本教會於1978年由邱東陽牧師以家庭聚會、分享福音的方式，帶著幾個家庭開始，後來人數增多，漸具規模，開始借用美國教會聚會，並於1984年加入美國長老會 (Presbyterian Church in America，簡稱 PCA)，正式成為會員，接著於1992年買下位於 Falls Church 的主堂。隨後邱牧師在 Herndon 植堂，即今天已獨立的主恩基督教會 (Grace Chinese Church)，又在 Springfield 植分堂。多年下來主堂聚會人數已達數百人，並有國語堂、粵語堂及英文堂。回顧前塵確實看到主奇妙恩手的扶持與帶領，願神繼續使用本教會成為北維州近郊的一座燈塔，廣傳福音，造就門徒 !
Started in 1978 by Rev. Chu as a family fellowship, our church multiplied through gospel sharing. As our church take form, we started meeting at a church and eventually joined the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). In 1992, we purchased the church building in Falls Church. Later Rev. Chu planted in Herndon, VA an independent church, Grace Chinese Church, and a sister church, CCCVA in Springfield, VA. Through the years the congregation grew at the main church in Falls Church and has expanded into three services, Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. Looking back, no doubt that God’s miraculous hands had been supporting and guiding us. May God continues to use CCCVA as a lighthouse in Northern Virginia as we spread the gospel and cultivate the disciples!
我們相信聖經是神的話語，由聖靈默示寫成，原抄本完全無誤，記載神對世人的啟示，為基督徒生活信仰之最高準繩。
We believe the Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is inerrant in its original copy, with recordings of God’s revelation to men, and is the highest criterion for a Christian’s life of faith.
我們相信唯一永活真神，以三個位格：聖父、聖子、聖靈永遠存在。
We believe in the one and only, living and true God, who in three persons – God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – lives eternally.
我們相信耶穌基督，為永生神的兒子，藉著完全順服的生命，為世人的罪被釘死在十字架上，作了挽回祭，成為我們的唯一的救贖。
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the eternal God, who by a life of perfect obedience, nailed to the cross for the sin of mankind, to become our propitiation and only salvation.
我們相信聖靈內住於所有的信徒，使信徒得著能力與智慧，引導信徒相信並跟隨基督；聖靈是三位一體中的一位，祂賜下各樣恩賜以建立基督的教會。
We believe the Holy Spirit dwells in all believers of Christ, to give them ability and wisdom and lead them to believe and to follow Christ; the Holy Spirit is one of the Trinity, who every gift to establish the Church of Christ.
我們相信世人都是墮落的罪人，失落，毫無盼望且需要神的救恩，惟有相信耶穌基督得以稱義，與神和好。
We believe that all men are fallen sinners, lost, without hope, and need God’s salvation. Only by believing in Jesus Christ that one can be justified.
我們相信凡信靠順服耶穌基督，且為罪悔改的人，是蒙恩得救的信徒，此乃神的恩典，而非人的行為。
We believe that all who trust and obey Jesus Christ and repent of their sins are believers saved by grace. This is a grace of God, not by any human behavior.
我們相信基督在末日必親自有形體的再來，審判活人和死人，凡屬基督的人必在祂永恆的國度裡。
We believe that Christ will come again in a corporeal form, judging the living and the dead, that all who belong to Christ will be in His eternal kingdom.
我們教會是屬於美國長老會宗派，美國長老會的背景和歷史均詳述於 美國長老會網站。我們教會既是美國長老會的一員，我們的憲章和教條均與美國長老會的一致。
Our church is part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The background and history of PCA are described on the official PCA website. As a member of PCA, we comply with PCA’s Church Order and Standards.
