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Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. YOUTH MINISTRY Supporting all youth in grades 7 through12 The Aldersgate Youth Ministry welcomes and embraces the youth of the Aldersgate UMC family and its community. All youth are welcome -- you don't have to be a Methodist or a member of Aldersgate to participate in your Youth Ministries. Youth Ministry at Aldersgate UMC includes Aldersgate Youth Group (grades 6-12) and the Confirmation Program (grades 6+). Both programs provide an opportunity for youth to have fun, build new relationships, perform service in the community and beyond, and grow in their faith in a supportive and encouraging environment. For more information, please contact us at youth@aldersgate.net . Your child’s safety is our priority. Learn about our policies and child protection procedures. Child & Youth Protection Policy Youth Mission Week Youth Group Youth Band Confirmation Open House Youth Group Summer Youth Group is here! Join us for fun activities, games, service opportunities, outings, and time to grow in faith and friendship. Whether you're a regular or it's your first time, there's a place for you this summer! Click here to see the schedule! The Aldersgate Youth Group is a space for our young people to come together and kick off the week on a positive note. We focus on exploring our relationships with God, having fun, and occasionally engaging in service projects within the community and beyond. We invite you to grow in your faith in a supportive and encouraging environment. All youth are welcome—there’s no need to be a Methodist or a member of Aldersgate to join us! Who : Students in grades 7-12 Where : Youth Room (Room 102) When : Sundays from 5pm-6:30pm Confirmation Program The Confirmation Program at Aldersgate UMC is an opportunity for students to respond to the workings of God's grace in their lives. The goal of the Confirmation Program is for students to begin to understand for themselves what it means to be a Christian and a member of God's Church. Upon completion of the class, students will be given the opportunity to profess their faith and become church members. Confirmation is open to rising 7th grade and up students. It is taught by Cheryl Bratten and Molly Johnson. If you have questions, or would like more information, please contact us at confirmation@aldersgate.net The Confirmation Program at Aldersgate UMC is an opportunity for students to respond to the workings of God's grace in their lives. The goal of the Confirmation Program is for students to begin to understand for themselves what it means to be a Christian and a member of God's Church. Upon completion of the class, students will be given the opportunity to profess their faith and become church members. Important Dates September 14th: Information Meeting September 19th: Confirmation Kick off! Who : Open to all rising 7th graders and older When & Where : Class meets every Sunday evening between 4-5PM in Guback Center Confirmation Teacher: Cheryl Bratten & Molly Johnson Duration : Sept 14th- Feb 22nd, culminating in confirmation of the students on Feb 22, 2025 Cost : $120 per student to cover the cost of supplies, events, and our retreat (scholarships available) Register for Confirmation Program Important Documents to Download & Review 2025-2026 Confirmation Class Calendar Parental Consent Form Confirmation Program Requirements Aldersgate Youth Band The Aldersgate Youth Band is open to youth musicians. 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! Who : Students in grades 7-12 Where : Church Sanctuary When : Sundays from 6:30 pm - 7:30pm (bi-weekly) For more information, please contact Andreas Barrett ( abarrett@aldersgate.net ), Co-Director of Student Ministries. Youth Open House On Summer Break! The Youth Open House is a chance for teens to unwind after school, enjoy a snack, play games, and work on homework. Each week, we engage in a group activity to foster connections and strengthen our friendships. We emphasize respectful values and boundaries, and we’re thrilled to see so many non-members joining us as well! Please contact us if your child has any health concerns or allergies that we should be aware of. Who : Students in grades 7-12 Where : Youth Room (Room 102) When : Every Wednesday afternoon from 2:30pm - 4pm Youth Mission Week Youth Mission Week is a faith and community building event, created to foster a lifelong service mindset in the youth of our church and beyond. This five-day experience will strike a balance between faithfulness and fun, with field trips to amusement parks, outreach activities at nearby churches, and daily periods of worship. Who : Rising 7th - 12th Graders Where : Multiple local spots! -Trip to King’s Dominion -Serving at Rising Hope -Challenges at Level 99 -Camp Highroad adventures -Worship, games, laughs, and so much more! When : June 29th - July 3rd | 9am - 6pm* Cost : $100 *End time may change depending on activity. We will communicate any changes to parents. Registration is required. Please register by June 26th. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Andreas Barrett (andreas@aldersgate.net ). Adult Volunteers - Get Involved! Come be a part of the faith formation and growth of our amazing teenagers! We are looking for adult volunteers who can help out with our Youth Ministry program. Opportunities to help include: • Provide food or come as a parent volunteer for Sunday Evening Youth Group • • Sign up for our church events and outings • If at any point you want to donate food or snacks, please contact Andreas and Bailey at youth@aldersgate.net . Signup for our weekly newsletter Contact us at youth@aldersgate.net Join our Facebook Group

