Learning to Love Our Neighbor

Honoring the image of God through community, justice, hospitality, and compassion

We believe in partnering with our neighbors and communities around the world to come alongside and share love across cultures. Join us in relationship with our partners as we learn from each other and practice justice, hospitality, and compassion.

“Love your neighbor as yourself”

The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-40), followed very closely by the call to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). These two commandments form the foundation of Christian faith. Jesus tells us these commands are core values, behaviors, and practices of all who follow him. Who is our neighbor? Anyone around us: not only our literal neighbors, but also our co-workers, our spouse, our children, our friends, our enemies… anyone made in the Image of God.

Neighborliness

Love in Action, Near and Far

At NoVA, neighborliness is how we live out our faith in tangible ways, by loving and serving others both locally and globally. Acts 1:8 reminds us that we’re called to be God’s witnesses “in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” For us, that means caring for our neighbors in NoVA, across the U.S., and around the world.

We practice neighborliness by partnering with trusted organizations who are already doing meaningful work. Rather than leading with our assumptions, we approach every culture with humility—listening, learning, and supporting in ways that truly matter.

To start practicing NEIGHBORLINESS with NoVA Teams, please check out the current opportunities and partnerships below.

Local Engagements

Serving Our Neighbors in NoVA

Neighborliness starts at home. We partner with trusted organizations that are already doing incredible work to serve those in need. Whether it’s providing meals, giving clothing or educational resources to those in need, serving families of kids with disabilities and providing parents much-needed respite, supporting trafficking survivors, or standing against injustice, there are meaningful ways for you to show up and love your neighbors well.

Learn More

Boxes of Basics believes that every child deserves to have their basic clothing needs met. Our mission is to provide children in need with a seasonal box of quality new and gently used clothing in their size. Our amazing volunteers hand-select and pack every Boxes of Basics box and tailors it for an individual child. When a child receives their Boxes of Basics, we want them to feel like they are opening a gift!
Engage with Boxes of Basics through donations, helping sort and pack boxes at their warehouse, hosting a donation drive, and writing inspirational letters for kids to go in the boxes.
For more details, email us HERE.
Carpenter’s Shelter works to support people experiencing and at risk of homelessness to achieve sustainable independence through shelter and housing placement, guidance, education, and advocacy.
NoVA partners monthly with Carpenter’s Shelter on the fourth Saturday of every month to bring lunch and serve the community.
For more details, email us HERE.
Educate Fairfax is a 501 (c)3 non profit that works to make a positive difference in the lives of FCPS students. We energize the power of the community to invest in educational excellence and prepare students for the future.
With over 183,000 students and 199 schools, FCPS is one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the country. Our vision is that every FCPS student has a path to success.
For more details, email us HERE.
Jill’s House is a Christian nonprofit organization that loves and serves families of kids with profound intellectual disabilities through short-term, overnight respite care and holistic family support services. Regularly throughout the year, parents send their kids with intellectual disabilities to our “respite resort” in Vienna, VA, or to one of our camp locations around the country for 24-48 hour stays. The kids get an amazing experience in a safe, fun, loving, and celebratory environment.
Meanwhile, their parents get a break. They get to sleep through the night. They get to go on a date. They get to give undivided attention to their other children. Most families take these things for granted. But for Jill’s House families, these are rare and precious gifts—they’re a lifeline.
Watch a VIDEO HERE to see a bit of what Jill’s House does.
For more details, email us HERE.
Reset180 works to prevent human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, disrupt the related networks, and restore those impacted.
Engagement with Reset 180 looks like joining prayer groups, sex-buyer outreach, phone texting outreach, and learning about illicit massage businesses in your community.
For more details, email us HERE.

Recent Highlights:

Two young children, a boy and a girl, standing in what appears to be a classroom or party setting, with the boy holding a colorful "Star Wars" themed Easter basket filled with plastic eggs and toys, while the girl looks slightly apprehensive.

Annual Easterpalooza serving 200+ families

Friendsgiving celebration bringing the community together

Ongoing partnerships with local food banks and shelters

Collaborating Through Mutual Inculturation.

Global Partnerships

Our call to love and serve doesn’t stop at state lines, it stretches to the ends of the earth. Through trusted global partnerships, NoVA is committed to showing up with humility, curiosity, and compassion in communities around the world. These experiences not only offer practical support but also deepen our understanding of peace, justice, and the global Church.

