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Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. MUSIC AT ALDERSGATE Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 100:1 At Aldersgate UMC, we believe that music is a primary way in which we experience God, and that leading others musically is, itself, a way we grow in our faith. If you would like to participate in a musical group or choir, the congregation would love to have you! Please contact the leader of each group for more information on how to join. Journeys Band Wesley Choir Wesley Ringers Youth Band Children's Choir Wesley Choir The Wesley Choir provides music for the 11:00am Traditional Worship Service on Sunday mornings as well as other special events throughout the year. The choir meets for rehearsal on Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm - 8:30pm in the Music Room (room 104). Our meeting time includes fellowship, vocal warmups, and rehearsal of upcoming anthems. All singers are welcome! No music reading experience required. For more information, please contact the Director of Adult Choirs and Handbells (musicdirector@aldersgate.net ). Children's Choir Calling all young musicians! Discover the joy of music through Children's Choir. At Aldersgate UMC, we believe in nurturing young voices and fostering a lifelong love of church music. All children are welcome! Who : Students in kindergarten through 6th grade Where : Day School Music Room (Room 126) -- Enter at Door #4 When : Every Tuesday from 4:15pm - 4:50pm What to Expect: Fun and Engaging Rehearsals filled with laughter, learning and music-making. An Inclusive and Supportive Environment for building friendships with like-minded kids who share an interest in music and where every child’s voice will be celebrated. Diverse Repertoire where we explore a wide range of musical genres, from traditional hymns to contemporary songs. Performances throughout the year during church services, special events, and holiday celebrations. For more information, please contact Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director ( childrenschoir@aldersgate.net ). Aldersgate Youth Band For more information, please contact Andreas Barrett (andreas@aldersgate.net ). Who : Students in grades 7-12 Where : Church Sanctuary When : Sundays from 6:30 pm - 7:30pm (bi-weekly) The Aldersgate Youth Band is open to all youth in grades 7-12. Our mission is to deepen our faith and worship experience through music. Do you play an instrument or sing in choir at school? We'd love to have you be a part of our music family! Journeys Worship Band Vocalists and rhythm combo. Supports the 9:30am Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday mornings. Journeys rehearses Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm - 8:00pm and Sunday mornings at 8:30am in the Sanctuary. For more information, please contact Andreas Barrett, Worship Leader ( andreas@aldersgate.net ) . Wesley Ringers For more information, please contact the Director of Adult Choirs and Handbells (musicdirector@aldersgate.net ). The Wesley Ringers provide music once a month for the 11:00am Traditional Worship Service, as well as at other special events throughout the year. Wesley Ringers rehearse on Monday evenings from 6:30pm - 7:30pm in room 118. Adults and youth in grades 7-12 are invited to join. No experience is needed.

< Back Pastor Sherry Hietpas Associate Pastor Email: shietpas@aldersgate.net Phone: (703) 765-6555 x601 Pastor Sherry Hietpas is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, with a Master of Divinity and is currently a Provisional Elder in the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. She received her call to vocational ministry in 2017 while serving as the Director of Family Ministries at First United Methodist Church in Pacific Grove, CA. She has previously served Andrew Chapel UMC in Vienna, VA, as their Associate Pastor. Sherry has a passion for building community as an expression of faith in Jesus Christ and believes many relationships are formed around a table, usually over good food and discussion. She finds that relationship building leads to a strong sense of belonging, which can spur personal and communal transformation. Sherry has also developed a passion for digital ministry, which was cultivated while living overseas. Sherry is married to an active-duty Marine and is a mother to three daughters. She is excited to be part of the incredible ministries of Aldersgate UMC, as they serve the community of Alexandria.