北維州華人基督教會自1978至今，這四十年來從十幾人的家庭聚會，成長到今天分別在母會（Falls Church）, 春田分會（Springfield）和主恩基督教會（Herndon） 三個不同地方, 用國語, 粵語, 英語舉行主日崇拜和各種團契聚會，這一切都是主奇妙的恩典。因為「若非耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若非耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。」（詩篇 127:1）主的名是應當稱頌的！
北維州華人基督教會(母會) 在 Falls Church 成立
1978年夏天，主藉著邱東陽牧師開拓北維州華人基督教會，聚會的地點是Alexandria的Shirlington Presbyterian Church (SPC)。當時Rev. Dick Smith給予很多幫助, 讓我們免費使用場地。後來搬到Munson Hill Presbyterian Church, 也就是今日的Falls Church教會的前身。那時聚會的時間是下午一點, 主日學也還未成型, 那是教會一段篳路藍縷的開荒期。感謝主的恩典, 衪不斷地加添人數，並藉著Munson Hill長老教會眾信徒的愛心以及Rev. Robert Eickerburg, Rev. Bitzer和Rev. LaMay相繼的幫助, 讓我們得以不斷發展。
1980年四月, 教會加入了美國長老會 (Presbyterian Church in America, PCA), 成為PCA區會會員, 這使我們在事工和財務上得到了很大的幫助。同年十月正式成立長老會, 吳哲雄弟兄和劉慶鵬弟兄被推選為首屆長老。 1981年四月, 教會正式由佈道所 (Mission Church) 成為獨立教會 (Particular Church),聚會人數平均為四十人左右, 會員三十人。
1988年為了使教會更進一步的發展, 以實踐主託付的大使命: 傳福音、擴展主的國度、教導真理、幫助信徒靈命成長, 弟兄姊妹深覺須有一個屬於自己的聖殿，於是朝建堂的方向努力。感謝主預備的恩典, 1992年我們以三十三萬元買下了設備齊全的Munson Hill Presbyterian Church以代替建造新堂, 自此擁有了一座屬於我們自己的聖殿。同年七月五日, 我們在聖殿裡舉行了十四週年感恩獻堂禮拜。聚會時間由下午一點改為早上，主日學課程和各團契活動也逐漸地一一設立、規範、並發揮功能。特別要感謝McLean長老教會的牧師Rev. Steve Smallman和Harvester長老教會的牧師Rev. Ronald (Ron) Bossom 在這期間給與我們很多具體的關心和幫助, 甚至提供主日學教員來協助我們。願主紀念他們的愛心。
2000年九月主帶領崔誼厚牧師為教會助理牧師，協助邱牧師一起推展教會事工。 2001年邱牧師榮譽退休，由崔牧師接替繼續牧養教會。崔牧師於2006年決定重回神學院接受進一步的裝備, 2007年起就由蔡明恩牧師擔任主任牧師。 2016年九月並增加一位劉勇傳道，與牧師們搭配服事。
在這段時間，教會一直都蒙神的看顧和保守，不斷地健康成長，人數也不斷增加，因而面臨場地和停車場擁擠的問題。教會2017 年起展開了建堂計劃，並於一月份開始為建堂奉獻。
北維州華人基督教會分會在Herndon成立（即現在的主恩基督教會）
1989年鑒於Reston, Herndon和Centreville 一帶的新興發展, 華人家庭漸增卻沒有華人教會, 我們就租用Chantilly高中設立佈道所, 後因學校進行裝修, 就搬到附近Greenbriar小學。這段期間, 分會的聚會時間特和Falls Church母會錯開, 先主日學後主日崇拜, 好讓邱牧師能在Falls Church講道之後趕到Chantilly講道。後來兩邊人數漸多, 事工加增, 迫切需要傳道同工。
在經過禱告後, 神於1992年帶領楊敦興牧師夫婦加入教會的牧養事奉，並於1996年按牧。分會於1992年九月遷到Community Christian Church of Herndon聚會。感謝主的恩典, 教會遷移之後, 除了看到顯著的成長外, 主日學、詩班和查經班等各項事工也更系統化,更能發揮功效。 1996年教會的聚會受到空間和時間上的限制, 深覺必須要有一個屬於自己的聚會場所，於是積極地在附近的辦公或工業中心找尋合適地點。 1996年底, 在神奇妙的帶領下, 我們向Herndon市政府購得了一棟舊法院Town of Herndon (過去曾是教堂) 。
