On the evening of Tuesday, June 3, the Virginia Baptist Historical Society (VBHS) gathered for its annual meeting at River Road Church, Baptist, in Richmond, VA. With roots dating back to 1876, VBHS is one of the oldest Baptist archives in the world, preserving the stories, documents, and legacy of Baptist life in Virginia.

The evening began with dinner and opened with a prayer from BGAV President Shelton Miles. Following dinner, Executive Director Nathan Taylor introduced Catherine Storke, a second-year Heritage Fellow and recent graduate of William & Mary. Storke shared her creative project: a four-part animated series based on Walter Shurden’s The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms. Her goal is to make Baptist distinctives more accessible to a broader audience. The group enjoyed the premiere of the series’ first episode.

After dinner, the meeting moved to the sanctuary where VBHS President Joe Lewis welcomed attendees. Taylor delivered a brief annual report, including the announcement of a planning committee for the organization’s 150th anniversary in 2026. He also recognized Valerie Carter Smith for her dedicated service on the Executive Committee, thanking her in absentia as she concluded two terms.

A touching moment came as Taylor honored Darlene Herod for 40 years of faithful service as VBHS research assistant. “Thank you,” he said, “for embodying the ethic of servant leadership… and for facilitating both lay and scholarly inquiry, the pursuit of truthful information, and the lives of faith communities in our beloved Commonwealth and beyond.”

During the business session, Ellen Gwathmey of Bruington Baptist Church in Bruington presented nominations for Executive Committee members. Returning for a second term are:

·       Beth Fogg, Richmond’s First Baptist Church (Richmond)

·       Vivian Clingenpeel, River Road Church, Baptist (Richmond)

·       Alan Miller, Orange Baptist Church (Orange)

·       John Miller, Zoar Baptist Church (Locust Grove)

Sara Hubble of Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk was elected for her first term.

The Society’s officers, all re-elected to continue another term, are:

·       President: Joe Lewis, Second Baptist Church, Petersburg

·       First Vice-President: Dennis Sacrey, Fredericksburg Baptist Church, Fredericksburg

·       Second Vice-President: Vivian Clingenpeel, River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond

·       Third Vice-President: Herbert “Bert” Browning, River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond

Taylor also shared updates from the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies. In addition to Catherine Storke’s work, first-year Fellow Sam Turner, a student at Emory & Henry College, is currently researching religious liberty and Christian nationalism.

The evening concluded with a keynote address from William Loyd Allen, professor emeritus of church history and spiritual formation. His message, titled “Seeing Virginia Baptist Spirituality Again…for the First Time,” explored the role of spirituality in Baptist life—past, present, and future.

“Trends suggest that the future of Christianity and its churches lies in spirituality,” Allen observed, pointing to the growing number of people who identify as “spiritual but not religious.” He emphasized that the Baptist principle of soul freedom allows for the kind of authentic, personal faith experience that many seek today. “Baptist spirituality undergirds everything that is truly Baptist,” he said.

Allen ended with a stirring challenge: “Are you ready to see Baptist spirituality again for the first time—in post-modernism’s new ways? To see them for the sake of ourselves and our churches and the world? You’d better get ready, because reality ain’t what it used to be.”

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