Member Spotlight: Raymond Luo

One year ago, I attended All Peoples Community Church after hearing from a college friend that it was the church that all the cool kids attended. Though I have indeed come to know and grow close with cool kids at APCC, what continues to draw me to continue walking with our church family is the openness and genuine love for Christ and one another that we share each week. We are not afraid to openly share our imperfections. We ask one another to pray for us in our struggles. And we celebrate our victories every week. I stayed at APCC because I can see God working in All Peoples.

I currently serve on the Media team by helping create the weekly connect newsletter (the other, less popular one). I am thankful to be able to help in any capacity with our digital ministries. The internet represents 5.03 billion people--63.1% of the world's population--a number that is quickly growing each day and more than double the number of Christians in the world. Hopefully, we can reach any portion of that number with God's love.

With Appreciation,

Raymond Luo

Family Spotlight: Kunnath's

We found APCC after searching for an Acts 29 Church for Chelsea to attend once she moved to VA as her first duty station for the Navy. After listening to a few sermons online during our drive from Ohio to move Chelsea here, we decided APCC would be the first church we/she visited (and it ended up being our last). I (Chelsea) was immediately drawn to the diversity and authenticity of the community here at APCC. I was also encouraged by the women I had been meeting and had confidence that Isac would find strong community with the men when he would someday move here after we got married as we were dating at the time. When Isac started attending he was struck by how centered the sermons and teaching were around the gospel. APCC did not dilute scripture to appeal to current culture and society; but rather preached about our loving, unchanging, and all powerful Father.

We are currently serving in the Prayer, RT, Children, + Security ministries. Chelsea has always had a heart for prayer, I (Isac) call her a prayer warrior and we love serving together as a family. We serve in RT and security because of our passion and experience in healthcare. Chelsea serves in the Children’s Ministry because of her passion for kids and as a practical way to give back + serve the families who are often serving us!

Family Spotlight: Houlahan's

1. Why did you decide to visit and stay at APCC?
   We love the fellowship and diversity of our church family. We keep coming back because it’s fun and important to us to walk with other believers in community.

2. What ministry do you serve with and why?
   We serve in Sunday school and Dhruvika is helping out in the women's ministry. Some of our greatest influences have been our Sunday school teachers and we want to serve our church and children by trying to display and teach the gospel to them!

3. How did you come to faith in Christ?
   Both of us were saved as little children. We’ve enjoyed the fruits of our parents teaching us to know and trust the Lord from a young age!

Family Spotlight: The Beckwiths

We first visited APCC in early fall of 2021. We had recently gotten married and had moved into an apartment nearby in Fair Lakes. When we visited, everyone was immediately welcoming and we could feel that people really cared about getting to know us. We also loved the community's focus on being a diverse church for all peoples and holding true to Scripture.

After our second visit we felt that this was where God was calling us to to be in community - and Hon was right behind Him with an invitation to join the Welcome Team where we are currently serving. Both of us have been really blessed by community in the past at our college ministries and here at APCC, so we have really enjoyed getting to work with the Welcome Team in welcoming people into our community. We're excited to see how God continues to work through APCC to make His name known in Fairfax!

Family Spotlight: The Marquardts

We decided to visit and stay at APCC after hearing a message from Kenji, who was a guest speaker at George Mason CRU. He talked about starting a church plant (APCC) and we felt like God really spoke to us through Kenji's talk that evening. We were looking for a church to plug into as we transitioned out of college and decided to check out Kenji's church. We decided to stay at APCC because we loved APCC's community, how the church lives life together outside of the Sunday service, and how biblically-centered all the teachings are.

Currently, we serve on the Welcome Team. We both have a heart to minister to others through hospitality and building relationships, and have really enjoyed getting to meet people and help them get plugged into the community. We've witnessed first hand how important it is to be involved in the community and feel passionately about helping others get plugged in.

Family Spotlight: The Duans

I, Charlie became a Christian soon after I came to the US in 1987 for graduate school. It is God's people's love and my awareness of my sins that made me accept Jesus Christ as my savior. Through sharing gospel, I met my wife through a mutual friend. Pauline and I feel God's love and blessing in our long time Christian life. My daughter Iris and son Wesley grew up in the Church, and we can say we are God's saved people.

My family (I, my wife and my son) began visiting APCC late 2019. All of us enjoy APCC church a lot. The APCC name first attracted us. We are the same in God's eyes: the sinners but are saved and blessed with his love and mercy. We stay because APCC is the church for all of us. The hope and peacefulness of his people affect us. The communication with Christ is impacting my life and is enhancing my faith in Christ.

As part of the Welcome Team we try to show God's love to other people by showing our blessing and forgiveness from God. We also enjoy participating in Connect Group Bible Study.

