Churches Across Regions Mark History, Build Community

Churches are marking their roles in community life and history across the country. In Tallahassee, a portion of Virginia Street was named for longtime Bethel Missionary Baptist Church pastor the Rev. R.B. Holmes and his wife, Dr. Gloria Price Holmes; Holmes said he would continue working to curb youth gun violence. In Seattle, First AME planned a march to a ballot drop box as the culmination of a campaign helping households prepare to vote, connecting civic participation with the Black church’s legacy of pursuing justice. Chattanooga’s First Baptist Church celebrated its 160th anniversary, honoring a congregation founded in 1866 and a sanctuary built by formerly enslaved people; meanwhile, a historic Canton building that once housed a Black Baptist congregation has become the home of a newly planted church.