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. KIDS MINISTRY Serving children and their families from infants through 6th grade At Aldersgate UMC, we know how important a foundation in faith is for your children. Our Kids Ministry strives to engage kids and empower families by providing Christian education, service opportunities, and fun events for the whole family. For more information about the Kids Ministry at Aldersgate, please contact us at children@aldersgate.net . Your child’s safety is our priority. Learn about our policies and child protection procedures. Child & Youth Protection Policy Sunday School Acolyte Children's Choir Events Nursery Kids' Sunday School In-person Sunday school is available for ages 4-years-old through 6th grade on Sunday mornings at 9:30am. If your child will be attending Sunday School, please sign in at the KIDMIN Check-In desk to receive a security sticker for you and your child. KIDMIN Check-In will begin at 9:15am on Sunday mornings and is located just inside Door #1. All Sunday school teachers have had a background check and follow Aldersgate's Safe Sanctuaries Policy . Register for 2025-2026 School Year **Please register to ensure enough teachers and supplies** For more information, please contact us at children@aldersgate.net . Children's Choir Calling all young musicians! Discover the joy of music through Children's Choir. At Aldersgate UMC, we believe in nurturing young voices and fostering a lifelong love of church music. All children are welcome! Who : Students in kindergarten through 6th grade Where : Day School Music Room (Room 126) -- Enter at Door #4 When : Every Tuesday from 4:15pm - 4:50pm What to Expect: Fun and Engaging Rehearsals filled with laughter, learning and music-making. An Inclusive and Supportive Environment for building friendships with like-minded kids who share an interest in music and where every child’s voice will be celebrated. Diverse Repertoire where we explore a wide range of musical genres, from traditional hymns to contemporary songs. Performances throughout the year during church services, special events, and holiday celebrations. For more information, please contact Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director ( childrenschoir@aldersgate.net ). Upcoming Events for Kids & Families There are plenty of opportunities for children to stay engaged at Aldersgate! Here's what's coming up! Children's Choir KIDS & MUSIC MINISTRIES Tuesdays | 4:15pm - 4:50pm Open to all children in kindergarten through 6th grade. Calling all young musicians! Discover the joy of music through Children's Choir. We believe in nurturing young voices and fostering a lifelong love of church music. Our choir program is for children in kindergarten through 6th grade. Weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays, from 4:15-4:50pm in the Music Room. Registration is not required, but you are encouraged to send a note to Ms. Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director , to let her know if your children plan to attend for planning purposes. What to Expect • Fun and Engaging Rehearsals filled with laughter, learning, and music-making. • An inclusive and supportive environment for building friendships with like-minded kids who share an interest in music and where every child’s voice will be celebrated. • Diverse repertoire where we explore a wide range of musical genres, from traditional hymns to contemporary songs. • Performances throughout the year during church services, special events, and holiday celebrations. For questions or more information, please contact Ms. Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director (childrenschoir@aldersgate.net ). Calling all young musicians! Discover the joy of music through Children's Choir. We believe in nurturing young voices and fostering a lifelong love of church music. Our choir program is for children in kindergarten through 6th grade. Weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays, from 4:15-4:50pm in the Music Room. Registration is not required, but you are encouraged to send a note to Ms. Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director , to let her know if your children plan to attend for planning purposes. What to Expect • Fun and Engaging Rehearsals filled with laughter, learning, and music-making. • An inclusive and supportive environment for building friendships with like-minded kids who share an interest in music and where every child’s voice will be celebrated. • Diverse repertoire where we explore a wide range of musical genres, from traditional hymns to contemporary songs. • Performances throughout the year during church services, special events, and holiday celebrations. For questions or more information, please contact Ms. Ashley Carignan, Children's Choir Director (childrenschoir@aldersgate.net ). 1 1 ... 1 ... 1 Nursery Your children are as important to us as they are to you (well, almost). That's why we provide a safe, loving, Christian environment for your babies and toddlers ages 3 and under while you are at worship. The nursery is available during all Sunday morning worship services in rooms 122 and 123. All staff members have had a background check, CPR training, and follow CDC safety guidelines. For more information, please contact our Director of Child Care, Corey Bales . We hope to see you this Sunday! Acolyte Ministry For more information, please contact us at children@aldersgate.net . At Aldersgate UMC, our acolytes serve as active participants in our worship services by lighting the altar candles at the beginning of our worship services, symbolizing Jesus entering the presence of the congregation. Acolytes may also carry a processional cross into the service. Acolytes serve in both the 9:30am and 11:00am worship services on Sunday mornings as well as other special services throughout the year. Aldersgate Acolytes Candlelight Companions The acolyte experience is a meaningful way for children and youth in kindergarten through 12th grade to assist the pastors in worship by bringing the light of Christ into the sanctuary. The acolyte commitment is flexible and allows children and youth to sign up according to their schedule. Acolytes may sign up for a Sunday morning worship service by clicking the button. Acolyte Sign-Up Candlelight Companions is an exciting new program designed to foster meaningful connections between parents and children through the shared experience of acolyting. This initiative will support family bonding; help children overcome potential nervousness; deepen and aid in faith development; and encourage family discussions about the importance and significance of serving as an acolyte. Adults interested in being a Candlelight Companion may sign up for a Sunday morning worship service by clicking the button, below. Acolyte Sign-Up Sunday School Volunteers Needed for the School Year We need volunteers to serve in Aldersgate's Children's Ministry! School Year: We need a roster of ~40 volunteers each week over the school year. Help us grow our Children's Ministry and support our new Director of Children's Ministry, Jesse St Clair Smith. We’re looking for lots of Sunday School volunteers for the upcoming school year! Having a strong team allows everyone the flexibility to take vacations, recover from illness, and attend worship. Please reach out to ChildrensMinistries@aldersgate.net with any questions. Volunteer for School Year Sunday School