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. CREATION CARE "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it." Psalm 24:1 As Christians we are called to care for all of God's creation. As United Methodists, we believe that we are not called to merely be observers. Rather, we are called to actively love and tend to all of God's creation. The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church speak to the issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. One of the United Methodist Church's Social Principles is to care for the Community of All Creation . God has charged us to be stewards of God's creation. "Rather than treating creation as if it were placed here solely for humanity’s use and consumption, we are called to practice responsible stewardship and to live in right relationship with the Creator and with the whole of God’s creation (Gen. 1:26–31; Matt. 6:26–30; Rom. 8:22–24)." The Aldersgate Creation Care Team works towards living into the United Methodist Social Principle: Community of All Cration and our Aldersgate UMC Strategic Priorities of Missional Outreach and Social Justice. To help educate, disciple, and model ways to transform for the better those people and causes we seek to serve locally, nationally, and internationally. The Creation Care Team comes together every 2 months to find ways that Aldersgate can improve the way we care for God's creation. We talk about engaging this ministry in the following ways: Worship; Learning and Teaching; Lifestyle; and Community, National, and Global Involvement. Our key focus areas for 2025 are energy efficiency; native trees, shrubs, and flowers; and plastic reduction policy for Aldersgate UMC. We are open to all subjects and ideas for creation care education, events, and policies. Upcoming Meeting Dates Tuesday, November 11th • 1-2pm • Room 203 For more information, please contact Lorrie Rezendes (lorretired@aol.com or 571-309-6001). United Methodist Creation Justice Monthly Tips The United Methodist Creation Justice Movement provides tips each month to help us respond to God's call to care for creation and do justice with our neighbors. Share these tips with your family, friends, and neighbors. CLICK HERE to see more tips and to subscribe to receive the monthly tips in your email directly from the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement. For more about the UMC Creation Justice Movement, visit to umcreationjustice.org . July 2025 Tips July's Hot Topic is Heat! The effects of heat go deeper than just feeling too hot. Here are some cool tips for cooling off and consequently being kind to God’s creation, including people. From New Holland, Ohio, to New York City, communities are creating small parks and playgrounds. Research shows proximity to trees and green space does a lot of good, including keeping the air and tempers cooler. Look at your neighborhood for potential pocket parks. Then speak up to neighbors and local decision makers. As air temperatures rise, so do tempers. On hotter-than-normal days, nationwide, gun violence rises, robbing too many families of the lives of their children, teens, and parents. Work with others to identify “heat islands” and mitigate this justice issue. Plant a green oasis. Urban agriculture—cultivating crops within city areas—provides access to fresh and healthy food, reduces food’s carbon footprint, and creates a healthier social environment. People come together to transform rooftops, patios, backyards and front yards into gardens or simply to “stop by.” Either way contributes to the sense of a cool community. Air conditioners use a high amount of energy to cool a space, resulting in more greenhouse gas emissions. Ceiling fans, on the other hand, use minimal energy to circulate air and can make a room feel cooler without drastically reducing the temperature. Flip the switch to your fan. Work with nature this summer to stay cooler. Shut blinds and drapes where the sun beats down; open windows at night; amplify that breeze with a window fan. Take a cue from siesta cultures, where many people work morning and later afternoon, chilling out during the hottest hours of the day. Make your church’s property cooler. Consider removing the paving from a portion of the parking lot and planting trees in the newly reclaimed land. In the midst of urban heat-reflecting concrete and asphalt, a church with lots of trees stands out as an inviting sanctuary. Cool off the market for plastic. Refuse, reduce, and reuse strategies work; recycle is less available. Remember your reusable shopping bags; choose a non-plastic reusable drink container; buy bulk, refillable, or solid items such as shampoo bars that have no plastic packaging; switch to glass storage bowls; move away from “disposable” anything. Make it cool to be green. What you do and what you say have an impact on what others think and do. You have multiple circles of influence: family, friends, colleagues—even casual acquaintances and observers. Don’t hesitate to infuse your conversation with what is important to you. Cool your own temperature by reconnecting with nature. With life’s hot pressures assaulting you, take time to be in God’s creation to gain perspective and renewal. Shade offers a 10–15-degree respite from direct sunlight. Only seven states have laws to protect workers with outdoor jobs from extreme heat. Despite the dangers, others leave it up to employers to decide. Find out what safeguards are in place or not and advocate for lifesaving policies. Seek justice for those who cannot speak up for themselves.

