SPECIAL SESSION I INTRODUCEDENROLLED 22208119D I SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

626 E N Offered May 29, 2022 Commending Mount Zion Baptist Church of P––––––––––Powhatan. T Patron––Hashmi R –––––––––– WHEREAS, for 150 years, Mount Zion Baptist Church of Powhatan has provided spiritual guidance, generous community outreach, and opportunities for joyful worship to the members of the communiDy;

andAgreed to by the Senate, June 1, 2022 R O WHEREAS, for 150 years, Mount Zion Baptist Church tracesof itsPowhatan rootshas toprovided thespiritual periodguidance, afterL anderous community outreach, and opportunities for joyful worship to the Emancipationmembers Uof worship;the community;

and,WHEREAS, Mount Zion Baptist Church traces its roots to the period after the Emancipation L Proclamation, when a group of formerly enslaved Christians desired to create a place of their oCnown to WHEREAS,E worWHEREAS, at the time, residents of the Smith's Crossroads community had to travel great distEncesdistances D to find a house of worship and instead held prayer meetings in small groups to make religious services readily available for all;

and D WHEREAS, to better serve this community, Mount Zion Baptist Church was established in 1872, withHewitt, IsaacT. Braxton, Sam Braxton, Henry Brown, Fannie Brown, Stephen Brown, Frank Falcon, A.

D.

Hewitt, T.

Hewitt, Edith Howell, Sarah Jackson, Hennible Lee, Nancy Lee, Ann Mosby, and Rebecca PitWHEREAS,Pittman landas forfounding themembers; new church was given by Pembrook Mosby, and the Reverend Alfred Morris was the first elected pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church;

and WHEREAS, byland 1939,for the Mountnew Zionchurch Baptistwas Churchgiven congregationby hadPembrook outgrownMosby, and the originalReverend one-roomAlfred churchS builtMorris inwas 1872,the andfirst atelected apastor churchof meeting,Mount aZion motionBaptist wasChurch; made by J.

and 6 one-room church built in 1872, and at a church meeting, a motion was made by J.

Bell to consSructconstruct aaE new sanctuary;

and 6R WHEREAS, the members of the Mount Zion Baptist Church congregation worked diligently to rais6raise enough money to build a new church, and after 11 years, the new structure was dedicated on the second SunWHEREAS, Mount Zion has benefited from the leadership and guidance of fifteen duly elected pastors throughout its 150-year history;

and WHEREAS, through the visionary leadership and support of the pastor, deacons, trustees, and members, Mount Zion Baptist Church was able to build an addition to the 1950 structure, which was completedcomWHEREAS, the congregation of Mount Zion Baptist Church has continued to grow in 1999;faith and number, while preserving its proud heritage, and the church remains a steadfast beacon of hope for those in the community in need;

and WHEREAS,through local food banks, the congregationChristmas ofMother Mountprogram, ZionAutism BaptistSpeaks, Churchthe hasAmerican continuedCancer toSociety, growHabitat infor faithHumanity, andthe number,American whileRed preservingCross, itsthe proudPowhatan heritage,Free andClinic, the churchPowhatan remainsRescue Squad, and, as a steadfastparticipating beaconmember, ofthe hopePowhatan forCoalition thoseof :Churches;

35and in WHEREAS, in the coursemembers of its history, Mount Zion Baptist Church haswill supportedcommemorate the communitychurch's 36150th throughannRESOLVED localby food banks, the ChristmasSenate Motherof program,Virginia, AutismThat Speaks,Mount theZion AmericanBaptist CancerChurch Society,of / 37 Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the Powhatan Freehereby Clinic,be thecommended Powhatanon Rescue Squad, / 38 and, as a participating member, the Powhatanoccasion Coalition of Churches;its 150th anniversary;

andand, 39be WHEREAS,it theRESOLVED membersFURTHER, ofThat Mountthe ZionClerk Baptistof Churchthe willSenate commemorateprepare thea church'scopy 150thof anniversarythis withresolution specialfor eventspresentation onto Octoberthe 15Reverend andBryan 16,J. 2022;

now,Stevens, therefore,pastor be it RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Mount Zion Baptist Church of PowhatanPowhatan, herebyas bean comRESOLVEDcontributions FURTHER,to That the Clerkcommunity.ginia's ofadmiration the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentationthe tocongregation's thelong Reverendhistory Bryanand J.legacy of

Stevens, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church of Powhatan, as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the congregation's long history and legacy of contributions to the community.