Falls Church, VA has the second-highest household income of any city in the United States, with million-dollar homes a common feature along its streets.
At the same time, its neighborhoods are home to subsidized apartments where low-income families from the Middle East, Central America, and South America live.
Amid these markers of wealth disparity sits First Christian Church of Falls Church, an open and affirming congregation that regularly opens its doors to worshipers who can’t find space to pray at the nearby Islamic center.
So how does First Christian Church (FCC) serve such an economically and culturally diverse place?
With our help, it is becoming a community hub that is both physically accessible and welcoming to new neighbors.
A future worth writing about
A month before Rev. Steven Moore was called as Senior Minister in April 2018, congregants engaged in our transformational services. From that process came a Future Story—a clear, actionable road map for sustainability and relevance.
Church members envisioned a community of faith that would offer tutoring and a Children Worship and Wonder program for youth, affordable housing on an adjacent part of the property for senior citizens, a performance and exhibit space for local artists, and live-streamed worship services for home-bound members.
Save Haven ministry
They dreamed their building’s kitchen, used by their Safe Haven ministry to cook more than 100 hot meals a week for day laborers, unsheltered persons, and food-insecure seniors, would be expanded and that its fresh produce would be grown by their own hands.
Members also imagined the washrooms, sanctuary, baptistry, and lower level in their 70-year-old place of worship as facilities that could be fully accessed through an elevator and ramps.
“For many, including myself, crafting the Future Story is a letting go process,” muses Pastor Steve, “letting go of what has been and what church was, and living into what church can and maybe should be.”
By May 2018, FCC had partnered with Wesley Housing to develop an apartment building on the east side of its property with 95 affordable units for older adults.
Other goals of the church’s Future Story were not as quick to progress.
When COVID-19 hit, more than half of them were put on hold, while live-streamed worship, the implementation of Children Worship and Wonder, and the construction of a garden—built by a local nonprofit organization—went ahead.
Through it all, Pastor Steve and others involved in shaping their Future Story kept the vision in front of the faith community, knowing that one day, their full dream of a better building and ministries would come true.
A second chance with Disciples Church Extension Fund
Four years later, FCC’s leadership decided that with the worst of the pandemic behind them, they were ready to reach out again to us for assistance.
“When it came time to figure out our building needs, people were already on board,” explains Pastor Steve. “I’ve been a part of congregations that have created a Future Story before, but none of them kept the story alive and followed through.”
In February 2024, he contacted Senior Director of Services Rev. Richard Williams for capital fundraising campaign (CFC) guidance on a building renovation so that his church could continue to live into its Future Story.
“A Disciples Church Extension Fund-led CFC is not just a pledge drive,” Rev. Richard noted. “It’s an intentional, team building, and grounded spiritual exercise that not only raises funds, but encourages the congregation to take the next great step for their ministry.”
Pastor Steve
For the rest of 2024, Pastor Steve and FCC’s laity got to work—they identified a fundraising goal of $360,000, cemented their mission as a congregation to be the presence of Christ for a community in need, and worked to produce a professional fundraising video.
“When we needed to have quick meetings on strategy, we knew that we could turn to Rev. Richard because he has a deep understanding of the ins and outs of fundraising campaigns,” recalls Pastor Steve. “And as an outsider, Richard was able to listen and clarify misunderstandings that team members had.”
Rev. Richard traveled to Virginia from Georgia earlier this year to train FCC’s capital campaign team on how to run an effective fundraiser.
“Knowing that there is a supportive ministry in the Church with expertise, a proven track record, and the ability to accompany a place of worship along the journey is amazing,” says Pastor Steve.
On May 11, FCC launched its campaign, sharing the video it had compiled through clips taken at church on Facebook and Instagram.
“At General Assembly, so many people came up to me and said, ‘No wonder your campaign was a success,’” laughs Pastor Steve, “‘we followed you on social media!’”
A little under a month later, FCC completed the visible portion of its campaign, having raised $450,000 in pledges and gifts. Rev. Richard visited Falls Church once again, this time for its Celebration Sunday.
“Richard has always been available to us,” says Pastor Steve. “He nurtured a relationship with us that was established on trust. Richard is the type of person who is very affirming.”
Future Story 2.0
“We realized that our Future Story is a living thing. While we aren’t the same church that we were seven or eight years ago when we made the document,” states Pastor Steve, “we still use the Future Story as a launching pad because we know that the community around us has changed and we must listen to its members about their needs.”
A rendering of FCC’s future exterior
Armed with enough funds to create an accessible sanctuary, install an elevator, and refurbish its Fellowship Hall and kitchen, FCC is currently filing permits, meeting with a general contractor, and preparing to start construction next March. As for the church’s affordable housing, zoning entitlements were secured in February 2023 and the team is now focused on securing funding. The project plans to break ground next spring.
“One of the interesting outcomes of this ministry is that I’m now an advocate for affordable homes. Churches in Virginia have almost double the amount of land the state’s capital of Richmond has,” he reveals. “It’s a wonderful visual to picture, except for the fact that those acres are essentially excess, because zoning laws make it so difficult for faith communities to build affordable homes on their property.”
As FCC looks on into a bright future and Pastor Steve continues his advocacy work, he has this to say to communities of faith considering partnering with us on a capital campaign:
“Their model is lay led and driven. It engages so many folks in the congregation that it pretty much guarantees success.”
Is your faith community looking to answer God’s call during challenging congregational life or to raise funds for a specific purpose? Congregations that follow our process find clarity and meet or exceed their fundraising goals—and that can make a huge difference in the success of your ministry. If you have the vision, your regional Building and Capital Services Advisor can help make it a reality.