Family Spotlight: The Fribleys

We first visited APCC in Feb 2021 because we were looking for a church community nearby to support us as we grew closer as a couple and were talking about marriage. The services were biblically based and gospel-centered, and the community was very welcoming! We felt at home when many people there intentionally came over to introduce themselves and get to know us. Our top priorities in finding a church family were to have a church focused on community with one another, outreach to others, and being a place where we felt comfortable recommending friends of all different backgrounds to come and experience God’s family. We very quickly found APCC to check all of these boxes and have enjoyed getting further connected with everyone there.

Once APCC became our church home, we wanted to serve on ministry teams where we could serve together! We initially chose the Greeting Team because we remembered how welcoming they were on our first few visits, and we wanted to be those same people for others now who are visiting. We are social people, so it was a perfect fit to meet everyone and get connected quickly. We also serve on the Slides Team because we heard of the need for more people to help out! A few of the Slides Team members are in our CG, so we had even more of a desire to step up and help out our CG brothers and sisters. In both areas we have been able to grow closer to the APCC family, and we enjoy being a part of making Sunday services special for both visitors and members who are there to grow closer to God and glorify His name.

Family Spotlight: The Smiths

Here's a little bit about us and our faith. We both started following Jesus in college, a bit over ten years ago. While we had both grown up in Christian homes, neither of us really understood the Gospel or our need for a relationship with God until college. For both of us, it was at our respective low points, that Jesus met us. Thankfully, we both had great friends and community that we could walk with and learn from. As time has gone on, our faith and relationship with the Lord looks a lot different than it did then, but we are thankful to be where we are.

We had originally started coming to APCC in 2019. At the time, we wanted to be a part of a church community that welcomed all different peoples, not just people that looked like us or came from the same background as us. APCC quickly became our home as we got plugged in with the Government Center Connect Group. We felt that we could be ourselves at APCC and didn't have to pretend to be perfect followers of Christ, but could come as we are. Getting to be a part of our Connect Group/Equip Group has been such a great blessing as we grow together and hopefully help others grow in the Gospel as well.

Family Spotlight: The Winklers

We currently enjoy greeting at the front entrance, and helping to set up the coffee/tea hospitality table. This is a great way to meet members of the church, but we will have to relearn everyone’s faces without masks! We attended the Children’s Ministry meeting a few weeks ago, and found ourselves drawn toward a ministry we are familiar with. We have taught 4th grade through 12th grade Sunday School, along with
Pre-K to 2nd grade AWANA programs. It's always a joy to introduce children to the Bible, and walk through its history. In addition, the teaching team provides another small group experience within the church.

Regarding how we found All Peoples. Scott enjoys connecting with Christians at his workplace, and asked Greg Fisher where he attended. Greg, Sarah, and Georgie were kind enough to introduce us to the church family. We were impressed at how everyone was so welcoming, not just the first Sunday but on each following week. We were excited to learn about the Connect Groups. These are not that common in most churches and always provide a great way to study the Word. We wanted a church where you could invite friends and family to hear the Gospel and see the joy of a Christian community. And we have found that at APCC.

Family Spotlight: The Goldmans

We came to APCC in search of a church closer to home since we had been driving far to our previous church and were missing community. We were immediately drawn to APCC by the warm and friendly people, how evident it is that they truly love God, the excellent and compelling teaching of the Word, the heartfelt worship, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are thrilled to have found this church close to home and to be able to engage in fellowship during the week.

We are currently serving in several ministries. Michael mentors in the sound ministry and has played trumpet for worship. Dede enjoys serving women by mentoring, encouraging younger wives, and teaching Bible study. We will soon serve together as premarital and marriage mentors. We have been happily married for over 40 years and have enjoyed many years in premarital ministry. We look forward to making new friends and building relationships at APCC.

Member Spotlight: Cassius Ali

Hey church family! My name is Cassius Ali and I have been coming to APCC since October 2016. I’m an Android developer from New Jersey who loves gaming, music, kung fu, and spending quality time with friends and family. In my time at APCC I’ve served in the Children’s Ministry, Worship Team, and more recently as a leader in my Connect Group. It’s been such a blessing to serve in these ministries as I’ve been able to witness things such as the children steadily getting to know Jesus and the Spirit moving mightily through the congregation during worship. As someone who grew up in a family of singers, it’s truly amazing to see everyone coming together to lift their praises to the Lord and an honor to be able to use my passion for music to play a part in it.

