Voices of Conscience:
A Commemoration of the 1776 Baptist Petition
Sunday Oct 4 at 5:30 PM
Voices of Conscience:
A Commemoration of the 1776 Baptist Petition
The Historic Polegreen Church Foundation (HPCF), alongside Historic St. John’s
Church, Winn’s Baptist Church, and Virginia Baptist Historical Society, will present
Voices of Conscience, a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Baptist Petition of 1776, on Saturday, October 4, at Historic Polegreen Church in Hanover County.
In 1776, Virginia's Baptist congregations petitioned the newly formed General Assembly to end the government's establishment of the Anglican church, a foundational moment in the fight for religious freedom that later shaped the First Amendment. Voices of Conscience brings together faith communities from across Hanover County to mark that legacy and its meaning today.
The program includes:
● The Story of Polegreen and the Dissenters
● A public reading of the original Baptist Petition
● Conscience and Community
● Dissenter's Courage
● Petition to Amendment
● Live Music
● Light Refreshments
"Voices of Conscience is about more than one petition or one moment," said Amber
Hawkins, Executive Director of the Historic Polegreen Church Foundation. "It's about the people of every faith who stood up for the freedom to believe, and the history we all share because of what they did."
The commemoration is part of HPCF's fall 2026 programming marking Virginia's 250th anniversary (VA250). Historic Polegreen Church is one of three National Register-listed properties, alongside Studley and Pine Slash, stewarded by HPCF in Hanover County.
About the Historic Polegreen Church Foundation
HPCF preserves and interprets three National Register-listed sites in Hanover County, Virginia: Historic Polegreen Church, Studley, and Pine Slash, connecting the public to the county's role in the founding of American religious freedom.