WHEREAS, First Baptist Church of Vienna, a predominantly African American church established by former slaves, is marking the 150th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, First Baptist Church of Vienna (FBCV) is the first and oldest church in Vienna, founded in 1867 by African Americans working on a farm owned by Major O. E. Hine, who served in the Union Army in the Civil War; and

WHEREAS, on September 1, 1867, Major Hine presented a deed for a small plot of land to George McBrown, Daniel West, and Edmund Harris, the first FBCV trustees; and

WHEREAS, the original FBCV building was erected at 315 Lawyers Road in 1867, and it served as a school, as well as a place for religious and civic gatherings; the Reverend Cyrus Carter was the first pastor of the church; and

WHEREAS, in December 1957, FBCV moved to its current location at 450 Orchard Street NW, and the edifice was expanded in 1996; and

WHEREAS, today, FBCV has a growing membership of more than 1,000, with active ministries that provide service, support, fellowship, and outreach that extend far beyond the congregation to the international community; and

WHEREAS, FBCV is a diverse congregation rooted in the African American worship tradition; the congregation's mission is to celebrate Christ, expand the Kingdom, and influence society through preaching, teaching, and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, FBCV is a Missionary Baptist church and is a model for how a church can positively influence local and international communities; and

WHEREAS, working with other area churches, FBCV raised over $28,000 for tsunami relief in Asia and Africa, contributed over $53,000 to the Community Coalition for Haiti for Haiti earthquake relief, and contributed $5,000 to build a college in Zimbabwe, Africa; and

WHEREAS, FBCV empowers believers, evangelizes the lost, and disciples the saved; when the praises go up at FBCV, the blessings have continued to come down over its many decades; and

WHEREAS, during its illustrious history, FBCV has been served by nine pastors, and the congregation has been led faithfully by the Reverend Vernon C. Walton since 2014; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend First Baptist Church of Vienna on celebrating 150 years of service, worship, and fellowship in the community; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Reverend Vernon C. Walton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Vienna, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the church's honorable history as the first and oldest church in Vienna.