I first came to APCC after being invited by a fellow member, Jeff Lau, who was my co-worker at the time. It had been my first time going to church since moving here, and I was surprised by how kind and Christ-centered the community at APCC was. In my childhood I grew up going to church, but the churches that my family visited didn’t seem to have a clear focus on the gospel or on growing together as a community, which stunted my spiritual growth. Looking back now on the way God has shaped me through this church family makes it clear how much God loves me and that He’s made a place where I can participate in the Kingdom mission. I feel so blessed to be a part of this church family, and I look forward to seeing how God will continue to use APCC in the future!

Family Spotlight: The Lee Family

Tongil and Corinne were both singles when we joined APCC in 2016 to help start All Peoples. Tongil was one of the founding members and Corinne joined shortly after the church officially launched when she moved to the area after college. We both loved the Gospel-centered community as well as the mission to reach all peoples.

We co-lead Fairfax Towne Center Connect Group and Tongil serves as an Elder and in worship ministry. We love hosting our connect group and sharing meals with people. It is encouraging to hear how God is working in the lives of people across our church community and as new parents understanding a new depth to God’s love for us as we raise Josiah.

Member Spotlight: Deanna Zhu

Hi! I'm Deanna, I'm a software engineer by day, PC gamer by night :) I serve on the Media and Worship teams. I manage our website and write the weekly newsletter while for worship, I put together and run slides for service. I love that in serving on these two teams, I get to combine my passion for technology with my desire to build up the church through words and visuals! The view of the congregation during worship from the slides+sound table is so encouraging to see.

I first came to APCC in 2018 because I wanted to find a church that felt like it truly welcomed all types of people. I didn't grow up in a Christian home and didn't have the happiest childhood, so what called me to faith in high school was the tender love of Jesus that embraced every part of me into His "family". Coming to APCC was a breath of fresh air because I heard the gospel preached every week and saw that people were pursuing the kingdom of God through loving one another. I feel blessed to have found my spiritual home here because I get to bring all parts of myself and grow alongside a community group that is with me through life's ups and downs.

Family Spotlight: The Hoyts

We decided to visit APCC because we needed to find a church closer to home. At our previous church, we lived too far away to be able to stay connected to our church community, serve consistently, and build meaningful relationships alongside people who actually lived in our community. APCC felt like home almost immediately - we felt so welcomed, pursued, and cared for from the moment we walked in our first week. Not only is the church very gospel-focused and Christ-centered, but we can tell the people who attend truly love Jesus and love others. We love how God is at work through the local church and we are grateful to have found a wonderful church plant that is in our community.

Matt and I both were blessed to be raised in strong Christian homes. Although each of us have had hardships and setbacks, our faith has been deepened through our individual trials. Once we met, God built a solid foundation in our marriage that has helped us weather some strong storms over the last 10+ years. We give all glory to God for providing us each with a firm foundation that we could then build upon together as we began a family of our own. As our children grow, we are so grateful to see how God is using the trials in our family to deepen each of their individual faiths in Jesus. God uses ALL things for our good and His glory even, and especially, the difficult seasons. It hasn't always been easy, but God has been faithful and steadfast!

Family Spotlight: The Seos

Hi my name is Andrew and my wife’s name is Laura. A little bit about myself. I have younger twin brothers who are diagnosed with Autism and I have always helped my parents take care of them. I grew up Catholic, but my family and I did not attend church that often because there was not an inclusive environment for my brothers. I started to grow apart from God because I learned at an early age that I had to do everything myself.

I didn’t have a real relationship with God until after college when I worked at a summer camp at Mclean Bible Church for children with Special Needs. It was there that I met people who had the heart to serve this population for the first time in my life. It was there I met Christians that not only knew God but showed God’s love to others for the glory of God’s Kingdom, not for their own benefit. Because of them, I realized how God uses everyone for his glory, including my brothers. 

My wife and I heard about APCC from a friend who heard Kenji speak at a men’s retreat. At that time, Laura and I were looking at different churches but APCC stuck out because it was the only church where people were welcoming and genuinely wanted to get to know us. We also loved the diversity of the congregation and gospel centered worship. I decided to volunteer in the Children’s Ministry because I have always enjoyed working with children and wanted to serve the church in that way. 

Family Spotlight: The Thoms

We, (Mark, Sydney, Abigail, and Gabriella) moved to Fairfax, Virginia in Spring 2019 and we have been attending APCC since Fall 2019. Finding APCC has been a blessing to our family for sure! We use to live across the street from the school, where services are currently being held. In addition to noticing the church signs on the street each Sunday, we also stopped by a movie night at the school which APCC was hosting (also found out about that through a street sign:) ) and met Kenji. Meeting Kenij got us in the door but the genuine gospel centeredness vibe as well as the authentic people of APCC kept us coming back.

