The Glas family used to live just down the street from Abiding Presence. While they didn’t attend services, they knew neighbors who were members and saw signs about the Food Pantry every time they drove by. Kim and her husband Tim have put an emphasis on a yearly family project during the holidays. “Last year we did a project to educate girls in Guatemala and raised $10,000” Kim shared. So when they gathered as a family to discuss their 2025 project, Oliver and Abigail chose the Abiding Presence Food Pantry. “Sometimes I volunteer at the Pantry with my husband on Saturday mornings and the kids would ask things like, ‘How long was the line?’ or ‘How did things go this morning?’,” Kim recalled. “One particularly difficult story to tell them was that a few weeks ago someone slept in their car overnight just to get fresh food,” she said. She shared, “The kids feel especially connected to Abiding Presence because they’ve been involved with the Kids Food Pantry packing produce for pantry guests.”

Kelsey and Calvin Hunt, along with their two daughters, are regular worshippers at Abiding Presence and have made weekly church activities a part of their family life. Some people may not know that Kelsey was baptized here as a baby and grew up attending church with her family. “As part of the puppet ministry and choir with Ms. Lori I did everything Abiding Presence had to offer,” Kelsey shared. She recalled, “Through youth service trips, synod events, and nationwide youth gatherings we created lasting relationships with fellow youth.”

“We felt comfortable as soon as we walked in,” recalls Craig Fraedrich, about his first time visiting Abiding Presence with then fiancée Monique. “We knew right from the beginning it would be a place where we were welcomed and engaged in the community immediately as they encouraged new people to participate,” he said. Craig and Monique were married here and raised their two boys in this church with Sunday worship and weekly activities a part of their family values.

“This is not a church of spectators, but one of people being involved,” Craig shared. Monique added, “It’s not even just worship services, but everyone is encouraged to be a part of the ministry happening here.” Having raised their boys from first communions to Confirmation classes and beyond they said, “Our children had the experience of making their own decisions and we gave them that foundation they still carry with them today.”

When Roger moved to Northern Virginia, the first thing he did was find a church. As he moved throughout the area from McLean to Alexandria and finally Springfield, finding a church was always a priority. Growing up in Minnesota as part of a farming family, church was a big part of their community. The family attended church every Sunday and provided not just comfort but guidance. Roger recalled, “being part of a church was a matter of carrying on and honoring the family tradition.”