Entry No. 41 — the Washington, D.C. file — filed under: spiritualist church
Church of Two Worlds
A Spiritualist congregation chartered by the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, meeting only the second and fourth Sunday of each month for "Service and Messages" — mediums relaying communications from the deceased to the room — inside an unmarked Georgetown rowhouse-block address, followed by fellowship.
The story
In a neighborhood defined by manicured brick rowhouses, embassy galas, and designer retail, 3038 Q Street NW houses something far quieter and much stranger: an active switchboard to the dead. Founded in 1936 by Rev. H. Gordon Burroughs and chartered under the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, the Church of Two Worlds operates on a distinct premise—that the physical realm and the spirit world are merely adjacent rooms, and the barrier between them is paper-thin.
Forget dark velvet drapes, crystal balls, or theatrical Victorian table-rapping. Inside, the sanctuary features stained-glass windows and traditional pews, looking every bit like a modest neighborhood chapel. But instead of conventional sermons, the pulpit is taken by trained mediums who attempt to relay specific, unvarnished communications from spirits directly to individuals sitting in the congregation.
What it's like
Show up on the second or fourth Sunday of the month just before 11:00 a.m., tucked away two blocks off the main drag of Wisconsin Avenue. The vibe inside is earnest, quiet, and completely devoid of carnival hokum. You'll sit through meditation and spiritualist teachings before the medium takes the room to deliver direct 'messages' to specific seats. Whether you leave a believer or a skeptic, you didn't hear it from us: stick around for the informal fellowship hour afterward to gauge the room and process what just went down.
The move: Attend an 11am Sunday message service together, then argue over brunch about whether either of you got a real "message."
- 📍 Georgetown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3038 Q St NW, Washington, DC 20007
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Mansion on O Street — Pair a morning of spirit messaging with a trip to Dupont Circle to wander through a 100-room labyrinth filled with hidden doors and eccentric collections.
- Left Door — Debrief your service over craft cocktails tucked behind an unmarked door above a working dry cleaner.
- Dark Star Park — Trade spiritual metaphysics for physical astronomy by crossing into Rosslyn to see Nancy Holt’s concrete spheres built to align with annual shadows.
Good to know
When are services held?
Services take place exclusively on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, starting at 11:00 a.m.
What happens during 'Service and Messages'?
The service combines quiet meditation, spiritualist principles, and music with a session where accredited mediums relay direct messages from spirits to members of the audience.
Do I need to be a member or believer to attend?
No. The congregation opens its doors to visitors, curious onlookers, and skeptics alike, with social fellowship following the service.
Where is it located in Georgetown?
It sits in a residential block at 3038 Q St NW, roughly two blocks east of Wisconsin Avenue.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · georgetowner.com · washingtonpost.com · dcbikeblogger.wordpress.com · Atlas Obscura
last checked: 2026-07-19