Nicholls sets August 4 auction for former Etlan church property in Madison County

Nicholls Auction Marketing Group will close online bidding Aug. 4 on a 3,548-square-foot former church building on nearly 1 acre in Madison County, Virginia. The sale near Old Rag Mountain is designed to fund Etlan Community Church’s ministry and mission.

Why it matters: - The Madison County property could draw interest from investors, nonprofits, educators, event operators and owner-occupants because the building already has multi-purpose space and supporting site improvements. - The auction also turns a no-longer-needed church asset into funding for Etlan Community Church’s ministry and mission.

What happened: - Nicholls Auction Marketing Group set online-only bidding to close Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, at 12:00 noon Eastern. - The property is at 1851 Nethers Rd. in Sperryville, Virginia, in Madison County. - The offering includes a 3,548-square-foot multi-purpose building on 0.998 acre. - The building was most recently used as a place of worship. - The property includes a 24-by-24-foot covered pavilion with a concrete floor.

The details: - The building has a large gathering hall, warming kitchen, attic and hardwood flooring in the original structure. - The addition has cinder block construction, an elevated slab and concrete flooring. - Kitchen appliances convey, and the pews convey with the sale. - The site includes a standing-seam metal roof, gravel driveway and a roughly 30-by-30-foot concrete recreation pad. - Heating and cooling come from a 5-ton heat pump. - The property has no well, and the existing septic system is not operational. - Electric service is through Rappahannock Electric Co-op, but power is disconnected. - Nicholls said the church gifted the building to Etlan Community Church and no longer needs the property. - The trustees of Etlan Community Church hired Nicholls Auction Marketing Group to sell the property, and sale proceeds will support the church’s ministry and mission. - Tony Wilson said the site is near the base of Old Rag Mountain and Shenandoah National Park parking areas and is convenient to Sperryville, Madison, Culpeper, Warrenton and Orange. - Wilson said Old Rag Mountain is one of Shenandoah National Park’s most visited hiking destinations, with about 80,000 visitors a year on the Old Rag trailhead. - Wilson said Shenandoah National Park has limited access since 2022 to 800 hikers per day from March 1 through Nov. 30. - More information is available by calling Tony Wilson at 540-748-1359 or visiting the company’s website.

Between the lines: - The site’s proximity to a high-traffic outdoor destination could make the property more attractive for uses that benefit from visitor flow. - The sale condition reflects a common church disposition strategy: convert a specialized building into cash for mission work rather than leave the asset idle.

What's next: - Online bidding will continue until the Aug. 4 close date. - Interested buyers can review the listing details before the auction ends. - Nicholls Auction Marketing Group also directs buyers to its social channels on Facebook and X.