Mark serves faithfully behind the scenes with Worship Team and I (Sydney) serve with the Children’s Ministry. I serve because it’s life giving to me. I also serve because I have a background in education and am a mother of two. I choose to honor God by sharing my gifts with the children and parents in our local church.

Coming to faith in Christ happened at the age of 12 for me. I grew up hearing the gospel every Sunday in church which gave me an opportunity to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior at a young age. My “stay out of trouble” personality also lended itself to me being accepting of the message. In college I had a life threatening experience that redirected my attention to God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit I’ve since been intentional about what I build my faith on; the perfect & sovereign God.

Family Spotlight: The Ahns

Hello family! Linda and I, Matt, have been attending APCC since August 2018. Linda is from Maryland, and Matt is from the Hampton Roads area in Virginia. Haven was born on January 1st of this year, so she has been going to the church long as she has been alive. Since the pandemic, we have not been too active (feeling antisocial and all since the pandemic, just kidding) but trust us when we say we love our church. We love the church community and how intentional everyone is about building up one another in Christ. We also love how APCC finds ways to reach out to people in our community. 

We enjoy serving in the Children's Ministry.  Linda is currently on a break from serving because someone has to take care of Haven, but Matt is still doing it. We decided to serve the children because, well, because Matt has always  loved working with children. It is also ever so encouraging to see children growing in Christ. It melts our hearts! ;)  What would be better than pouring our time and energy into our future generation? We have gotten closer to wonderful people by serving alongside them in Children's Ministry. We highly encourage people to do the same and get to know one another better by being in a ministry team together. 

Member Spotlight: Jacob Andrews

I’m Jacob Andrews and I have been coming to All Peoples Community Church for about two years now. I am a student at George Mason University, and I graduate in December! After that I will be working for Cru, a campus ministry, full time as a missionary to College Students. I really enjoy spending time with my friends and my girlfriend; getting my computer to do interesting things; and walking around the University Campus blasting praise music in my headphones. At APCC, I got involved learning to run sound, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to do this since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since we have been back in-person, I have enjoyed helping with set-up and tear down, running the slides, and recently, helping in the Children’s Ministry.

In Pastor Kenji’s sermon this past Sunday, I very much related to the Blind Man found in John 9. Not that I am or have ever been blind with my eyes, but I have been spiritually blind. Without Christ, I can’t focus correctly on the world around me. I get the wrong picture. But after God did “Lasik surgery on the eyes of my heart” through his Holy Spirit, He grants me vision to see things in a way impossible without Him, whether that is in how I need to treat other people, or how to understand the Bible. I am still using my imperfect human eyes, I still am tempted and fall into sin, but I have been saved! My imperfections, struggles, and brokenness serve to glorify God; however He chooses.

Family Spotlight: The Burke Family

Hello! My name is Amanda Burke and my husband, Kristopher, and I recently started attending APCC. We moved to the area a few months ago from Lynchburg, VA. We are both teachers. I am an art teacher in Fairfax County and Kristopher is a Bible teacher at Immanuel Christian School. In the next few weeks, you will see my face hanging out with the Teethers!

This past week we took a look at John chapter 8: the story of the woman caught in adultery. In this passage, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus by using the Law of Moses against him. Rather than fall into entrapment, Jesus exalts himself above the Law of Moses, and reestablishes righteousness on the foundation of grace.  We experience this grace when we encounter Jesus. 

This week my prayer is that we all take time to remember and thank God for His abundant grace. It is so easy to take this gift for granted, but I encourage you to acknowledge your brokenness and need of a Savior. Let us be grateful this week for the greatest gift we could ever receive and walk in the freedom that grace gives.

Family Spotlight: The McElrath family

Hey fam, we’re Will and Megan! Will is a “come here”, growing up in Morocco as a missionary kid, and Megan is a “from here” in the NoVA area. We met at William & Mary and got married in November 2019. Will is a software consultant and Megan is a sixth grade special education teacher who maybe tries too hard to stay hip with the kids. We love reading books, drinking hot drinks, watching Star Wars, and helping plants and people grow. Since walking into our first Sunday service in May 2021, we have been so delighted to be a part of what God is doing through the APCC family. Lord willing, we will be a part of planting Redeemer Fellowship early next year.

We were encouraged by Kenji’s exhortation rooted in John 6 that “God doesn’t want us to do more—He wants us to be more like Jesus”. It was reflected this week as we were challenged to pray through all our strivings in work and marriage and the temptation of “If I just do more, I will find favor with this or that person”. What a joy we have in Jesus! There is nothing we can do to earn the favor of the Creator of the heavens and the earth—He has already given it to us by His death and resurrection on the cross. Jesus has also given us the gift of a new mission (His mission) of living a transformed life for His glory. May we be a faithful people to make a mature family of disciples.