為了能早日使用這座教堂, 弟兄姊妹們在短短幾個月內, 同心合意地擺上禱告、財力、時間和精力來裝修預備, 其情形可譬為尼西米時代以色列民日夜整修城牆一樣。隨後於1997年三月二日以感恩的心在這座教堂裡舉行了第一個主日崇拜。同年七月十二日舉行了獻堂禮拜, 特請中會北美佈道部主席Rev. Terry Baxley主理講道。
Herndon 分會於1999 年一月一日從植堂成為獨立的教會，不再為北維州華人基督教會的分會，定名為主恩華人基督教會（GCCC）。數年後教會增長，場地不敷使用，而於2005 年六月購買新堂，並於2006年七月開始在新堂以主恩基督教會（GCC）之名聚會至今。 2008年八月神帶領楊敦興牧師全家回台灣事奉，2010 年十月王志勇牧師加入主恩基督教會擔任主任牧師。
Falls Church母會英文堂的成立
隨著來美定居華人的增多, 在此出年的華人子弟也跟著增長。教會顧及這些子女的語言背景, 看到了英文事工的需要和重要性, 於1995年成立了英文堂。陳葉添弟兄最初幾年一面在神學院進修，一面幫助牧養英文堂的弟兄姐妹。 2001年教會聘請了第一位全職牧師Rich Coffeen 負責推展英文堂事工，2007年七月後由 Raymond Seto 傳道接任，2017年五月起由Timothy Carroll牧師擔任英文堂的牧養工作。
Falls Church母會廣東堂的成立
1999年邱牧師看到有增加另外一個語言分堂的需要，當時考慮是台語或是粵語，後來Falls Church 母會的幾個家庭就和Herndon 分會的幾個說粵語的家庭一起聚會。 Herndon 分會獨立之後，母會仍有大約十個說粵語的家庭，就正式成立廣東堂。開始時由邱牧師用國語證道，譚國昇長老翻譯成廣東話，後來關永樂長老及譚國昇長老也分擔講道。邱牧師退休後，崔牧師除了在國語堂講道外，也在粵語堂講道，並有翻譯。
譚國昇長老神學院畢業後，於2004年六月起正式以傳道的身份在廣東堂服事，並於2009年按立為牧師，全心全意牧養廣東堂的弟兄姐妹。譚牧師於2015年六月退休，但仍不定期的在廣東堂講道，並繼續關懷探訪弟兄姐妹們。廣東堂自譚牧師退休後即積極的聘牧，但至今神尚未預備。
春田分會的成立
北維州華人基督教會於1999年開始在Springfield植堂，蔡明恩牧師回應主的呼召於2000年底開始負責Springfield分會的開拓工作。從十幾個人開始，藉傳福音和個人佈道，將福音傳給附近Springfield和 Woodbridge社區的華人。最開始主日敬拜是使用一間跆拳道館，2008 年Harvester Presbyterian Church教會加建後，Springfield分會才搬遷到Harvester教會的多功能副堂。當時的主任牧師（現已退休）Rev. Ron Bossom 對植堂很有負擔，給予許多指導，幫助事工的發展。這期間蔡牧師必須兼顧母會和分會兩邊的事工。 2007 年七月諸東傳道從威斯敏斯特神學院畢業後在分會實習，兩年後回國事奉。 2014年譚立洲牧師加入並專門負責分會的事工。
結語：
回顧前塵, 每每看到恩主奇妙的扶持與引導, 衪的信實應許, 衪的豐富恩典, 叫我們不由得獻上誠摯的感恩,由衷地讚美偉大奇妙的造物主上帝。同時我們也聽見主的呼召:「你們要去，使萬民做我的門徒, 奉父子聖靈的名給他們施洗, 把我吩咐你們的, 都教導他們遵行, 我就與你們同在, 直到世界的末了。」 (馬太福音28:19-20) 求主興起更多忠心的僕人來回應主的呼召，也求主繼續恩待教會, 好讓主的心意在我們身上得著滿足，主的旨意在教會中得到彰顯! 阿們!
The Chinese Christian Church of Virginia (CCCVA) has grown in the past forty years from approximately ten people in 1978 to three churches with hundreds of families meeting in Falls Church, Springfield, and Herndon. In the Falls Church “mother” church, there are worship services in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, as well as many fellowships that meet throughout the week. This is truly God’s amazing grace! For we know “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” (Psalm 127:1) The name of the Lord is to be praised!