The Rising Hope Food Market provides much-needed food to individuals and families in need along the Route 1 corridor. MISSION INFORMATION < Previous Back to Local Missions Next > Rising Hope Food Market Aldersgate UMC is proud to support the Food Market mission at Rising Hope Mission Church . What is the Rising Hope Food Market? The Rising Hope Food Market provides groceries to food insecure individuals and families in the community. Throughout the year, Aldersgate UMC collects food donations and delivers those goods to Rising Hope Mission Church. Rising Hope Mission Church then distributes the food donations to individuals and families in need on Wednesday from 1:30-3:30pm, and on Thursday from 10am-12pm and 1:30-5:30pm. Why is this outreach program important? Many individuals in our community do not get a sufficient quantity of nutritious, affordable food. The donations that we provide and the work that we are doing with Rising Hope Mission Church help serve those in need along the Route 1 corridor by providing them with quality, reliable food assistance every week. How can I help? Donate non-perishable food items. Donated food items may be dropped off in the bin by Door 3 any time. Make a monetary donation to the Rising Hope Food Market. Monetary donations can be made with cash or check and brought to the church office or dropped in the offering plate on Sunday morning. Please make checks payable to Aldersgate UMC and indicate "Rising Hope Food Market" in the note. Donations may also be made online - CLICK HERE . Please select "Missions" from the drop-down and enter "Rising Hope Food Market" in the note. You can also sign up to be a driver, where you pick up the food donations at Aldersgate UMC and deliver them to Rising Hope Mission Church once a week (on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday mornings from 10am-12pm). Who can I contact to volunteer or for more information? For volunteer-related questions, please contact Dave Halladay . If you'd like to contact a representative of Rising Hope Mission Church to gain more information about the Food Pantry mission, please contact Heather Marshall . < Previous Next >

Donate food and drinks for Sunday Lunch at Rising Hope. EVENT INFORMATION < Previous Event Back to Upcoming Events Back Next Event > Sunday Lunch at Rising Hope UMC LOCAL MISSIONS & OUTREACH Donation Drop-Off by Friday, December 12th. Lunch Served on Sunday, December 14th. Drop-Off Donations at Door #3 Aldersgate provides lunch to the 50 or so worshippers at Rising Hope Mission Church on the 2nd Sunday of each month. We need your help! Volunteers are needed to donate food and drinks as indicated on the sign-up and drop them off at the church at Door 3 by the Friday before our Sunday Lunch date. CLICK HERE to learn more about this ministry. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Julie Pfister . Aldersgate provides lunch to the 50 or so worshippers at Rising Hope Mission Church on the 2nd Sunday of each month. We need your help! Volunteers are needed to donate food and drinks as indicated on the sign-up and drop them off at the church at Door 3 by the Friday before our Sunday Lunch date. For more information on Sunday Lunch and other local missions and outreach, please visit the Local Missions and Outreach page on our website. < Previous Event Next Event >