Pre-order your plants with Rising Hope Plant Sale MISSION INFORMATION < Previous Back to Local Missions Next > Rising Hope Plant Sale "Hope Grows" Plant Pre-order Rising Hope will be partnering with their friends at Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture once again for their annual greenhouse operation. This year we will be taking pre-orders for a variety of plants that will be grown at Rising Hope to be planted and harvested by you in due season. They anticipate the plants will be ready to pick-up and plant in early May (aiming for May 10th). We hope you will get a head start as you plan your future gardens for the summer! To pre-order your plant, please click here . < Previous Next >

Sign up to help serve communion on the 1st Sunday of the month. < Back Communion Servers Sign up to help serve communion on the 1st Sunday of the month. Communion Servers assist in serving the elements on the 1st Sunday of each month and at Christmas, Easter, and Holy days. Servers are stationed at the four corners of the sanctuary and serve prepared elements. Click Here to Sign-Up Please Contact Steve Larkin at jstephenlarkin@gmail.com for more information. Communion Servers assist in serving the elements on the 1st Sunday of each month and at Christmas, Easter, and Holy days. Servers are stationed at the four corners of the sanctuary and serve prepared elements. Click Here to Sign-Up Please Contact Steve Larkin at jstephenlarkin@gmail.com for more information. Previous Next

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. ALDERSGATE MENTOR PROGRAM It can be hard to adjust to a new area and a new church. The Aldersgate mentorship program is designed to help new members meet people and build authentic relationships, find a ministry area or small group that matches their talents and interests and to encourage a deeper connection to Jesus. Mentor Program Information If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out the survey, below, and a member of the Aldersgate Connect Team will be in touch with you. If you have questions or require assistance, please contact JD Driscoll , Co-Lead of the Aldersgate Connect Team. Aldersgate New Member Form Please complete this form if you are interested in becoming a member of Aldersgate UMC. Adult Family Member #1 First Name Middle Name Last Name Preferred Name Title Title Title (if Other) Suffix Suffix Suffix (if Other) Gender Gender Birth Date * required Relationship Status Relationship Status Date of Marriage Phone Number (Primary) Additional Phone Number #1 Additional Phone Number #2 Primary Phone No. Type * Home Mobile Work Additional Phone No. #1 Type Home Mobile Work Additional Phone No. #2 Type Home Mobile Work Preferred Email Additional Email Occupation Have you been Baptized? * Yes No Baptism Date (if known) Joining By: Choose an option Name of Previous Church Address of Previous Church Add AnotherAdult Family Member Adult Family Member #2 Delete 2nd Adult First Name Middle Name Last Name Preferred Name Title Title Title (if Other) Suffix Suffix Suffix (if Other) Gender Gender Birth Date Relationship Status Relationship Status Date of Marriage Phone Number (Primary) Additional Phone Number #1 Additional Phone Number #2 Primary Phone No. Type Home Mobile Work Additional Phone No. #1 Type Home Mobile Work Additional Phone No. #2 Type Home Mobile Work Preferred Email Additional Email Occupation Have you been Baptized? Yes No Baptism Date (if known) Joining By: Choose an option Name of Previous Church Address of Previous Church SUBMIT Thanks for submitting!

