Our churches are being priced out of Virginia. Lawmakers could help them survive.

By: Guest Column

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: February 17, 2026

Words: 837

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

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By Rev. Dr. Keith Savage, Senior Servant, First Baptist Church of Manassas and Rev. Dr. Michael Sessoms, Pastor, Little Union Baptist Church (Dumfries)

For centuries, the African American church has been the backbone of our Virginia communities. Our congregations — First Baptist Church of Manassas, founded in 1872, and Little Union Baptist Church, established in 1903 — have been places of worship, organizing, refuge and leadership through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and generations of upheaval.

Today, …

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