Volunteer to make and deliver sack meals to the people sheltered in local motels. EVENT INFORMATION < Previous Event Back to Upcoming Events Back Next Event > Phoenix Rising Sandwich Making LOCAL MISSIONS & OUTREACH Thursday, December 11th | 5:00pm - 7:00pm Aldersgate UMC (Wesley Hall) Phoenix Rising meal packing happens once each month, on the Thursday before the second Friday (not always the second Thursday). We pack meals at 5:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall. For more information about Phoenix Rising or to be added to the volunteer email list, please email Jean Vita ( jeanvita@hotmail.com ) and Georgia Harlow ( gharlow383@hotmail.com ). For more information on Phoenix Rising and other local missions and outreach, please visit the Local Missions and Outreach page on our website. Phoenix Rising meal packing happens once each month, on the Thursday before the second Friday (not always the second Thursday). We pack meals at 5:00 p.m. in Wesley Hall. For more information about Phoenix Rising or to be added to the volunteer email list, please email Jean Vita ( jeanvita@hotmail.com ) and Georgia Harlow ( gharlow383@hotmail.com ). For more information on Phoenix Rising and other local missions and outreach, please visit the Local Missions and Outreach page on our website. < Previous Event Next Event >

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. GIVE TO ALDERSGATE UMC Shepherd Hall 2023-2026 Campaign Repayment of Debt for Construction of Shepherd Hall "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 The Shepherd Hall project included building Shepherd Hall; renovating existing classrooms; installation of new and higher capacity boilers and air conditioning for the entire church complex; and environmental site requirements, including the parking lot expansion and the installation of drainage sand filler. Total costs were approximately $4.6 million. The need for Shepherd Hall came because of an increase in the number of families in the community. Space was needed for the growing Sunday School attendance and the expansion of the Aldersgate Day School. The primary purpose was to support Christian education. Another use for the new building was much-needed storage. At that time, the church was overflowing with materials and equipment to support church activities. The third floor of Shepherd Hall was designed to provide sufficient storage. Shepherd Hall Testimonial Videos Campaign Commitments Campaign Information Packet FAQs Campaign Presentation Thank you for your contribution and commitment to Aldersgate UMC! The map of the church (above) shows the first two floors of Shepherd Hall at the bottom, inside the red box. The third floor, which is not shown, is used for storage. Shepherd Hall is a three-story addition to the church building that includes approximately 15,000 square feet of meeting and storage space. The addition is about 30% of the overall church building's space. Shepherd Hall includes the church library, where books on a variety of topics are available and where meetings of many church and community groups are held, Sunday School classes for children, youth, and adults, along with storage for the church, Aldersgate Day School, and the Aldersgate Church Community Theater. Our church community has been very generous and has given through several campaigns to support Shepherd Hall. As of October 21, 2025, the remaining debt is $783,476.31. *Updated October 2025* History of Giving Progress Report Current Status History of Giving Towards Shepherd Hall From 2010-2016, a total of $1,395,885.86 was given toward the Shepherd Hall project. The most recent campaigns (Building Lives Campaign in 2016-2019 - $857,829.94 and Growing Lives for the Future Campaign in 2023-2026 - $525,079.48) have brought in $1,156,561. In addition to this, $61,909 was contributed in "Mortgage May" in May 2022 against a goal of $10,000. The total paid from these campaigns of $2,775,795 reflects a significant amount of interest that has been paid over the lifetime of the loan. During that time, the principal has been reduced by a far smaller amount. We still have a long way to go.

