we’re glad you’re here!

edges is a place where anyone can explore what matters most.

we’re simply a community that seeks to know and follow Jesus more. together we engage in thoughtful, creative forms of worship, service, and study. when you visit us, expect to find…

authentic
community.

there is no pressure to be anyone other than who you are. we strive to live out our messy, honest, vulnerable lives of faith alongside each other — just as Jesus taught us to do.

radical
inclusivity.

you are welcome here, regardless of your identity, age, ability, or history. our common life is structured in ways that empower all of us. we love this chance to meet God in all people.

unending
curiosity.

we actively wonder about our faith together, and don’t shy away from controversial topics or big questions. curiosity is encouraged and conversation is central.

the work of
the people.

we operate by consensus and de-emphasize hierarchies. the Holy Spirit works through all of us, which means that we all have an important part to play in our faith community.

we worship at 10:30am on sunday mornings.

ready for in-person worship? join us this sunday! our worship conversation usually lasts between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes. we have plenty of parking, offer childcare, and will have coffee ready for you when you arrive.

prefer to worship online? we invite you to join us on our livestream. we stream live to our youtube channel every sunday, and we work hard to incorporate those worshipping at home into our worship conversations by including you in the conversation through a live chat, relaying your public responses to questions in the space, and including you in important sacraments. it’s also a great way to get a feel for the service before you visit for the first time.

we call blacksburg home.

our address is 706 harding avenue, blacksburg, va 24060.

edges is a campus of blacksburg united methodist church. our church street campus is located just down the road from our building.

start here.

if you want to learn more about finding your place at edges through community, service, and/or membership - the best first step is to download the edges app.

you will find all of our recent sermons, can chat with any member of the community (including pastor mandy), will see upcoming events and updates, and much more. we also encourage you to fill out our new visitor form! this will help us get to know you.

the dna of edges changes with every new person who walks through the door — and we can’t wait to see how we’ll change because you’re here.

what can i expect when i visit?

when you arrive at edges, someone will be at the door ready to greet you. turn left and you’ll find…

gathering grounds

at gathering grounds, you can grab coffee or tea and catch up with other community members before worship.

the worship
space

this is where we gather to sing, pray, hear the sermon, engage in conversation, and more depending on the sunday. feel free to walk right in and take a seat at any of the tables. we encourage you to sit with folks you don’t know and say hello!

edges
kids

if you head down the steps to your right, you can drop your kiddos off at edges kids, our childcare for kids up to fifth grade. our edges worship conversations are for adults, and topics may not always be suitable for children. you can pick them up after worship at around 11:45am.

what is a worship conversation?

we choose to say “worship conversation” instead of “worship service” because it better describes what we do on sunday mornings — we sit at tables and talk to each other!

usually, multiple questions will be asked by the preacher — some invite in-the-moment responses, and others are opportunities to gather at tables and discuss the question. this collaborative, invitational model of worship enables us to hear and learn from one another — because God speaks through all of us in different ways.

in our worship space, you’ll find…

  • the prayer wall

    you are invited at any time during our worship conversation to write your prayers on the scrolls on your table and place them into our prayer wall. each week several teams of people meet to pray your prayers with you. we believe in the power of prayer, the beauty of community, and the importance of being each other’s people.

  • the prayer rail

    sometimes when praying, we feel a pull to change our posture and move our bodies. our prayer rail invites you to come and kneel or sit and to light a candle. the lit candles are a beautiful representation of our prayers being released into the community and to God. when others in the room see the lit candles, they are invited to lift you up in prayer because we all need to know that we don’t have to carry our burdens alone.

  • the communion table

    the communion table is open to all people.  at edges, sharing at the table in the round together is a sign of the love we have for each other.  when we eat the bread and drink the cup together, we remember we are redeemed by Jesus’ death and given new life through his body and blood.  in this holy space each week, we seek to live the love we’ve come to know through Jesus.

here are a few more things you might be wondering.

  • who is the pastor?

    our pastor is mandy newman. she leads our worship conversation — sharing her deep knowledge of scripture, contextual and progressive lens on theology, and compelling storytelling. she’s also a great listener and would love to meet you for coffee!

    you will often also hear one of our theo team members preaching. sermons at edges are collaborative — a team gathers every week to write, edit, and evaluate every sermon you hear. we approach the work of theology with the intention and humility it requires of us.

    meet mandy →

  • what should i wear?

    we have a very informal worship environment, and this is reflected in our clothing. there is no official or unofficial dress code, and you can arrive just as you like — from casual to formal. we look forward to meeting you either way!

  • what's the music like?

    our lead worshippers lead us in contemporary worship songs during worship. songs are carefully considered next to scripture and sermon and offer opportunities to connect more deeply to the message and to God.

    our lead worshippers have recorded and posted several songs on our youtube channel. we encourage you to check them out!

    edges worship youtube playlist →

  • what's up with the lowercase letters?

    we only use capital letters for names of God: like Jesus, Christ, and Spirit. originally this started as a practice of humility and divine respect… but it’s also grown to represent simplicity, authenticity, and honesty.

    read more about what we believe →

  • can i take communion?

    yes! the communion table is open to all people.  at edges, sharing at the table in the round together is a sign of the love we have for each other.  when we eat the bread and drink the cup together, we remember we are redeemed by Jesus’ death and given new life through his body and blood.  in this holy space each week, we seek to live the love we’ve come to know through Jesus.

  • can i get baptized?

    yes! in baptism, we all belong to God’s family through water and God’s Spirit. as a sign of new birth, we baptize all ages with any amount of water. one of the things Jesus prayed is that we would all be one. baptism is a sign of that and outwardly marks us as part of the community of faith.

    contact us →