Released: Friday, December 31, 2021

VAIB | Virginia Voice

Volume 12 | December 31, 2021

Dear Friend,

For over forty years, VAIB has been working on behalf of independent Baptists, especially at the Capitol in Richmond. This past year we saw God work in a great and mighty way, bringing a conservative group of leaders to the General Assembly to lead Virginia forward. Our prayer is that God would grant courage and wisdom to not squander this opportunity.

General Assembly 2022

With many newly elected delegates, I’m looking forward to the 2022 General Assembly session and meeting the delegates in person. There should be an increase in support for our legislative priorities, like educational choice. More educational choice could be accomplished if parents had access to vouchers or educational savings accounts for children in primary and secondary grades. You can help by responding to my CapitolALERTs, which give you the opportunity to contact your legislator about a particular bill. I will do all in my power to effectively influence legislators, but you too are crucial. Your voice needs to be heard!

Visiting Your Legislators

The Virginia General Assembly begins on Wednesday, January 12, and ends on Saturday, March 12. Like in years past, I want to invite you to join me at the Capitol to meet your legislators. I recommend you plan your visit early in the session, and I will gladly accompany you when you visit your legislators! First, you need to schedule a meeting with your legislators to secure a time to meet with each one. Go online to https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/ to identify your delegate and senator, then send each one an email requesting a meeting for the day you plan to visit. Generally, you can get a 10-to-15-minute meeting in the morning or afternoon depending on their schedules. Then contact me at ealiff@vaib.org to let me know you’re coming so I can meet you when you arrive!

Committee schedules start as early as 7:00 a.m. and end-of-day committees start as late as 5:00 p.m. If tradition holds, Fridays usually wrap up earlier, with sessions beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending by noon. No committees meet after session on Fridays so legislators can make their way home for the weekend. This is especially helpful for those in the far southwestern part of the state, who may drive over five hours to get home. Please pray for your legislators for strength and safety as they travel many miles during session and sacrifice time away from their families.

Informing Churches 2022

I’m so excited that churches have already begun contacting me to schedule meetings in 2022. If your church would like me to visit, please contact the office now to ensure you get the date you want. You can contact me at ealiff@vaib.org or 804-789-1278. The purpose is to inform concerning the issues of the day and encourage us to use our voices in Richmond!

Thank you to those who give to this ministry. You make all the difference! I pray you have a blessed Christmas and that you’re able to spend quality time with your family. And may God give you a great new year of service for Him.

God bless!

Rev. Eddy Aliff
Executive Director

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