Feels a bit awkward reviewing a place of worship, but this is so much more. It's a gathering place,…read morea welcome center, and a community center in addition to that! I came here to celebrate Ramadan as a non observer, and everyone was very friendly to me! They also have an awesome convenience store with Turkish goods as well as a store for Islamic related items including books for nonbelievers but those interested in learning more about the faith The campus is absolutely gorgeous, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had weddings and photoshoots here. All in all I think it's pretty cool that this towering masjid is straight up in the middle of suburban Maryland, and I think this is a great place to learn about islam, and find other members of faith in the DMV area!

I love whenever I get to see this place because a lot of people come and there all nice people and…read moreit's always clean and I can make tea

12/14/22 This past Sunday on 12/11/22 we (my wife and I)…read moretook a trip back to The Journey Church. I like how laid back they are on the dress code for Church. Dressing up to go to Sunday School/Church rubbed me the wrong way. If I wasn't comfortable in what I wore, my attention to church was nonexistent. This is when I was much younger. Still today I am glad to see Church goers wearing everyday clothing and not necessarily the monkey suit. Anyhow, after talking with the pastor for the second time, I find him very laid back and cool to talk to. In the back of my mind i wondered what could be today's lesson in church? Today's Lesson: The Storm Have you ever had a personal storm in your life? Well today's lesson. Started out with how weather people...no,...meteorologist decided to name storms after women. This was later changed to men an women's name. Some of the names of selected storms have a deeper meaning than others. The lesson in short was to keep hope in what you do, because without hope, you might be battling a storm physically, mentally or both for a long time. I don't go to Church very often, but this place gives off good vibes even if I still don't know many of the people there. My wife says the main reason for being there is God. Anything else is an added bonus. I am not as into the Lord as she is, but I will say this. The music, how I feel then I am there and the history of lessons learned keep me coming back for more. I find it fascinating how things I learned in school, specifically Western/Eastern Civilization and American History had bites and peices of things I am now hearing from The Bible. I am moving at a snail's pace come paired to my wife. Yet I don't believe there is a set speed for religion. If there is, my God will have to have patience. Still, I am on a Journey of self discovery. Who knows what I will discover next week.

This church is NOT all that it's meant out to be. I Went there twice. Then entered at the Young…read moreAdult group. Hung with a member for dinner. then she snitched on me. About something I still DON"T know anything about. Then one of the church leaders said I have pour boundaries and recommend that I have an escort to escort and be with me while "I'm there. at the same time. the leader that asked me for my case managers personal information. I then told her no. Then she asked if she could speak to my mom about counseling services that they provide. I was kicked out of the group on top if it all. This church is NOT supportive and Extremely hypocritical. the church is a FAKE. Don't let the leaders mislead and play you.They sure played me. plus mislead me as well. I will not even give this church a single star. The leader that did this to me was a British member... named Tamin. She is the damn reason why I have stated all this. Tamin go straight to hell.

Background: For those who didn't know, I'm half Thai and half Cambodian. Our New Year (in addition…read moreto other Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Burma, Sri Lanka, etc.) is traditionally celebrated on April 13/14 and lasts for three whole days before the rainy season begins. I've gone to Wat Lao a few times over the years and I'm glad that I have a slice of my culture only 45 minutes away from home! The temple is located approximately 15 minutes past Manassas and there's plentiful parking around it. They have huge festivals for the Southeast Asian New Year and July 4th. Even if you're not Buddhist or Southeast Asian, you can still attend the festivals held at the temple. A small donation is suggested before you enter. In addition to tons of food vendors (pretty much any Southeast Asian food you can think of), they also have music, traditional dancers, and other entertainment throughout the grounds.

40th Annual Lao New Year Celebration reminded me how there is so much to explore in life. It was…read moreone of the best festivals I have attended. I met so many incredibly welcoming Lao people that do not stay shy to talk with you or explain some things. There is so much to see at the Buddhist compound and it is very peaceful, as if all the Buddhist reincarnations have taken a place already in order to create very friendly and calm people. There are markets with various products and clothes. Very popular booth was the one with Thai doughnuts made by friendly elderly Laotian couple. The whole atmosphere felt more festive and less commercialized then I am used to at other festivals. There is a stage with music/dance and there was a lot of food. It is very children friendly. My son loved letting fish in the pond for good luck (blessing) and he skipped other rites - food offering or water spilling. Interesting food item was sticky rice in a bamboo stick. You get it for $2 and they cut it with the machete and you enjoy food after you split the bamboo sides. There were all standard grilled items and pho's and fried vegetables. The food was cheaper than normal - great Pad Thai was $5 instead of usual $7. I felt so good at the festival and the access is the highway all the way, except for the last 4 scenic miles. I used to think of November as my favorite month because all the great local Scandinavian bazaars, but April is now so interesting with all the local South Asian New Year celebrations. Happy Lao New Year! P.S. They have two festivals a year - one in mid-April and another one on July 4th.

