The early settlers of Virginia and Tennessee came to this country to start a new life and to have the freedom to worship.

Hundreds of years passed with environments and towns changing with the times, but the constant pillar of strength known as religion remained constant.

Those Wednesday and Sunday traditions of going to places of worship still hold true, especially in this region, which grips the outer rim of the Bible Belt states in the United States.

The proof of people in the Southern states staying true to their places of worship is best described in a survey conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, Calif.

According to data from its Web site, the church attendance levels in the Bible Belt states remain higher, as of January 2000, than any other section of the country.

Approximately 46 percent of the people polled in the South said they attended church regularly during the week compared with only 32 percent of people in the Northeast.

New residents of the region can find churches peppered among the mountains that tower in the distance of the landscape.

From sprawling, brick-constructed churches that commonly seat up to 500 people to traditional houses of worship that feature the old-fashioned steeple and wooden staircase, the region’s church locations number into the hundreds.

Families commonly base their schedules around the activities of the church family they share the same pews with week after week.

Those activities not only include weekly worship services, but also special activities such as pot-luck suppers, special events for the younger members of the congregation such as lock-ins and trips abroad, homecoming services, revivals at special times of the year, and the summertime tradition of vacation Bible school.

The data from Barna also shows what is gained by taking your children to church. As of 2001, 63 percent of those churchgoers who attend worship services as a child were more likely to take their children to church.

Several religious organizations nationwide and in the Mountain Empire region are reporting that their membership has dramatically increased since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

They are also reporting that the number of young adults visiting and becoming regular members of the church is on the upswing since those tragic events took place.

Several services are also broadcast regionally as local television stations do include some form of religious programming in their format.

Local cable systems also have access to church services and national religious broadcast offerings for viewers to take in, including Living Faith Television based in Southwest Virginia that features programming from not only local evangelists but also musical concerts and church services from across the country.

The number of religious programs available on your radio dial are vast, as well, especially along the AM dial. Some stations offer a total religious format and others feature religious musical programming, including contemporary Christian and Southern gospel.

Baptists still make up the majority of local congregations, but there are several places of worship are available for Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, Pentecostal, Apostolic and other Christian denominations.

Though those who practice other faiths are in the minority in this region, there are places of worship for them. B’Nai Sholom Congregation worships at 2410 Highway 126 in Bristol. Services are held at 8 p.m., the first, second and fourth Fridays, and at 7:30 p.m., the third and fifth Fridays of each month. Torah services are offered at 10:15 a.m., the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

The Muslim Community of Northeast Tennessee operates the Islamic Center, offering daily prayer and education about Islam. The Islamic Center is located at 1003 Division St., in Johnson City.

The tradition of church membership in the region is welcoming those and making them feel at home in a time of transition.

So, if you are new to the area, members of your local place of worship in your community or neighbor could be the best welcoming committee you could ask for.