Faith deepens as you encounter Rwanda’s inspirational story of hope and forgiveness in the wake of genocide that affected the whole country. Walking alongside Africa New Life’s Christ-centered and Rwandan-led ministry gives witness to the life-changing impact of education, discipleship, and community development. Conviction for peace and reconciliation expands through your engagement in cultural learning and connection with the people of Rwanda.
www.africanewlife.org
Champions in Action works to connect disadvantaged youth to life-changing mentors through the gospel of Jesus Christ and soccer. Their vision is to empower a generation of at-risk youth – through the Gospel, mentorship, and soccer – to transform themselves, their families, their communities, and their nation. To learn more check out www.championsinaction.org
Freedom Firm’s mission is to end child sex trafficking through rescue, restoration, and justice. Their goal is to eliminate child prostitution in India by rescuing minor girls, providing effective rehabilitation and prosecuting the perpetrators of sex trafficking.
Watch a short video of what they do HERE.
www.freedomfirm.org
Our partner, Frontera de Cristo, is committed to building understanding across borders and works to provide creative solutions to the root causes of migration. In partnership with FDC, our team will be immersed in ministry in a part of the world where walls clearly divide. FDC has galvanized community partners and the church in a unified effort to holistically care for those suffering on the border.

fronteradecristo.org
The Tipi Raisers is an organization working to establish diverse coalitions of partners to alleviate poverty in Native communities, empower youth, create opportunities for reconciliation, and honor Indigenous wisdom. Our hope is to come alongside The Tipi Raisers as they work to engage youth and volunteers of all ages in addressing conditions of poverty on Native reservations, amplifying Indigenous wisdom, and creating unique opportunities for reconciliation and youth development.
www.thetipiraisers.org
In Zambia, children with intellectual disabilities are often seen as cursed, contagious, or a product of witchcraft. Less than. Discarded. Access to needed resources and support is limited, and families are left to navigate the unique challenges of having a child with a disability alone.
NoVA serves as the “sending church” for Jamie Friedrich, is a missionary serving as the program director for Finding Joy in Lusaka, Zambia. Finding Joy is a transitional home for children with moderate to profound disabilities with no immediate family to care for them. While at Finding Joy, children will receive the nutrition, education, and love they so desperately need, laying a foundation for them to understand their God-given value and identity. The goal is for each child to be reunited with a family who will love them and can effectively care for their unique needs.
Give to Jamie HERE

Global Partner Teams

Frontera de Cristo

Our partner, Frontera de Cristo, is committed to building understanding across borders and works to provide creative solutions to the root causes of migration. In partnership with FDC, our team will be immersed in ministry in a part of the world where walls clearly divide. FDC has galvanized community partners and the church in a unified effort to holistically care for those suffering on the border.
Estimated Cost: $2,900
Location: Arizona/Mexico
Leaders:
- Pastor Josh Coad
- Adriana Schellhaas
Date: October 23-30, 2026
Level: Easy
Africa New Life

Faith deepens as you encounter Rwanda’s inspirational story of hope and forgiveness in the wake of genocide that affected the whole country. Walking alongside Africa New Life’s Christ-centered and Rwandan-led ministry gives witness to the life-changing impact of education, discipleship, and community development. Conviction for peace and reconciliation expands through your engagement in cultural learning and connection with the people of Rwanda. 2025 Team Recap VIDEO HERE.
Estimated Cost: $4,000
Location: Rwanda
Leaders:
- Pastor Jenni Wong Clayville
- Pastor Ashlei Brathwaite
- Pastor Marion Mason
Dates: April 18-28, 2027
Level: Moderate
To sign up for the interest meeting, go to:
novachurch.cc/rwanda
To apply for this team, go to:
novachurch.cc/partnertrip
The Tipi Raisers

The Tipi Raisers is an organization working to establish diverse coalitions of partners to alleviate poverty in Native communities, empower youth, create opportunities for reconciliation, and honor Indigenous wisdom. Our hope is to come alongside The Tipi Raisers as they work to engage youth and volunteers of all ages in addressing conditions of poverty on Native reservations, amplifying Indigenous wisdom, and creating unique opportunities for reconciliation and youth development.
Estimated Cost: $1,600
Location: Colorado
Leader: TBD
Date: TBD
Level: NoVA Youth- Moderate
Champions in Action

In partnership with Champions in Action, NoVA participants will help host a five-day premier soccer camp with the goal of empowering at-risk youth through the hope of the gospel, mentorship and the beloved game of soccer. Whether you’re an athlete or just eager to make a meaningful impact, there’s a place for everyone to serve on this team. Join us to serve the Girls Soccer camp in July. To watch a little bit of NoVA’s participation from last year’s team trip, CLICK HERE.
Estimated Cost: $2,500
Location: Guatemala
Leaders: TBD
Date: TBD
Level: Moderate
Freedom Firm

Freedom Firm’s mission is to end child sex trafficking through rescue, restoration, and justice. Their goal is to eliminate child prostitution in India by rescuing minor girls, providing effective rehabilitation, and prosecuting the perpetrators of sex trafficking. We hope to partner with Freedom Firm and the work they are doing in India by listening and learning to understand the problem, supporting them in finding a solution, and helping resource them to help empower survivors. Learn a bit about what they do through this VIDEO.
Estimated Cost: TBD
Location: Delhi & Mumbai, India
Leader:
- Pastor Jenni Wong Clayville
Date: November 2027
Level: Moderate