The establishment of CCCVA-Falls Church
In the summer of 1978, the Lord planted CCCVA in Northern Virginia through Rev. John Chiou. The original worship service was held at Shirlington Presbyterian Church (SPC) in Alexandria, VA. Rev. Dick Smith of SPC was very generous and let us use their facility for free. Several months later, we moved to Munson Hill Presbyterian Church at 6071 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, where CCCVA is presently located. During that time, the worship service was at 1 pm and there was no Sunday school. This initial period was truly a time of great challenge but God continued to add to our number despite the difficulties we were facing. Rev. Robert Eickerburg, Rev. Dick Bitzer, and Rev. Bob LaMay of Munson Hill Presbyterian Church helped us tremendously during this time with their love and generosity.
In April 1980, CCCVA joined the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and formally became a PCA member church. This new affiliation allowed us to receive both ministerial assistance and financial support. In October of the same year, CCCVA installed her first two ruling elders Wu Tze-Hsiung and Liu Ching-Pong. A year later (April 1981) we changed our status from a mission church to a particular church. We had approximately forty people attending the weekly worship service, with thirty of them being church members.
In 1988, with the vision to carry out the Great Commission, preach the gospel, expand God’s kingdom, teach the truth, and help brothers and sisters grow spiritually, Rev. Chiou and church members felt they needed to have their own place of worship and started working toward the goal of building a church. In 1992, however, God presented us with the opportunity to purchase Munson Hill Presbyterian Church for $330,000. This purchase eliminated the need to build a church and CCCVA finally had her own place of worship. On July 5th 1992, fourteen years after our first worship service at SPC, CCCVA held the first service in her own building and moved the service time from 1 pm to morning. It was a special ceremony to give thanks to God and to dedicate this church to him. Gradually, Sunday school and various fellowship groups took shape and each one served its purpose within the church. It was no small task to reach this point and we want to express our sincere gratitude to Rev. Steve Smallman of McLean Presbyterian Church and Rev. Ronald (Ron) Bossom of Harvester Presbyterian Church. Both of them showed real concern, offered concrete help, and even provided Sunday school teachers for us. May the LORD remember their love towards us.
In September 2000, Rev. Iho Tree was called by the Session to serve as the assistant pastor to help Rev. Chiou develop and expand various ministries. About one year later in November 2001, Rev. Chiou retired and was retained by CCCVA as the Pastor Emeritus. Rev. Tree succeeded Rev. Chiou as the associate pastor and served until 2006, when he decided to return to seminary and pursue a Doctor of Ministry. After Rev. Tree left, Rev. Chua became the Senior Pastor in 2007. In September 2016, CCCVA added a part-time interning Minister Liu Yong to work with the pastoral team.
Over the years, God has always watched over CCCVA and caused it to grow in size. As a result, we are experiencing tightness in the church building and the parking lot. A building committee was established in 2017 and fundraising for the building project was set in motion in January 2017.
The establishment of CCCVA-Herndon (currently the Grace Christian Church)
In 1989, Rev. Chiou saw the rapid growth of the Chinese population in Reston, Herndon, and Centreville, and the shortage of Chinese churches in these areas so he rented Chantilly High School and started holding Sunday worship service there. Later, due to renovation work in Chantilly HS, worship service was moved to Greenbriar Elementary School. During this time, Sunday school had to be held first before the worship service at Greenbriar ES in order to provide sufficient time for Rev. Chiou to first preach in Falls Church then drive to Greenbriar ES to preach again. As the size of the congregation grew in both places, the need to have a full-time minister at the Chantilly location became obvious.
With earnest prayer and patient waiting, God finally led Rev. Toon Yeo, a graduate from Reformed Theological Seminary, and his wife to serve in CCCVA-Herndon in 1992. He was later ordained in 1996. In September 1992 worship service at Greenbriar ES had to move again to Community Christian Church of Herndon. By the grace of God even with frequent moves CCCVA-Herndon grew quickly; Sunday school, choir, fellowships, and Bible study groups were formed one by one with clear vision. In 1996, as the constraints for space increased, CCCVA-Herndon felt it was time for them to have their own place and began to search for a permanent location. At the end of 1996, by God’s provision CCCVA-Herndon bought an old courthouse, which belonged to the Town of Herndon, and established CCCVA-Herndon in that location.
