10/19/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2026
PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE.
EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.
Bishop Terence Priester Calls for Responsible, Balanced Growth in Madison and Rockingham County
MADISON, NORTH CAROLINA — As our community considers the proposed Ellisboro Road development, I believe we are facing a conversation that is larger than a single rezoning request. We are considering the kind of future we envision for Madison and the generations who will follow us.
When my wife and I established Embracing Word Church in Madison, we came with a deep conviction that this community holds tremendous promise. We did not come simply to occupy a building. We came to invest in people, strengthen families, serve our neighbors, and contribute meaningfully to the life of this community.
That commitment continues to shape how I see Madison’s future.
I have tremendous respect for the families who have called this area home for generations. Its agricultural heritage, open landscapes, and peaceful surroundings are worthy of preservation. Their concerns about the impact of development must not be minimized or dismissed.
However, I do not believe Madison must remain exclusively rural in order to remain a community worth calling home.
Madison can be both rural and suburban. And with thoughtful leadership, that balance can become one of our greatest strengths.
We can preserve agricultural land while creating well-planned residential neighborhoods. We can protect the character of established communities while welcoming new families. We can maintain the beauty of our countryside while encouraging stronger infrastructure, thriving businesses, and greater opportunities for future generations.
Responsible residential growth offers potential benefits not only to future homeowners, but also to existing businesses, churches, civic organizations, and the broader community.
Still, growth must be accompanied by responsibility. Adequate roads, utilities, schools, emergency services, and environmental safeguards are not optional considerations. They are essential elements of sound community planning.
Those who raise such concerns deserve meaningful answers.
And those who see opportunities in responsible development deserve to be heard as well.
We should never have to choose between honoring the families who built this community and welcoming the families who will help shape its future.
This is not a call for development without standards. It is a call for thoughtful consideration of how Madison can accommodate growth without sacrificing the values and qualities that make our community special.
My hope is that our elected leaders, residents, and development partners will pursue solutions grounded in transparency, accountability, and the long-term well-being of Rockingham County.
I envision a Madison where established neighborhoods and new neighborhoods can coexist, where local businesses have opportunities to flourish, where families can establish lasting roots, and where our community’s best days remain ahead of us.
We must not allow disagreements about development to diminish our shared commitment to the people who call this place home.
Our heritage is worth preserving. Our future is worth preparing for. And with wisdom, we can make room for both.
Bishop Terence Priester II
Senior Pastor, Embracing Word Church
Madison, North Carolina
