Introduction
Oct. 27th, 2025 Update: At our quarterly business meeting we voted as a community to move forward through a process of incorporation together. More to come soon!
Previously: Our Admin Council brought the following motion to our quarterly business meeting on July 27, 2025: "The Administration Council moves that Williamsburg Baptist Church take the necessary steps to consider the advisability of incorporating as a nonprofit religious organization under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.” This motion was approved by congregational vote.
The question as we proceed is this: whether or not Williamsburg Baptist Church should become an incorporated church here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is an important conversation in the life of our community, so please take time to learn what this means and what the next steps will look as we consider this question.
So what does it mean for a church to incorporate? In short, incorporation would make our church a legally recognized nonprofit organization under Virginia law. Right now, because we’re not incorporated, our church property is actually held in the name of individual trustees whom we elect to serve in that capacity. Incorporation would allow the church itself—as a newly-formed legal entity—to own its own property.
In addition to property ownership, incorporation also provides an additional layer of legal protection for our leaders and members. If something unexpected ever happened, such as a lawsuit or legal claim, incorporation limits personal liability for anyone serving the church in leadership. It offers more peace of mind to protect us as individuals.
There are some very practical benefits to incorporation as well. Right now, when we want to change who is serving as our trustees, or if we wanted to buy or sell property, we’d have to go to court to petition for approval. Incorporation would eliminate that step, streamlining those kinds of decisions.
What we’ve learned is that incorporation is increasingly common among churches. In Virginia, however, churches have only been allowed to incorporate since 2002—we were actually one of the last states in the U.S. to allow this—and so many historic churches like ours have never even considered the possibility of taking this sort of step.
If at some point Williamsburg Baptist Church chooses to move forward with becoming an incorporated organization, most of us would probably not notice any changes in our day-to-day experience of church life. Our worship, our theology, and our mission would not change. One major change would be that we would establish a Board of Directors to represent the church in legal and financial matters. But the mission and vision and heart of the church would not change.
We hope you'll take time to read the FAQs sheet from our Finance Committee and read the "Additional Info" below from the Reynolds Law Group. After that, we hope you'll make plans to attend one of our Community Conversations on Sunday, Sept. 14th at 12:15pm in the Sanctuary after worship, or via Zoom on Tuesday, Sept. 16th at 7pm. (Link to Zoom meeting here.)
Previously: Our Admin Council brought the following motion to our quarterly business meeting on July 27, 2025: "The Administration Council moves that Williamsburg Baptist Church take the necessary steps to consider the advisability of incorporating as a nonprofit religious organization under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.” This motion was approved by congregational vote.
The question as we proceed is this: whether or not Williamsburg Baptist Church should become an incorporated church here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is an important conversation in the life of our community, so please take time to learn what this means and what the next steps will look as we consider this question.
So what does it mean for a church to incorporate? In short, incorporation would make our church a legally recognized nonprofit organization under Virginia law. Right now, because we’re not incorporated, our church property is actually held in the name of individual trustees whom we elect to serve in that capacity. Incorporation would allow the church itself—as a newly-formed legal entity—to own its own property.
In addition to property ownership, incorporation also provides an additional layer of legal protection for our leaders and members. If something unexpected ever happened, such as a lawsuit or legal claim, incorporation limits personal liability for anyone serving the church in leadership. It offers more peace of mind to protect us as individuals.
There are some very practical benefits to incorporation as well. Right now, when we want to change who is serving as our trustees, or if we wanted to buy or sell property, we’d have to go to court to petition for approval. Incorporation would eliminate that step, streamlining those kinds of decisions.
What we’ve learned is that incorporation is increasingly common among churches. In Virginia, however, churches have only been allowed to incorporate since 2002—we were actually one of the last states in the U.S. to allow this—and so many historic churches like ours have never even considered the possibility of taking this sort of step.
If at some point Williamsburg Baptist Church chooses to move forward with becoming an incorporated organization, most of us would probably not notice any changes in our day-to-day experience of church life. Our worship, our theology, and our mission would not change. One major change would be that we would establish a Board of Directors to represent the church in legal and financial matters. But the mission and vision and heart of the church would not change.
We hope you'll take time to read the FAQs sheet from our Finance Committee and read the "Additional Info" below from the Reynolds Law Group. After that, we hope you'll make plans to attend one of our Community Conversations on Sunday, Sept. 14th at 12:15pm in the Sanctuary after worship, or via Zoom on Tuesday, Sept. 16th at 7pm. (Link to Zoom meeting here.)
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