Religious Conventions

The guarantee of religious freedom to all Americans was established in the Richmond Region in 1786 through the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, authored by Thomas Jefferson. Today, this liberty is recognized through educational initiatives and programming sponsored by the Council for America's First Freedom, headquartered in the Region. Thanks to Jefferson's law, the Richmond Region has a diverse religious history with nearly 1,000 different houses of worship where your delegates can pray, commune or worship with others of the same faith.

The Region's religious history can be traced through the area's historic houses of worship and church sites, including Polegreen Church site in Hanover County. In the mid-18th century, Polegreen Church became one of the first non-Anglican Churches in the Region and was led by the first non-Anglican minister licensed to preach in Virginia. The church remained at the center of the struggle for religious and civil liberty, was destroyed by Confederate artillery fire in 1864 and never rebuilt. Today archeological work continues to uncover the church's artifacts and history.

The Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives, which tells the story of Richmond's Jewish community from the 18th to 21st centuries, provide additional insights into the Region's religious history. Located adjacent to the museum are Congregation Beth Ahabah, the nation's sixth oldest Jewish congregation, and St. James's Episcopal Church, the third Episcopal church in Richmond. Your delegates also are invited to tour the Region's many cemeteries, including Hebrew, Hollywood and St. John's Church.

Our Clients

Denominations of many faiths have gathered in the Region to conduct their business including:

• American Baptist Churches, USA
• Presbyterian Church USA
• United Pentecostal Church International
• National Baptist Congress of Christian Education
• Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission
• United Methodist Publishing House

What We Can Do for You

Let us help facilitate your next event. In addition to the services offered to all meeting planners, the following services also are available to assist in coordinating your next religious gathering.

• Local visitor information
• Customized maps and driving directions to convention site and other off-site venues
• Richmond Region themed giveaways
• Tour suggestions-general and themed
• Assistance with shuttle transportation between convention site and overflow hotels
• List of restaurants convenient to meeting site
• List of local denomination churches
• Arrangement of tours of churches and historic religious sites
• Searchable database of hotels to select accommodations based on specific needs

Let us know how we can help make your next religious meeting or convention a success. Complete this form with your meeting/event specifications, and RMCVB will put together a proposal with meeting venues and hotel accommodations just for you.

Call us at 1-800-370-9004 with any questions or concerns. Thanks for your interest in the Richmond Region!