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. JOIN ALDERSGATE UMC All are welcome at Aldersgate UMC! Becoming a member of our church is a way for you to show your commitment to Aldersgate and our mission . It means that you are willing to contribute your time, talent, and treasure to the ministries of the church and that you will take an active role in taking our mission to the world: courageously living God’s unconditional love. Process for Joining Aldersgate UMC Have you been baptized? We accept all Christian baptisms so you will not have to be baptized again. If you have not been baptized, plans will be made to baptize you before you join the church. Please call the church office and make an appointment to meet with a pastor. Please fill out our membership form. Click on the link below to download a membership form. Complete it and return it to the receptionist during the week or to the Welcome Desk during times of worship. If you have any questions, please email office@aldersgate.net or call (703) 765-6555. Aldersgate Membership Information Form Children under 12 years of age will be able to join after they complete the Confirmation Program when they are in the sixth grade. While they will not be joining at the same time, children are encouraged to go to the front of the sanctuary with parents who are joining to share in the experience and be welcomed as a family to our congregation. Learn More About Membership The pastors hold a "Meet the Pastors" gathering several times each year for those considering membership. Those who have already joined Aldersgate are encouraged to attend to learn more about our church and our mission. Be on the lookout for the next meeting on our Upcoming Events page. You may also email office@aldersgate.net for more information. Please make sure to let us know which Sunday you would like to join. We prefer that people join the church during worship on the second weekend of each month, but another date can be arranged. Email office@aldersgate.net or call 703-765-6555 for more information.

< 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.

Hit the road with Aldersgate UMC VBS! EVENT INFORMATION < Previous Event Back to Upcoming Events Back Next Event > VBS 2026 - On the Go with God! We're off on an adventure! Week of July 27th- 30th | 9:30am - 12:30pm 1301 Collingwood Rd. Alexandria, VA 22308 Aldersgate UMC Vacation Bible School Road Trip: On the Go with God – July 27th-30th We're off on an adventure! Young travelers (PreK-6th Grade) are invited to join along as we learn about how God is with us — wherever we go! We will hit the road from 9:30-12:30 on July 27-30. Travel plans include worship, activities, Bible stories, and snacks! Travel costs are $50/child, but the fees are waived for children of our travel agents (aka volunteers). Grown-ups are invited to volunteer and register through the same link. We can't wait for our summer fun! Contact Ms. Jesse with any questions at children@aldersgate.net Register by clicking the button below! Road Trip! Vacation Bible School Road Trip: On the Go with God – July 27th-30th We're off on an adventure! Young travelers (PreK-6th Grade) are invited to join along as we learn about how God is with us — wherever we go! We will hit the road from 9:30-12:30 on July 27-30. Travel plans include worship, activities, Bible stories, and snacks! Travel costs are $50/child, but the fees are waived for children of our travel agents (aka volunteers). Grown-ups are invited to volunteer and register through the same link. We can't wait for our summer fun! Contact Ms. Jesse with any questions at children@aldersgate.net Register by clicking here ! < Previous Event Next Event >

EVENTS FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES < Previous Event Back to Children's Ministries Page Next Event > VBS 2026 - On the Go with God! We're off on an adventure! Week of July 27th- 30th | 9:30am - 12:30pm 1301 Collingwood Rd. Alexandria, VA 22308 Aldersgate UMC Vacation Bible School Road Trip: On the Go with God – July 27th-30th We're off on an adventure! Young travelers (PreK-6th Grade) are invited to join along as we learn about how God is with us — wherever we go! We will hit the road from 9:30-12:30 on July 27-30. Travel plans include worship, activities, Bible stories, and snacks! Travel costs are $50/child, but the fees are waived for children of our travel agents (aka volunteers). Grown-ups are invited to volunteer and register through the same link. We can't wait for our summer fun! Contact Ms. Jesse with any questions at children@aldersgate.net Register by clicking the button below! Road Trip! < 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.

Sign up to serve as an usher at worship on Sundays. < Back Ushers Sign up to serve as an usher at worship on Sundays. Ushers arrive 30 minutes before worship, light candles, greet worshipers, hand out bulletins, count & record attendance, present the offering at the altar, and deposit the offering in the Finance Office. Commitment is once every other month. Click Here to Sign-Up Please contact Steve Larkin at jstephenlarkin@gmail.com for more information. Ushers arrive 30 minutes before worship, light candles, greet worshipers, hand out bulletins, count & record attendance, present the offering at the altar, and deposit the offering in the Finance Office. Commitment is once every other month. Click Here to Sign-Up Please contact Steve Larkin at jstephenlarkin@gmail.com for more information. Previous Next

Courageously living and sharing God's unconditional love every day, with everyone, everywhere. WORSHIP UPLOADS To upload videos for use during worship services, please click on the appropriate link below. If you are unsure which link to use, please upload to Congregation Videos. Music & Choir – CLICK HERE to upload your video Scripture Videos – CLICK HERE to upload your video Congregation Videos – CLICK HERE to upload your video Recording Tips & Tricks