Location
Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive
Fairfax, VA 22033
We are just off Route 50
About a mile west
of Fair Oaks Mall
Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive
Fairfax, VA 22033
We are just off Route 50
About a mile west
of Fair Oaks Mall
Happily, our parking lot isn't complicated. There is one path to the main entrance. Handicapped parking is available directly in front of the church.
After you've parked you will notice two doors, both under porticos so that you may get out of the rain if it is wet. To enter through the main sanctuary entrance doors, simply look for the semi-circular driveway. After you're inside, turn left.
We are an “Access for All” church, meaning it is important to us for people with wheelchairs or other challenges to have easy access to doorways, hallways, bathrooms, ramps and elevator, seating (places for wheelchairs), and kid friendly (coloring books, booster steps for toddlers, high chairs).
Hearing aid and large-print hymnals are available during the service. (See one of our ushers.)
Many people arrive a little ahead of our service times to grab some coffee and snacks in our Gathering Place.
Pender is blessed to have many talented musicians. Each week we rotate through different groups who help bring us to a place of worship. Our more traditional worship is at 9:00 am and our contemporary service is at 11:15 each Sunday.
Children are welcome in every worship service. Traditional worship at 9:00 am features a special children's message. Children's church, childcare and a nursery are available if you wish! Sunday School is at 10:00 am. Throughout the week there are lots of other activities for children through the Music Ministry and Children's Ministry.
Events on the calendar which feature a nursery or childcare have an icon similar to the one above. Our nursery is located downstairs. We provide infants and toddlers (newborns through age 4) with a safe, secure and caring Christian environment.
From flip-flops to suits, we have it all. Be relaxed or dress up, we're just happy to see you.
Each service and Sunday school class shares a Biblically-focused message. We love to learn.
Pender is a warm and inviting place. We want to meet you!
We would love to help you "get plugged in" and feel like you know other people. The best way is to jump into a Sunday School class, small group, Bible Study or join the next "Welcome to Pender" or "Coffee with the Pastor" time.
Join us for snacks and coffee before worship begins at 9:00 am or between services.
What if the weather is bad? If the Federal GOVERNMENT is closed for non-essential personnel, the church building will be closed. In addition, if there are severe weather conditions or a power outage, the church building will be closed. For more info, click on the snow icon (above).
Our friendly volunteers and staff will welcome your questions! Call Pender at 703.278.8023 (M-F, 8am-5pm)
We're thrilled you're here! You're invited to visit us for a worship service or event, or listen to a sermon online to get to know us.
We’d love to learn more about you, where you are in your walk with Jesus, and how we can welcome you into the Pender Church family.
Our Vision Statement: By following Jesus and reaching out to others, we seek God's transformation of ourselves and our world.
We are an “Access for All” church, meaning it is important to us for people with wheelchairs or other challenges to have easy access to doorways, hallways, bathrooms, ramps and elevator, seating (places for wheelchairs), and kid-friendly (coloring books, booster steps for toddlers, high chairs).
Hearing aid and large-print hymnals are available during the service. (See one of our ushers.)
It is our desire to create disciple making communities. We do this through reaching people, teaching them to love and serve Jesus, and sending them to reach, teach, and send others.
Our hearts cry out for more of God. Pender is a “big place” with a “huge heart.” We care about being a community.
In Fairfax, we know it’s possible for us to live a totally anonymous, distant-from-one-another life. At Pender, we desire a different kind of community and life together. We believe Jesus has called us to be a very special community who cares about the world. It’s the essence of what “makes us tick.”
Our mission statement says it this way, we exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ. For us, that takes a very special passion for real community.
Our goal is that all children and youth will know and experience the love of God, and then extend that love to others.
Follow: We want those who are teaching and spending time with children at Pender to be followers of Jesus, who then teach children how to also be followers.
Reach: Our desire is for God to reach your child in a unique and meaningful way. This may come through some of our various Children’s Ministry events and activities, or through the loving community of Pender.
Transform: Ultimately, a relationship with Jesus changes lives. Living in the love that God has for us is a true gift and often times transforms the way in which we live.
During COVID this class has been on hiatus but will resume soon
Pender United Methodist Church has made a commitment to be an Accessible Congregation, as part of the National Organization on Disability campaign of the same name. We proudly display their logo -- a wheelchair user surrounded by a heart -- to show that as a congregation, we strive to provide physical access and also open our hearts and minds to people with all types of disabilities. Some of the ways we do this include:
Not everyone is cut out for the same worship style.
