Welcome
Before you come to church, you might be wondering what it will be like. At Spirit & Life, we want you to be able to relax and be yourself. Our goal is to make church a safe place where we all experience God, and learn how Jesus makes life more meaningful and its challenges more manageable. At Spirit & Life, you'll find people a lot like you. We have questions and struggles, as well as victories and joys. Our church is full of real people, experiencing messy, complicated, beautiful life together, and learning to invite God in every day. We strive for an honest, relevant, contemporary church environment.
So please don't worry about your past here, or about what people might think of you. Nobody is too messed up for God, and nobody is too messed up for God's Church. God specializes in healing what's broken and breathing new life into us.
Feel free to explore the church at your own pace! We want you to relax and enjoy what we have to offer to see if we're the right place for you. We offer a number of different Small Groups for all ages that meet virtually on Sundays and throughout the week.
Where and when does Spirit & Life meet?
On Sundays we meet at 12:30pm at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church - Dale City. Located at 14999 Birchdale Avenue, Dale City, VA 22193.
What should I wear?
Wear whatever you feel comfortable in! Feel free to leave the tie or high heels at home, and be comfortable in the Father’s house.
What is the service like?
Contemporary, multiethnic, multigenerational, Biblical, relevant, real, applicable, fun! Our pastor deliver messages that are both relevant and succinct, and our lively contemporary music creates a wonderful worship experience.
What about my children?
Your children are welcome to stay in the main worship service with you if you prefer. We also have a professionally staffed nursery and Children's Programs to accommodate children from birth through elementary school. All of our children's staff and volunteers must pass a background check and attend child protection training. Please visit our Kids and Youth pages for more information.
How long is the service?
Our worship service is about an hour long, beginning 12:30pm.
Is service offered in English only?
We are a multiethnic church, and incorporate some Spanish into our worship service as well as English.
What About Sunday School?
A children's program takes place during our in-person service. During the week, there are small groups available that meet online as well.
I keep hearing about Small Group Ministries. Why are they so important?
There's only so much you can do once a week for an hour in a large group setting. To really take your relationship with God and others in your church to the next level, we recommend that you join a small group to make friends, study, laugh, serve the broader community, and share life together in a deep and meaningful way.
Will I have to say, sign, or give anything?
We do not ask our visitors for anything. We don't make you wear a visitor badge or stand up and stick out like a sore thumb. We want you to remain as anonymous as you wish to be, but you are in for a nice welcome. We encourage you to visit our church over several weeks to really get a broader feel for what's going on at Spirit & Life and the many opportunities available for you to get involved.
Will I be singled out in any way?
Absolutely not! We really just want to create a comfortable atmosphere for you to connect with God.
Does Spirit & Life have a denominational affiliation?
Throughout our website and our printed literature we joyfully share that we are a brand new church plant of The United Methodist Church in Virginia. We are proud of our denominational connection, but we do things a bit differently than many more traditional environments might. That is by design and with a purpose. We aim to be a safe and welcoming place for people who might feel disconnected from God, and to be relevant to the younger generations who are drifting from the church.
That’s why we don’t make a big deal about our United Methodist affiliation. We want everyone to feel welcome and encouraged to attend, whatever their denominational background or lack thereof. We seek to be a visitor-friendly place while still holding loyally to our sound Wesleyan Methodist Christian theology, affiliation, structure, and leadership.
We hope to see you soon
We hope that our website gives you a glimpse of our ministry, but really the best way to discover the heart of a church family is by spending time in person with us. So come visit us on Sundays.