< Back Ashley Carignan Children's Choir Director Email: childrenschoir@aldersgate.net Phone:

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. MONTHLY MISSION FOCUS December 2025 Alternative Christmas Giving 2025 Serving our neighbors in Cambodia Point of Contact Julie Pfister (julie.pfister@gmail.com) Welcome to Aldersgate United Methodist Church’s 23rd annual Alternative Christmas Giving to benefit the missions and the United Methodist Church in Cambodia. We sponsor this event during Advent to give folks an opportunity to honor Jesus’ birth by giving gifts of love to serve the poor as we seek to carry out Christ's commandment to “go and make disciples.” Shoppers make contributions to mission projects in Cambodia in the name of loved ones as an alternative to buying material goods. This ministry was established and lovingly run for over two decades by Juanita Csontos. We continue this annual ministry in memory of Juanita and her passion for serving others. Alternative Giving Catalog Alternative Giving Shopping List Alternative Giving Gift Card Alternative Giving Volunteers will be at a table in Wesley Hall during Fellowship Time on December 7th, 14th, and 21st to accept your gifts for the Cambodian Christians. You may purchase online, or you may fill out the shopping list and either turn it in at the Alternative Giving table or mail it to the church at: 1301 Collingwood Rd, Alexandria, VA 22308. Please make checks out to Aldersgate UMC and indicate "Alternative Giving" on the memo line. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Julie Pfister . Thank you for being a blessing to others less fortunate. Merry Christmas! December 2025 Alternative Giving Epiphany Tree Mission Focus for Helvetica Light is an easy-to-read font, with tall and narrow letters, that works well on almost every site. Point of Contact POC Name I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy. Epiphany Tree Just as the Magi brought gifts to Jesus, we invite you to bring a gift for a baby or toddler, and bring an ornament to hang on our Epiphany Tree. Point of Contact Molly Johnson (txmollina@gmail.com) Epiphany is the day Christians remember the coming of the Magi to visit Jesus, bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It occurs on January 6th every year and marks the end of the Christmas season. The word "epiphany," from the Greek word epiphania , means appearance or manifestation. The arrival of these visitors was a sign that the incarnation of God in Christ had been made known and was recognized by the heavens to the whole world, so that even Gentile wise men from the East came to pay him homage. This is an observance of great majesty, solemnity, and awe. Just as the Magi brought gifts to Jesus, we invite you to bring a gift for a baby, toddler, or new mother. You can place these donations (unwrapped) in the box under the Epiphany Tree. We will collect these gifts throughout Advent and Christmastide, all the way up to Epiphany Sunday. In January, we will donate the gifted items to local charities that support children. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Molly Johnson . Thank you for being a blessing to others less fortunate. Merry Christmas!

< Back Beth Bachmore Aldersgate Day School Director Email: bbachmore@aldersgate.net Phone:

Join Woodlawn-Faith UMC at St. John's Baptist Church on Fordson Road to pack food boxes for folks in our community to collect. MISSION INFORMATION < Previous Back to Local Missions Next > Woodlawn- Faith Food Distribution Woodlawn-Faith UMC buys canned goods and produce from the Capital Area Food Bank , which the Food Bank delivers to St. John’s Baptist Church on Fordson Road. Produce comes in bulk and has to be bagged for distribution. Another person collects bread and pastry products from Costco and local grocery stores to be added to the boxes. Cars line up around the parking lot on a first-come/first-serve basis. Food boxes (canned goods, bread, and pastries) and bags (produce) are loaded into the cars as they drive by. The only record kept is on the number of people benefiting from the food. No other questions asked. Fresh produce is also donated to Mondloch House. The upcoming dates and times are: Friday, July 11th | 9:30am-12pm Come any time on these dates. No reservation or sign-up required! Drop by any time and stay for as long as you can! Students can earn community service hours. For questions, please contact Karen Latta . < Previous Next >

< Back Amanda Turskey Communications Manager Email: digitalministry@aldersgate.net Phone: (703) 765-6555 x605