Our Journey

After years of faithful discernment, Arlington Presbyterian was challenged with a new three-pronged vision – to create affordable housing, to be a place of crossroads and connection and to nurture disciples of Jesus Christ. APC was called to sell its building and land to the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) to build Gilliam Place, a 173-unit affordable housing apartment community on the site of our previous building on Columbia Pike. This new vision was inspired by the stories of our neighbors and their struggle to connect within the community and to find affordable housing in South Arlington. As one church member recalls, “the call to create affordable housing was bigger than the old building itself – so, the walls came down.”

We are excited to imagine what comes next! To read more about the journey with our vision, click on the links below:

• How One Church Tackled Its Community’s Affordable Housing Crisis March 2019
• One Church Takes on Its Community’s Affordable Housing Crisis
• What’s next for churches who sell their property? November 2018
• Nation takes note as D.C.-area churches create affordable housing October 4, 2018 
• “This Church Sold Its Land For $8.5 Million, Then Bought A Chunk Back To Build A Park” Washington Post, July 27, 2017
• With Affordable Housing On The Way, Arlington Churchgoers Say Goodbye
• Arlington congregation holds last worship service before church’s demolition
• One Church Many Homes
• ‘The church is not the building. It is our faith and our people.’ 

Read more about our journey at incairnation.org

As a way of continually expanding our vision of welcome and hospitality, Arlington Presbyterian is a More Light congregation, a designation that a congregation takes within the PCUSA to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the life, ministry, and witness of the Church and society.

The vision of More Light Presbyterian’s is this:

Following the risen Christ, and seeking to make the Church a true community of hospitality, the mission of More Light Presbyterians is to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society.

 

Arlington Presbyterian believes that formally endorsing this statement and becoming part of the national More Light community of hope and equality is an explicit expression of a value that is fully consistent with who we are, and not a representation of something “new.” As one member put it, becoming a More Light congregation is akin to “turning on the porch light,” that APC intentionally welcomes LGBTQ+ folks.