SubḥānAllāh, it has been a little over two years since I first came across the Islamic Heritage…read moreCenter Mosque. I initially began attending Arabic language classes, and over time I was able to benefit from many other Islamic sciences, including Aqīdah (belief), Ḥadīth, Tafsīr (explanation of the Qur'an), Fiqh, Islamic manners and etiquettes, and more. Alḥamdulillāh, throughout my entire time here, I have never once felt uncomfortable or unwelcome. The masjid offers the five daily prayers and holds Jumuah at this location, as well as at the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Station just a few minutes away. Friday prayers are held at both locations at 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM. The masjid also organizes Eid prayers along with games and activities for children, making it a welcoming environment for families. This is a Sunni masjid that follows the Qur'an and the Sunnah of our Prophet Muḥammad , upon the understanding of his Companions (رضي الله عنهم). The founder of the masjid was Shaykh-Dr. Nābil رحمه الله. May Allāh make his grave a garden from the gardens of Jannah and make this masjid and school a continuous charity for him and for all those who were involved. Shaykh-Dr Nābil was a direct student of the great Imām and Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Ibn Bāz رحمه الله, and also an early student of Shaykh Muqbil رحمه الله. After Shaykh-Dr Nābil's passing, may Allah have mercy on him. His son and senior student, Shaykh Abdur-Raḥmān (may Allāh preserve him), became the imām. He teaches at the masjid every single day-- at times multiple classes throughout the day and night. To Allāh belongs all praise and thanks. Alḥamdulillāh, the credibility and chain of knowledge at this masjid are well-known and clear. It is truly a blessing to have a masjid like this, especially here in North America. May Allāh preserve them upon His Deen. The masjid also offers separate classes for sisters, taught by the Shaykhah (may Allāh preserve her). A strong emphasis is placed on instilling prophetic character and manners, especially among students of knowledge. One example is the consistent reminder of the importance of being dutiful to one's parents--something sadly lacking in our times. Lastly, in an era filled with trials and temptations, surrounding oneself with good company is essential. Such company is found in the masjid, and one of the greatest means of protection from fitan (trials) is seeking beneficial knowledge.

The masjed.. Is just had a small door not easily detected by someone who is visiting it for the…read morefirst time.. But the place inside is awesome, takes me back to Istanbul camii and perfection..

This church tore down its building and sold the land to build an affordable housing building.read more

I am a presbyterian pastor and I have met Sharon a couple of times. On my vacation last week I…read moredecided to visited this congregation and was impressed by the warmth that the members shared with me and each other. Sharon gave an interesting and challenging sermon on true "hospitality" which is something that I felt being in their presence. I usually judge a church (rightly or wrongly) on how many members talk with me when I visit. Two greeted me upon entering, five or six during the passing of the peace and probably four people talked with me on the way out. I'd say that is pretty friendly. It also appears that they are participating in some interesting missions within this community.

Great church with solid biblical preaching and teaching. A rarity in today's time! This church is a…read morejewel in Springfield!

Excellent church! You couldn't ask for a better community, and the services are wonderfulread more

If you are looking for a church that makes you feel at home and a feeling of warmth as soon as you…read morewalk in the door, this is the church for you. I have been attending Grace Presbyterian Church for about four years, having discovered them due to their preschool (both of our kids attended there). I was welcomed with open arms and my family and I have been attending there since. Besides having that warm feeling I described, they have an amazing focus on doing mission projects. They have regular mission projects for all types, including a yearly trip to Honduras, tutoring, a yearly arts and soccer camp for the neighborhood, youth work camps, preparing PB&J sandwiches for the homeless weekly, among several others. I could go on, but you get the point. There is a wide range of families and ages, and, unlike many churches, their membership has remained steady, rather than dropping, for several years now (so I have been told). There are usually 2 services Sunday (9:00, more modern service, and 11:00, more traditional, although they switch to one 10:00 service in the summer), with a 10:00 education time for youth and adults. There is an active youth program with kids of different ages, from kindergarten through high school. They have regular introductory groups (Grace 101) for new members. Religiously, they are pretty middle of the road, and respect all opinions and political persuasions (frankly, politics doesn't come up all that often - guess they don't like to mix religion and politics). The pastors are very approachable, and compliment each other well - they have a nice yin/yang thing going on (no pun intended). They have a nice sanctuary with a pretty sophisticated A/V system, which I actually have become quite involved with. Frankly, I love this church, and the people there have become my family. If there is any weakness, I would say that they need to work a little on having more fellowship activities (although its been on a slight increase lately). If you are "church-shopping", I would suggest you take a Sunday and visit. The warmth is something that you can palpably feel and need to experience. They also have a website you can check out: www.gracepresby.org. Obviously, I give them high marks.