Common Ground is Pender United Methodist Church's contemporary worship experience led by our worship leader and a rock-style worship band. You'll find worship to be more interactive and energetic, and you'll hear messages that are relevant to everyday life.
Young children are more than welcome! We have a play area within our worship space set aside just for them, or they can enjoy our awesome Sunday school program. We also have paid staff nursery care available for our littlest ones.
You will leave feeling closer to Jesus, challenged and more prepared to serve Him, and warmed by a relationship in a genuine community of Christ-followers. We hope to see you soon!
At 9:00 am, Pender offers a traditional/blended worship service. The service includes traditional hymns and music as well as some more contemporary worship and praise music.
You’ll find a variety of musical groups participating in these worship services, ranging from children, youth and adults to vocal, flute and bell choirs. On special occasions, we bring in an orchestra
At Pender’s traditional/blended service, you get the best of both worlds! We celebrate the traditions of our faith at these services with the scriptures, the creeds of the church, the symbols of our faith and a word from the Bible that applies spiritual principles to everyday life.
Holy Communion is shared the first Sunday of every month. Come and join us for worship every Sunday in the main sanctuary at Pender.
This Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 28, 2024, join the congregation of Pender UMC and Pastor Bruce Johnson for a sermon that will unveil the mysteries of God’s enduring love and our connectedness to the divine. "The Divine Conspiracy" will be the cornerstone of our worship as Pastor Bruce expounds on the profound passages of 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8, and Acts 8:26-40.
In this week's service, we will delve into the love that originates from God Himself, the intimate relationship we are called to have with Christ as branches to the vine, and the expansive reach of the Gospel as exemplified in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch's conversion. This is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the divine workings in our everyday lives and how we are invited to participate in God's grand narrative of redemption and grace.
Whether you are with us in spirit or in person, this message is a call to all who seek to immerse themselves in the essence of divine love and to live out the truth of the Gospel in every aspect of life.
Make sure to subscribe to our channel for more inspiring messages and spiritual guidance. Together, let’s discover the love that binds us, the faith that sustains us, and the divine conspiracy that calls us to be more than we ever imagined.
All of Pender's services are streamed live and in person.
Join us live at Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033
Do you need Closed Captioning/Subtitles?
You do not need to be a Facebook member to watch the Traditional service here.
The Next Traditional Service will be April 28, 2024 at 9:00 am
Do you need Closed Captioning/Subtitles?
You do not need to be a Facebook member to watch the Contemporary Worship here.
The Next Contemporary Worship will be April 28, 2024 at 11:15 am
GBE Backpack Meal Program Thanks and Update
The final bags for this year were to be returned by April 21st.
We wanted to thank you all so much for your very active participation in filling the blue bags for GBE. Each time we put them out they are all taken and brought back full! We can't tell you how much we and the counselors and students at GBE appreciate this! The bags will once again be available this weekend.
We have just been requested to provide 74 bags for each of our remaining three weeks versus the 50 we have been providing weekly. Because of this...there are even more blue bags in need of filling, but a friendly note that this is the LAST time for us to do this for the school year, because of the help of WFCM.
In addition to filling the blue bags if you have any plastic grocery bags that you would like to recycle, they have said that would be of great help in distributing the additional WFCM provided items. Thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions, please contact Jami Flemmons or Ann Hines
Rest Stop
Items can be left in the blue bin or in the church office labeled "Rest Stop".
Items often needed are: 16 oz water bottles (They do not use the 4oz ones) and energy/protein drinks.
They also enjoy individual size bags of potato chips, jerky, cookies and nuts.
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM)
Food & Beverages
Toiletries
NOTE: Toiletry items cannot be purchased by our clients with SNAP
NOTE: Only size 6 diapers and large pull-ups are needed at this time thanks to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank.
JDC (Juvenile Detention Center)
Wanted: Volunteers to attend Pender's monthly church service at the Fairfax Juvenile Detention Center. Our next date will be April 28th..
We meet at the jail at 12:30p, and are out by 2:00p.
Our ministry at the jail is growing, and the young people thirst for the water of life because of their circumstances. It is easy fishin' as they already stepped out of their cell to come to church.
It is a showing up thing. That's all you need to do... show up. Contact Arlet if interested.
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