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Northern Virginia Ethical Society (NoVES)

Sunday Platforms

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The platform of an Ethical Society is itself the altar; the address must be the fire that burns thereon.

Felix Adler, Founder of Ethical Culture




What to Expect

Our platform meetings typically feature a thought-provoking talk on a topic of ethical interest, along with responses, music, a story for children of all ages, and more. We meet from mid-September through mid-June (see topic listings below).

Our Sunday School is devoted to teaching children how to make ethical choices, with a thoughtful, age-specific curriculum and a friendly, supportive environment.

All are welcome to attend a Sunday meeting and to bring children along for Sunday School. Casual, comfortable dress is the norm, we want you to feel at home.

We follow the more formal part of our meetings with a coffee and conversation time hosted by our members -- a chance to continue the conversation about the topic, to get to know each other, to learn from each other, and to find others with shared values and concerns.

A few times each year, we have inter-generational festival celebrations instead of talks at the Sunday platform meeting. In these events, we celebrate the natural flow of the seasons, honor the universal human concerns behind holidays, and enjoy a shared meal together.

Each Sunday, we pass the basket, giving members and friends an opportunity to help support the Society and its values. Half of all undesignated donations are given to a charitable or service organization or project; the Ethical Action committee selects and announces each week's recipient organization or project.

Sample Sunday Program

 10:45-11:00Gathering           
 11:00 AMOpening Words and Music   
 Welcome and Greet Your neighbors
 11:10 AMStory Time (kids gather up front)  
 11:15 AMKids go to Sunday School
 Music
 11:20 AMPlatform Speaker Introduction
 11:20 AM-11:50 AMPlatform Address  
 Music  
 Response Period and Sharing of Responsibility (collections)
 Announcements 
 12:00 PMClosing Words  
 12:15Conclusion of Sunday School  
 12:00 PM-1:30 PMSnacks and Social Time

Upcoming Topics

  • Virtual Membership Meeting

    • Sunday, June 08, 2025
    • 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    • virtual- online only

    NoVES Virtual Membership Meeting

    Every member is needed to attend our virtual annual membership meeting.  Agenda items include voting on new board members, approving a budget for the 2025 - 2026 season and discussing the future of NoVES.  Non-members are welcome to join but will not be able to vote.  We need to hear from all our members and hope you will make time to attend this important online meeting! 

    Use this  Zoom Link to participate  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88010148102?pwd=N2E3b25YdkNhaCtROUt6OG0rRUJZZz09 

    Show details

  • NoVES Recognition Sunday and Indoor Picnic

    • Sunday, June 15, 2025
    • 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    • Green Hedges School

    NoVES Recognition Sunday and Indoor Picnic

    On Recognition Sunday we recognize and celebrate the volunteers in the NoVES Community that have contributed to a successful year. Please join us so we can thank our tireless volunteers who make NoVES possible.  

    After the awards ceremony, we will have a community Picnic.  Please bring your own picnic food and something to share.  This will be our final platform of the before the summer, so we hope everyone can join us. 

    This event is in person only this year so we can give our sound team a break. Please make time to come in person to join your community in celebration! 
    Show details

  • SAVING DEMOCRACY: A Conversation with Julia Angwin

    • Sunday, June 29, 2025
    • 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    • virtual

    June 29, 2025 AEU All-Societies Platform

    SAVING DEMOCRACY: 
    A Conversation with Julia Angwin

    Sunday, March 30
    11:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM CT

    Julia AngwinAward-winning investigative journalist, bestselling author, and New York Times contributing Opinion Writer Julia Angwin will dialogue with Ethical Culture Societies around the country about what we are doing to effectively resist and reverse the current slide into authoritarian government, and how to work together to do it better. The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County hosts this All-Societies Platform with 22 Societies across the country.

    About Julia Angwin

    Julia is an award-winning investigative journalist, founder of the nonprofit journalism studio Proof News, a bestselling author, and a New York Times contributing Opinion Writer.

    Sbe is a winner and two time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for her work at The Wall Street Journal and ProPublica. She founded the nonprofit newsroom, The Markup. And she is the author of the New York Times bestseller “Dragnet Nation: A Quest for Privacy, Security and Freedom in a World of Relentless Surveillance” (Times Books, 2014) and “Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America” (Random House, March 2009).

    She earned a B.A. in mathematics from the University of Chicago, and an M.B.A. from the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University. She is currently a Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy and was previously Entrepreneur in Residence at Columbia Journalism School’s Brown Institute for Media Innovation.

    There is no cost to attend, but all participants must register for the event. Registration will be available in June. Check the AEU website for a link at www.aeu.org

    Show details

Directions to Sunday Platform

Green Hedges School

415 Windover Avenue NW

Vienna, VA 22180


Driving Directions

Take the Nutley Street North exit from Route I-66.  At the fourth light, cross Maple Avenue (Route 123) and start watching your odometer.  At 0.2 miles, you will see a driveway with “Watch for Turning Vehicles” and “Green Hedges” signs.  There will also be an Ethical Society sign next to the driveway.  Turn right into the driveway, park in the lot, and take the nearest entrance into the building.

Questions or platform topic recommendations? Contact the Platform Committee


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