth of Unity, serves high-school students and completes the church's youth spiritual-education pathway.
The approach is built around unconditional acceptance, opportunities for self-expression, guidance in Unity principles, and inclusion in a supportive spiritual community. At the conclusion of the adult service, children enter the Sanctuary for a short shared dialogue, providing a direct connection between the classroom and the congregation. Teens usually participate in youth programs during the service unless they are presenting or the congregation is intentionally worshiping together as one body.
Unity Eastern Region also sponsors two retreat weekends for Uniteens and three rallies for Y.O.U., giving young people from across the East Coast opportunities to experience Unity teachings and form connections. Family-friendly gatherings extend the same welcome through seasonal decorating projects, visits with animal-rescue groups, egg hunts, a youth variety show, and EarthCare projects on the grounds.
CommUNITY Service, Food Access, and Social Justice
CommUNITY Service describes its work as putting feet to prayer. Volunteers take part in short-term projects as needed, and the congregation welcomes ideas for new local and global efforts. Feed Our Community focuses on food insecurity. Each week, people can bring one or two nonperishable items and place them in baskets in the atrium or bins under the Tree of Life. Suggested foods include infant formula, beans, breakfast bars, canned fruit and vegetables, soup, cereal, rice, shelf-stable milk, peanut butter, and other pantry staples.
Donations are distributed through the congregation's community partner, Cornerstones, while the Unity of Fairfax PERIOD PANTRY is open to anyone with a need. The congregation has also collected and delivered supplies for the Lamb Center, which serves people experiencing homelessness. The emphasis is steady, practical assistance rather than a single annual drive: food can be brought weekly, surplus can be shared, and volunteers can join short-term service efforts.
The Social Justice Team turns spiritual principles into action through education and advocacy. Its work promotes fairness and inclusion, shares community resources, supports democratic initiatives, hosts educational gatherings, and responds to injustice. The Board of Trustees also holds quarterly Community Dialogue Meetings, creating a regular forum for congregants to hear about ministry business, ask questions, and offer feedback. Participation in the conversation is part of the community's accountability.
Unity of Fairfax also provides notary services on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays by appointment. A notary can witness signatures for powers of attorney, trust and estate documents, deeds, contracts, affidavits, and other eligible papers, with a voluntary offering supporting the church's ministries. Chasity Williams can also perform legally accepted remote online notarizations. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit, the congregation supports administration, local and global outreach, and other ministries through tithes, gifts, recurring direct deposit, text giving, and online giving.
EarthCare and Unity's Sacred Five Acres
EarthCare's focus is education, action, and service. The ministry supports environmental sustainability, ecology, and climate action through pollinator protection, green infrastructure, energy efficiency, wildlife-friendly gardening, and care of the church's five acres. It hosts spring and fall beautification days, summer weed-pulling gatherings, and monthly meetings for people who want to share ideas and energy. EarthCare also educates young people through Sunday activities and encourages native plants, water conservation, composting, recycling, and earth-friendly purchasing.
The grounds make that commitment visible. The meditation garden is open to anyone at any time, and the labyrinth offers a contemplative walk. A medicine wheel stands in the garden, with a center for each of its 25 positions and directions for entering and moving clockwise. The retention pond, riparian buffer, vernal pools, bluebird boxes, green roof, and wildlife-friendly plantings demonstrate how spiritual oneness with the earth can shape practical land management. EarthCare's work grew from a green-roof project and the Unity EarthCare Congregation program, with certification through the Association of Unity Churches.
EarthCare also coordinates an Organic Sunday on the second Sunday of each month, serving refreshments made with food from local farms, farmers markets, and neighborhood groceries. Near the parking area, a Planet Aid bin accepts used clothing and shoes that can be repurposed through thrift sales, with proceeds supporting international development. These programs combine care for the church grounds with education, neighborhood connection, and service beyond the property.
The ministry's environmental record includes recognition from Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and Unity Worldwide Ministries, as well as work on stormwater management and Chesapeake Bay restoration. Its strongest statement, however, is found in the daily care: planting, weeding, composting, monitoring water, and gathering for shared environmental action.
Weddings, Shared Spaces, and Comunidad Hispana
Unity of Fairfax rents space for meetings, workshops, ceremonies, and celebrations. The Sanctuary seats up to 350 and can be arranged with movable chairs or opened for other layouts. The atrium serves as a reception and registration area and is paired with a catering kitchen where outside caterers may prepare food but no cooking is allowed. A chapel, library, conference room, classrooms, nursery, outdoor labyrinth plaza, and other gathering areas are also available. Professional sound and audiovisual equipment, livestreaming and pay-per-view capability, free 5G, and Wi-Fi support events of many kinds.
Weddings are a notable part of the rental ministry. Unity of Fairfax celebrates the union of all couples, from an intimate two-person ceremony to a gathering of hundreds. Ceremonies may be simple and traditional or unique and customized. The same versatile spaces support classes, meetings, ceremonies, and community celebrations without requiring a commercial atmosphere.
Comunidad Hispana gives Spanish-speaking participants a distinct way to engage Unity's teachings and prayer life. Its weekly Encuentro en Oración meets Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. through Zoom, and its materials present the five Unity principles in Spanish. The group is coordinated by Rev. Dinorah Arias, MSW, LCSW, and Marangely Rodríguez. It joins the wider congregation's commitment to honoring many paths to God while remaining centered in prayer, meditation, and service.
That combination of inclusion and concrete practice defines Unity of Fairfax. People can worship in an open-minded community, study ideas without rigid doctrine, raise children together, serve neighbors, care for creation, and shape the life of a local spiritual center through volunteer work and shared governance. Rooted in Spirit and growing in Unity, the congregation continues to pursue its vision of peace, abundance, and respect for all creation.