Background
The Congress was organized in 1900. It was originally two organizations, The Virginia State Baptist Sunday School Convention and The Virginia State Baptist Training Union Convention. The two conventions elected separate officers and held separate and joint sessions annually at the same time and place. The Sunday School and Training Union Conventions were merged into a Congress in 1963 by reorganization and was renamed The Baptist Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress of Virginia. The Congress membership consists of churches, church organizations, and individual Christian persons from the state of Virginia, adjacent counties of North Carolina, and Washington, DC. The Congress is an organizational element of The Virginia Baptist State Convention, Inc.; however, the Congress is operated independently, with its own president, vice presidents, director general, treasurer, general secretary, assistant secretary, all elected annually by the Congress membership. It has its own dean of education, assistant dean, dean of women, dean of men, director of field work, director of music, director of youth, director of the children's program, and newsletter editor, all of whom are appointed by the president and confirmed by an executive board whose members are elected annually by the Congress membership. The Congress is not political. It is highly regarded as a leading organization for Christian education in the state of Virginia.
Other than to the Most High God, the president of the Congress is responsible to and reports to the Executive Board, which, after the Holy Spirit, is the controlling and final authority for the Congress operation and management. The Congress has an appropriate and outstanding faculty consisting of many persons who provide its teaching ministry. It conducts Christian Education institutes, seminars and classes for youth and adults throughout the year in the state of Virginia, adjacent counties of North Carolina, and in Washington, DC. The major portion of the educational program for adults and youth is The Albert D. Dinkins Christian Education Institute conducted annually in the state of Virginia. The Congress publishes a brochure and a newsletter, and generally conducts its business under its own "Christian Trademark", officially registered by the Federal government.
The sources of income for the Congress are: donations from churches, church organizations, and individual persons, fees charged to each person who attends classes at its annual session, and the E. C. Smith Trust Fund. The trust fund was established by the late Rev. E. C. Smith when he was Pastor Emeritus of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, DC. The Sunday School of the Metropolitan Baptist Church has been a member of the Congress for more than 50 years.
The Bible is the main textbook for the Congress and its operation and management; worship services are in accordance with the teachings of Christ and are guided by the Holy Spirit. The Congress provides financial support for the Children's Home of Virginia Baptist, Inc., foreign missions, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. In addition, the Congress provides limited scholarships for qualified persons attending institutions of higher education and studying in some area of Christianity. Scholarships are currently available through the Madge J. Burrell Scholarship Fund.
PCP/10/88
Revised 1991, 1996, 2007, 2012
Purpose
Membership
Any organization established and maintained by or in Baptist Churches in the state of Virginia, adjacent counties of North Carolina, or the District of Columbia is eligible for membership in the Congress. In order for an individual to be considered to hold office in the Congress, one must be a member of a church registered with the Virginia Baptist State Convention.
The membership fee is $30.00 per delegate to each annual session of the Congress, or $30.00 annually for letter representation (churches may send as many delegates as they wish, but voting is limited to ten (10) delegates). Since Christian education and the training of persons for church membership are objectives of the Congress, any Christian person may become a life member by paying a one-time fee of $10.00, or an annual member by paying a fee of $5.00 yearly.
The purpose of this Congress is to provide training in Christian education for individuals and groups in all areas of Christian endeavor; to assist the local churches in planning and organizing educational programs within their communities; and to provide financial support for: home and foreign missions, higher education, and care of orphans.
