"There have been for many years in the vicinity of the Seminary, a number of Mission Stations, at which the students had been accustomed to meet the people of the particular neighborhood, and intruct themselves somewhat in pastoral duties, and gathering souls into the Church of Church.
Before the war, these stations were kept open during the entire year, at the following places: Arlington, the Alms House, Bailey's Crossroads, Lebanon, Mt. Olivet, Sharon, and West End. At each of these stations, buildings had been erected for Divine service, Sunday-school had been organized. and the buildings, with the exception of the Alms House and the schoohouse at Baileys's Crossroads, were entirely destroyed by the troops.
Since the reopening of the Seminary, the students have endeavored to reestablish these stations and rebuild the chapels destroyed. With what success ... the following account will evidence:
Bailey's Crossroads: The School-house at this place is situated at the foot of Munson's Hill, was built by the neighborhood and is used during the week by the school with an attendance of forty scholars. Divine service is held here every fourth Sunday by Rev. Dixon, the circuit preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During three-fourths of the year, a flourishing Sunday school is conducted under the auspices of the same church. On Sunday afternoon two of the students (from the Seminary) hold Divine service at this place whenever the roads are in such a condition as to allow the congregation to assemble."
Later that same year, St. Paul's mission was formally connected with Falls Church and remained so until 1905, when the Rector remitted the mission back to the Seminary. St. Paul's remained under the jurisdiction of the Seminary for a number of years, and efforts during that time to unite it with parishes in the area proved fruitless.
The church continued to grow, reaching a peak number of over 500 communicants in the early 1960s. In the latter part of that decade membership began to decline; however, by 1970 the mortgage was paid in full, and the church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Robert F. Gibson, Jr., then Bishop of Virginia.
the 1970s and 1980s, St. Paul's became involved in several new activities in the burgeoning Bailey's CrossroadsWikipedia - Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia area. In 1977, a proposal by the Diocese and St. Paul's to create a Hispanic Mission at the Church was approved. The rapidly growing Latino population in the area made such a move feasible at St. Paul's as well as other churches in the area. The Hispanic Mission became established at St. Paul's, with regular services held on Sunday afternoons. This ministry did not, however, grow to the point that it could be sustained at St. Paul's, and moved to the Frances Scott Key Chapel at the Virginia Seminary. Now, la Iglesia de Cristo Rey, the Hispanic Mission which originally met at St. Paul's, currently holds services at St. John's Episcopal church in Arlington, VA.
A second major involvement of St. Paul's in Bailey's Crossroads community affairs came about through the growing plight of homeless people in the area. Along with other churches of various denominations, St. Paul's helped to establish shelters, a shared housing program, and provide food for homeless persons. Additional churches in the area joined in the effort, and by 1985 Fairfax CountyFairfax County, Virginia constructed and opened a community shelter at Bailey's Crossroads. St. Paul's continues to actively support the shelter through donations of food, clothing, and money, and through membership on the shelter advisory board.
In early 2000, at the suggestion of the Rt. Rev. David Jones, The Rt. Rev. David Colin Jones, Bishop Suffragan of Virginia Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Website Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Virginia, the vestry invited the Washington Area Korean Mission to join St. Paul’s in the worship of our Lord and Savior. The Mission, which had been meeting at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in North Arlington, held its first services at St. Paul’s in October of 2000. Subsequently, the Washington Area Korean Mission became Holy Cross Korean Episcopal Church, a mission congregation in the Diocese of Virginia.
From 1997 until May of 1999, St. Paul’s provided space to the cooperative Woodland Preschool. Upon closure of Woodland, the vestry of St. Paul’s, under the leadership of its current Rector, elected to open a new school. Once St. Paul’s refurbished classrooms on the second floor, and obtained approval from Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the St. Paul’s Episcopal Preschool and Kindergarten opened under the directorship of Mrs. Deniza Sluss. The preschool operates under the guidance of the rector and vestry, but with an independent budget and Board of Directors.