In order to get the old courthouse ready for worship as soon as possible, brothers and sisters prayed fervently with a unified heart and poured their time and labor into the renovation of the old building. Their dedication to the project resembled the Israelites who worked tirelessly day and night to get the city walls of Jerusalem rebuilt in Nehemiah’s time. Within a few months the building was in good shape and they held their first service on March 2nd, 1997. On July 12 of the same year, they held a dedication ceremony and invited Rev. Terry Baxley, director of the Evangelistic department of PCA in North America, to be the guest speaker for this special service.
On January 1, 1999, CCCVA-Herndon changed their status from a mission church to a particular church. They were no longer part of CCCVA and changed their name to Grace Chinese Christian Church (GCCC). Within a few years, the church grew so much that they were in serious shortage of space and had to move again. They purchased a new building in June 2005 and started holding worship service at the current location in July 2006 under the name of Grace Christian Church (GCC). Two years later, Rev. Yeo received a calling from God and moved back to Taiwan with his family in August 2008. Rev. Paul Wang joined GCC in October 2010 and has been the Senior Pastor at GCC since then.
The establishment of the English congregation in Falls Church
As the number of immigrant families grew in the US so did the number of their English-speaking children. CCCVA saw the need and the importance to minister to these children and established English worship service in 1995. Brother Calvin Tan was called upon to help with the newly established English congregation while he studied in seminary part-time. It was not until 2001 that CCCVA called her first full-time pastor Rich Coffeen to help develop the English congregation. Minister Raymond Seto succeeded Rich Coffeen and was in charge of the English congregation from July 2007 for the next seven years. Rev. Timothy (Tim) Carroll served as the assistant pastor for the English congregation since May 2017.
The establishment of the Cantonese congregation in Falls Church
In 1999, Rev. Chiou felt a need to minister to people whose native language was neither Mandarin nor English and was considering adding a Taiwanese or a Cantonese congregation. Several Cantonese-speaking families from CCCVA-Falls Church joined with other Cantonese-speaking families from CCCVA-Herndon to worship together in Cantonese. But after a short time, CCCVA-Herndon became independent and families from Herndon stopped meeting together with families in Falls Church. As a result, there were only about ten Cantonese-speaking families in the Falls Church location, but enough to formally establish a Cantonese congregation.
In the beginning, Rev. Chiou would preach in Mandarin and Elder John Tam would interpret for him. Later on, both Elder Quan and Elder Tam shared the pulpit with Rev. Chiou. After Rev. Chiou retired in 2001, his successor Rev. Tree continued to preach in the Cantonese congregation (with interpretation) until 2006, along with Minister Tam (formerly Elder Tam).
Meanwhile, Elder Tam attended seminary to prepare himself to serve in the Cantonese congregation. He became a full-time Minister for the Cantonese congregation in June 2004 and was ordained in 2009. Rev. Tam retired in June 2015 but continues to preach occasionally and continues to care for families in the Cantonese congregation. Search for a new pastor has been in progress since Rev. Tam’s retirement but so far God has not brought anyone to fill the position.
The establishment of CCCVA-Springfield church plant
CCCVA planted a mission church in Springfield in 1999 and Rev. Chua was called to undertake the pioneering work in December 2000. With about ten people to start with, they gradually spread the gospel to the Chinese communities in Springfield and Woodbridge through gospel events and personal evangelism. Their first worship place was a Taekwondo school and later moved to Harvester Presbyterian Church’s multi-purpose room in 2008, after Harvester’s renovation work finished.
Rev. Ron Bossom, Harvester’s Senior Pastor at the time (now retired), had a burden for church planting and was instrumental in assisting us during the initial stage. For a few years, Rev. Chua had to take care of ministries in both locations (Falls Church and Springfield) until Minister Zhu Dong, a graduate from Westminster Theological Seminary, joined CCCVA in July 2007. Minister Zhu served as an intern in the Springfield location for two years then returned to China. Rev. Tan Li-Zhou was called to serve in Springfield since 2014.
Conclusion:
Looking back, we can see God’s wonderful provision and guidance, his faithful promises, and his abundant grace; all of these prompt us to give him thanks and to praise him from the bottom of our hearts for the amazing work he has done. In the meantime, we should heed his call to ”Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. “ (Matthew 28:19-20) May God raise up more faithful servants to answer his call and to join the Great Commission. May God be gracious to CCCVA, to help us fulfill his will, and may his will be done in our church. Amen.