Congregations
Partnering with faith communities to put values into action.
Empowering Faith Communities to Lead Change
Faith communities are the foundation of Virginia Interfaith Center’s membership, providing both connections to volunteers and a moral compass. Virginia Interfaith Center has relationships with more than seven hundred congregations through volunteers, liaisons, and advocates. Additionally, more than sixty congregations around Virginia have actively committed to partnership with Virginia Interfaith Center.
This partnership includes designating a liaison, partnering on programs, and contributing financially. If you’d like to learn more on how to get your faith community plugged in to this work, reach out to our Director of Faith Organizing!
Faith Partnership Information Sheet
Learn more about ways your congregation can help us make a difference in Virginia.
Get in Touch
Contact our Director of Faith Organizing to become a congregational partner or liaison.
Congregational
FAQs
Please contact our Director of Faith Organizing to talk more.
2025 will have elections for important state offices! We are asking congregations to commit to have 100% participation in the electoral process. Check out the pledge here: 100 Percent Voting Congregations, and then share it with your congregational leadership! You can either send in a filled out copy of the form above, or submit your pledge by clicking the button below.
Liaison FAQs
Our Director of Faith Organizing would love to speak with you! Contact her directly via email or reach out through our contact form to request more information.
Core Functions: Congregational liaisons are asked to do the following core functions:
- Share VICPP resources with congregation members as appropriate
- Ask the congregational leadership to include VICPP resources in bulletins, newsletters, social media, or other materials.
- Participate in at least one meeting a year with legislators and invite others to participate.
- Participate in Day for All People (usually the third Wednesday of January)
- Invite the congregation to support VICPP financially through a special offering or inclusion in the budget. (This would promote the congregation to “partnership” status)
- Invite congregation members to do some advocacy before or during the General Assembly (like meeting with legislators or sending emails)
- Connect interested members of your congregation with key VICPP program areas:
– Criminal Justice Reform – Do you have a prison or jail ministry?
– Health equity – Do you have a health ministry or want to form one?
– Living wages – Do you want to encourage living wages in your community?
– Welcoming all – Do you want to welcome immigrants in your community or build a partnership with other faith traditions?
– Affordable Housing – Are you interested in using congregational land for housing? - Encourage civic engagement – registering to vote, educating voters, help getting out the vote, etc. (all non-partisan activities)
- Invite members to serve as social media volunteers and/or “Witness at the Capitol” volunteers during the General Assembly
Engaging Through
Articles, Prayer & Song
As a congregation, there are many ways to show support and take action. Discover ways to learn, pray and act below.
Color of Compromise Book Study
This book by historian Dr. Jemar Tisby examines how Christian institutions—especially white churches—have upheld racist systems throughout U.S. history.
Poverty, by America Book Study
This book, written by sociologist Matthew Desmond, explores how institutions have helped maintain poverty in the United States, rather than promoting economic equality.
Suggested Films for Further Learning
“College Behind Bars”
About higher education in prison
“Everybody’s Work”
About disparities and discrimination in health care
Our Valued
Partners
Virginia Interfaith Center gives special thanks to the dozens of congregations listed below that have offered financial support for the work either this year or last year.
Fifth Street Baptist Church (Richmond)
Ginter Park Baptist (Richmond)
Williamsburg Baptist Church (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship)
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church
Church of the Holy Comforter (Richmond)
Church of the Resurrection
St. Edward The Confessor Catholic Church (Richmond)
St. Elizabeth Catholic Church
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Norfolk)
Virginia Theological Seminary
Episcopal Church of the Redeemer (Midlothian)
Immanuel Church on the Hill (Alexandria)
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Richmond)
St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (Williamsburg)
St. James the Less Episcopal Church (Ashland)
St. Thomas Episcopal Church (Abingdon)
Virginia Synod, ELCA
Maury River Friends Meeting (Lexington)
Herndon Friends Meeting
Goose Creek Friends Meeting (Purcellville)
Virginia Beach Friends Meeting
Richmond Friends Meeting
Hopewell Centre Friends Meeting (Winchester)
Charlottesville Friends Meeting
Roanoke Friends Meeting
Midlothian Friends Meeting
Alexandria Friends Meeting
Langley Hill Friends Meeting (McLean)
East End Fellowship
Hilton Christian Church
First Christian Church (Falls Church)
Blacksburg Presbyterian Church
Ginter Park Presbyterian Church (Richmond)
Lewinsville Presbyterian Church
Bon Air Presbyterian Church (Richmond)
Old Presbyterian Meeting House (Alexandria)
Second Presbyterian Church (Richmond)
Burke Presbyterian Church
Presbytery of Shenandoah
Gayton Kirk Presbyterian (Henrico)
Trinity Presbyterian Church (Arlington)
Little River United Church of Christ (Annandale)
First Congregational UCC (Chesterfield)
St. John’s United Church of Christ (Richmond)
Trinity United Methodist Church (Richmond)
Centenary United Methodist Church (Richmond)
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (Arlington)
Belmont United Methodist Church (Richmond)
Good Shephard United Methodist Church (Dale City)
Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church (Richmond)
Burke United Methodist Church
VICPP also partners with most judicatory bodies in Virginia, including the following:
Arlington Interfaith Council
Baptist General Convention of Virginia
Catholic Climate Covenant
Christian Church in Virginia (Disciples of Christ)
Church of the Brethren – Virlina District
Church World Service
Danville Ministerial Alliance
Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia
Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (national advocacy office)
Faith in Action
Harrisonburg and Rockingham Interfaith Association
Holston Conference, United Methodist Church
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
Metro Washington Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
National Capitol Presbytery
Potomac Association, United Church of Christ
Presbytery of Eastern Virginia
Presbytery of the James
Presbytery of the Peaks
Religious Society of Friends
Richmond Rabbinical Association
Shenandoah Presbytery
Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church
Virginia Council of Churches
Virginia Muslim Coalition
Virginia Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
Ascendium Education Group
Bon Secours Foundation
Center for American Progress
Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund
Community Catalyst
Community Foundation of Greater Richmond
Consumer Health Foundation
Energy Foundation
Four Freedoms Foundation Grant
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
Meyer Foundation
Moriah Fund
Norman Foundation
Potomac Health Foundation
Resilience Fund
Richmond Memorial Health Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Sentara Foundation
Virginia Law Foundation