The Virginia congregation built its own church in 1903, and it has been altered and enlarged subsequently. A parsonage was purchased in 1918, and that, too, has been enlarged on two occasions.

During several summers the church sponsored a summer school for children, with Alfred Haapanen serving as the first teacher in this program. Sunday school has been held on an even larger scale and from the very beginning, for as far back as 1895 the church members had 48 children among them, 10 of

Virginia's first Finnish confirmation class in 1894. Seated: Anna Rautiola
(Kerola), Ida Kangas (Haapala), Rev. Henry Sarvela, Lydia Mehtälä (Isotalo),
Standing: John Willing, Jack Saari (Kaara), Jacob Lakari, Markus Arola,
Fred Wein.

them born in Virginia. Since the parents did not want their children to forget the language of their parents, the Sunday school was conducted in Finnish up to the year 1947, although from 1932 on there were already optional classes conducted in English, under the direction of Ellen Linval. The last Finnish language teacher was John Jaakkola.

In 1899 a sewing circle was started, but it had to be started anew a few years later, under the leadership of Hanna Lönn

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