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I'd like to start attending with my 4 year old son, but don't know anyone to ask for a recommendation.
I'd love to find an active, socially liberal congregation that is welcoming to families. I'm in DC and would like to attend a church in the city. I grew up going to Presbyterian, Methodist and non-denominational evangelical churches, and attended an Episcopalian church in college. Both my son and I were baptized Methodist, but I am fine with other denominations. I do want him to attend Sunday School once we find a church home, it'd be amazing if the church also had small groups/ministries for 20s-30s or moms groups too (but Sunday School is more important). I prefer more traditional services, no electric guitars or anything like that. I've had some very awkward, uncomfortable experiences attending new churches, so I'm reluctant to just pick one from Google and go. Does anyone have any recommendations? |
| Capitol Hill Presbyterian or New York Ave Presbyterian might fit the bill. |
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Some of what you mention is at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church. Young families group, Sunday school and traditional service at 11:00am. 9:30 service is less traditional.
It's not DC but thought I'd mention it. Great outreach for families with young kids. We like it. |
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Thank you!
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| Foundry United Methodist Church. |
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OP, there are several good DCUM threads on this. Do a few searches: church + episcopal, church + methodist, etc.
Also, if you have an idea of size and neighborhood (at least which quadrant of DC) you'll get some more responses. |
| St. Columba's near Tenleytown is a great church. It is Episcopalian. Very liberal, and very involved with the community. I'm not actually a parishioner (of any church).... But I do attend the mom's group and my kids attend camp there. They are very open and loving. |
Another vote for New York Avenue Presbyterian. |
| St. Marks! I posted a request like this about 2 years ago and got lots of great recommendations. I ultimately went with St. Mark's on Capitol Hill and have been there ever since. it is a very liberal and accepting Episcopalian congregation. My kids love the montessori Sunday school. |
| All Souls if you are comfortable with Unitariansism. |
| I think you should find a church that you like that is in your neighborhood. We love our church on Capitol Hill and a large part of it is because our kids know the other kids from a school they attended somewhere along the way, Soccer on the Hill or cub scouts. Our good friends from church are also neighbors. It's a big part of our community. And it's certainly nice to be able to leave the house 10 minutes before church and get there on time. |
| Mount Vernon Place UMC |
I second this general idea. Now that my daughter is older I'm taking her to choir towards the end of rush hour on a weeknight. No way I would do that every week if I had to drive across town. |
| Second All Souls Church in Columbia Heights. Great religious ed program, progressive social justice programs, and tons of 20-30s ages. Lots of young families, great music. The church is Unitarian but is on the more conservative end theologically so you should feel OK there unless you expect communion more than once a year and the trinity on a regular basis. |
Yes, come check us out! You might want to start with the 9:15 service for preschoolers in the Great Hall. |