Commending First Union Baptist Church.

Commending First Union Baptist Church.
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 2026
WHEREAS, for 150 years, First Union Baptist Church of Richmond has faithfully served its congregation by providing uplifting spiritual leadership, meaningful opportunities for worship and fellowship, and many opportunities for community outreach and service; and
WHEREAS, the origins of First Union Baptist Church trace to the decade following the Civil War, when emancipated formerly enslaved people from the counties of Powhatan, Amelia, and Chesterfield began to settle in an area south of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, after traveling considerable distances to attend services at their former home churches, members of this growing South Richmond settlement sought to establish a place of worship that would be closer and more accessible to their families, leading to the founding of First Union Baptist Church in 1875; and
WHEREAS, First Union Baptist Church was organized by former members of Gravel Hill Baptist Church in Richmond, itself an outgrowth of First Baptist Church of South Richmond, reflecting a strong lineage of Baptist faith and fellowship in the region; and
WHEREAS, the earliest worship services of First Union Baptist Church were held in members' homes and under a brush arbor before they were moved to Good Samaritan Hall, which was located on the estate of John Bland; and
WHEREAS, as the First Union Baptist Church congregation continued to grow, land was acquired at the intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Warwick Road, where a log structure was erected to serve as the church's first permanent house of worship; and
WHEREAS, the early ministry of First Union Baptist Church was guided by the Reverend Phillip Winston, who also helped organize the Tuckahoe Baptist Association of Virginia, of which First Union Baptist Church was a charter member; and
WHEREAS, over successive generations, the congregation of First Union Baptist Church continued to flourish, prompting an expansion of its original facilities and, ultimately, the relocation to a larger sanctuary on Derwent Road; and
WHEREAS, First Union Baptist Church commemorated its 150th anniversary and celebrated the installation of its new pastor, the Reverend Dr. Roberta Young-Jackson, on November 2, 2025; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That First Union Baptist Church hereby be commended for its history and legacy of service on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Reverend Dr. Roberta Young-Jackson, pastor of First Union Baptist Church, as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the church's contributions to the Commonwealth.