Daniels Run Peace Church (formerly Northern Virginia Mennonite Church) is part of the universal church of Jesus Christ. We treasure and learn from the experience of the global church in its rich tapestry of faith and life. We welcome all who trust in God and are drawn to the way of Jesus and are a church home for people from diverse backgrounds.
We value our church’s heritage rooted in the Anabaptist tradition. Our interpretation of this tradition in contemporary urban living leads us to emphasize the life and teachings of Jesus in addition to his death and resurrection. We value our church community and support each other both spiritually and materially.
We enjoy worshiping together and believe our worship is central to who we are. We have regular fellowship meals, book club discussions, study groups, occasional outings and work days, youth activities, an annual fishing trip, and a yearly church retreat in the highlands of Virginia on the Memorial Day weekend.
- We are engaged in peacebuilding efforts including the Fairfax County Student Peace Awards program, which gives an award to selected high school students for their peacebuilding efforts. We draw public attention to the tragedy of gun violence through annually erecting a Memorial to the Lost on our church lawn remembering those who lost their lives to gun violence in the greater Washington DC area. This is a joint effort with other faith communities through Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence.
- We are engaged in various community efforts supporting the common good. These include the Facets hypothermia program for homeless people, the Committee for Helping Others, the Lamb Center, participation in a coalition working for affordable housing in the City of Fairfax, and participation in Fairfax County Faith Communities in Action a network of faith communities, community-based organizations, and government agencies that promote a respectful, healthy, and caring community.
- We care for our natural environment and support sustainable living through developing a church community garden, recycling, and maintaining Daniels Run, the small stream that flows through our church property. We are building a nature interpretation trail and place for meditation in the two acre woods on our church property. Two Eagle Scout projects, by members of a local Boy Scout troop, completed a picnic area and an addition to our nature trail.
- We support national and international mission, relief, and development efforts by volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service, supporting the relief, development, and peacebuilding efforts of the Mennonite Central Committee, and supporting a mission worker serving at a pre-school program in Albania through Virginia Mennonite Missions.
Our congregation is affiliated with Mennonite Church USA through the Virginia Mennonite Conference.