Bill Text: VA HR75 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending the Middle River Church of the Brethren.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-12 - Bill text as passed House (HR75ER) [HR75 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HR75-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, for 200 years, the Middle River Church of the Brethren in Fort Defiance has provided members of the Augusta County community with uplifting occasions for worship, joyful moments of fellowship, and meaningful opportunities for outreach; and
WHEREAS, the origins of Middle River Church may be traced to the first Brethren to migrate south from Pennsylvania and Maryland into the Commonwealth, who were among the first settlers in the Shenandoah Valley; and
WHEREAS, the first Brethren settlement in Northern Virginia was established by John Garber in 1775; his son, Abraham Garber, then later founded Middle River Church, the first Brethren church in Augusta County, in 1824 after years of leading services in the area; and
WHEREAS, Middle River Church was ably led by a series of ministers in its early years, including Abraham Garber, his son John Garber, Peter Miller, Daniel Brower, Jacob Brower, Martin Garber, and John Miller; and
WHEREAS, Middle River Church was a prominent congregation within the Church of the Brethren by the mid-19th century, hosting the church's annual meeting in 1851; and
WHEREAS, after swelling to more than 500 members across a broad area, the Middle River Church expanded into additional places of worship, the Pleasant Valley church house in 1854 and the Barren Ridge meeting house in 1856; and
WHEREAS, members of the Middle River Church cared for wounded soldiers for a month following the Battle of Piedmont of the Civil War, which took place on June 5, 1864, in proximity of the church; and
WHEREAS, the Middle River Church is currently in its third church building after the first was replaced in 1884 and the second in 1964, providing a warm and accommodating place for the congregation to gather; and
WHEREAS, the Middle River Church has promoted the spiritual growth and development of its members and provided them with moral guidance and a sense of belonging for the past two centuries, contributing greatly to the well-being of the Augusta County community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Middle River Church of the Brethren in Fort Defiance hereby be commended on the occasion of its 200th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Middle River Church of the Brethren as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the church's legacy of service in Augusta County and the Commonwealth.
