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HR 107

Commending Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lee Ware

The bill formally commends Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church for 162 years of religious and community service, emphasizing its historic contributions to faith, education, and local life.

Bill text as passed House (HR107ER)
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Bill Summary · HR 107

Summary: House Resolution 107 (HR 107), Virginia, 2026 Session

Purpose

  • The resolution commends Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church of Blackstone, Nottoway County, for 162 years of faithful ministry and community service.
  • It acknowledges the church as a longstanding local institution contributing to faith, hope, and love within the community and highlights its historical role in the life of African American residents since 1864.

Key Provisions

  • Formal commendation: The Virginia House of Delegates “commends” Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church for its long-standing religious and community work.
  • Presentation: The Clerk of the House is directed to prepare and present a copy of the resolution to the Reverend Dr. Irene B. Allen (pastor) on behalf of the congregation.

Historical and Descriptive Context Included

  • The resolution provides a narrative of the church’s origins, noting:
    • Emergence in 1864 among recently freed African Americans.
    • Early worship sites, including a “brush harbor” near the Big Nottoway River.
    • The sequence of pastors and the church’s development, including the current pastor (at the time) Dr. Irene B. Allen.
    • Growth and improvements to church facilities (sanctuary, Educational Building, Fellowship Area, organ/piano, heating, carpets, pews, stained glass, and cemetery expansion) and associated ministries (Sunday School, Bible Study, Deaconess, Missionary, Choir, Vacation Bible School, etc.).
    • Historical education activities, such as Mt. Gazerine School (1898–1949) offering instruction in multiple subjects.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Primary: Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church, its congregation, and its leadership.
  • Secondary: The broader Blackstone/Nottoway County community that has benefited from the church’s ministries and historical contributions.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduction and passage:
    • Engrossed and passed by the House on February 16, 2026 (HR107ER).
    • Agreed to by voice vote in the House on February 16, 2026.
  • Presentation:
    • The Clerk is instructed to prepare and deliver a copy of the resolution to the Reverend Dr. Irene B. Allen.
  • Sponsor:
    • Primary sponsor: (not listed in full in the provided text); Co-sponsor: Lee Ware.

Impact and Significance

  • Ceremonial recognition intended to honor a longstanding religious and community institution.
  • May enhance public awareness of Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church’s historical and ongoing contributions to local faith life and community services.
  • Primarily symbolic and commemorative; no new legal powers, funding, or regulatory changes are attached to the resolution.

Note: The resolution includes historical narrative elements that emphasize continuity of ministry, community service, and the church’s role in education and social life over more than a century and a half.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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