About Us

Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association, Inc.

Here you will find information regarding the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association, Inc., such as the overview of the association and our purpose. Please feel free to take a moment to learn more about us. 

Session Dates

Annual Session:

• Monday thru Friday after the second Sunday in July of each year.

Quarterly Sessions:

• October (3rd Saturday)
• January (3rd Saturday)
• July (3rd Saturday)

One Day Session

• April (3rd Saturday)

An Overview of the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association, Inc.

Annual Session:

The Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association was a part of the Northern Virginia Baptist Association for a number of years. Northern Virginia was organized in the early part of 1877 and the first session was held in Culpeper with the Rev. George Horner preaching the first sermon. It covered a wide area stretching from Alexandria to Fairfax, to Culpeper, and to a part of West Virginia. Due to this vast area during the horse and buggy days and the irregular train service, traveling was a grave problem. For that reason, on July 17, 1889, a council of twenty-one churches met at the Antioch Baptist Church, Culpeper, Va. at which time a resolution was drawn up to organize another association in the area.

 The resolution was accepted and approved, thus, the first session of the New Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association was held in August of that year. The Moderator selected was Rev. R. H. Carey and the Secretary was Rev. L.L. Marshall. 

The name of this body was adopted from the old Wayland Seminary, of which many of its founders were products, and the chain of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which dotted the area here and there. 

Today, the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association consists of over 40 churches in the counties of Culpeper, Greene, Fauquier, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock and Spotsylvania.

 ** This information was excerpted from the 100th Annual Session Historical Pictorial Minutes, August 1989. 

Purpose

(Excerpt from WBRBA, Inc. Constitution) The purpose of this Association shall be for fraternal communication and mutual counsel, to promote the union of churches, to encourage Christian and General education, and to advance the cause of Christ by all means consistent with the teachings of the word of God. While it is an Association, all dictatorial power over the churches is disclaimed. 

As an association, it may give advice when requested by churches upon questions that they deliberately considered without being able to arrive at satisfactory conclusions. This Association may inquire into, and by publishing minutes, furnish information as to the general state of churches. It may open a correspondence with other associations, publish ministerial information, appoint annual recess, and shall have power to recommend such measures for the consideration of churches as it may think best calculated to promote and further the cause of Christianity. 

The Association may aid any of the objects of Christian benevolence by giving from funds sent to the Association by them for a specific object or benevolence, and may act as a Missionary Society in sustaining a Mission within its own bounds.

The Association shall meet annually on Monday after the second Sunday in August at 10:00 a.m. The Association shall be composed of delegates from the churches forming the Association, and all business conducted by delegates along with its Pastor. Each church shall send with their delegates a letter giving the condition of the church and such statistical information as will be of interest to the denomination.
 

The Center's Features

• Main Auditorium with a seating capacity of 330
• Lower Auditorium with seating capacity of 280 persons at round tables (8 persons per table)
• Commercial kitchen featuring stove, dishwasher and preparation island
• Multi-purpose activities to include worship services, seminars, workshops, conferences, weddings, etc.
• Ample parking