by Carrie Brown McWhorter, The Baptist Paper

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Messengers to the BGAV's 2025 Annual Meeting adopted a budget and elected new officers among other items in a Nov. 12 business session.

BGAV President Shelton Miles opened the meeting and expressed his gratitude to host church Highlands Fellowship in Abingdon, comparing the atmosphere to that of a “family gathering.”

Messengers approved the 2026 BGAV Cooperative Missions budget allocation of $7,193,750, funding that supports BGAV partner missions and ministries in the state and globally.

New officers elected

Messengers elected BGAV officers for 2026. Those elected were:

• President: Chief Stephen R. Adkins, a layperson from Samaria Baptist Church, Providence Forge, nominated by Kristin Olson
• First vice president: Mark Mofield, senior pastor of Melrose Baptist Church, Roanoke, nominated by Bryon LePere
• Second vice president: Jim Bunce, pastor of Marlow Heights Baptist Church, Front Royal, nominated by Greg Anderson

Tim Madison, pastor of Emmaus Baptist Church, Providence Forge, nominated by Mike Hatfield, was re-elected to serve another term as clerk. (Read more about the new officers here.)

The election of Adkins, principal chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, was historic, as he will be the first Native American to serve as BGAV president, Miles said.

Outgoing officers Eli Withers (second vice president), Stephen Adkins (first vice president), and W. Shelton Miles III (president) were recognized for their service and leadership during the past year.

Name change for women’s missions organization

Miles introduced Bethany Warren Hunter, who assumed the position of executive director of HerMission in September 2025. Formerly Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) of Virginia, the organization might have a new name, but its mission remains the same, Hunter said.

“From our humble roots, the women in a small circle of Richmond churches collecting money to support Lottie Moon while she served in China, until now a statewide organization of women and men participating in global and local mission opportunities, we continue to prioritize spreading the love of Christ as we serve others,” Hunter said. “As HerMission, we will continue the legacy of those amazing women — a deep passion for missions, discipleship, and partnership with churches while using a new name that seeks to attract all ages and reminds us of God’s call to every believer to join God’s mission. Our focus is to mobilize all people, women and men, young and old, to live missional lives.”

Recognitions

• Messengers approved a resolution expressing gratitude to God, Highlands Fellowship, the program committee, speakers, outgoing elected officers, BGAV staff, and executive director Wayne D. Faison. Phil Peacock, chair, presented the report on behalf of the Resolutions Committee.
• Retiring Mission Council members were recognized for their faithful service.
• Retiring Executive Board members (Brooke Holloway-Blake, Pete Wills, Becky McKinney) and 2024-2025 Executive Board Chair Allen Jessee were thanked for their leadership, direction, and support.

John Sawyer was elected chair of the Executive Board, and new members of the Mission Council and Executive Board were elected.The chairs of the standing committees, who served by presidential appointment, were recognized for their work.

The business session concluded with a memorial service remembering those who have died in the past year.

Stephen Gray, co-chair of the Program Committee, announced the theme and location of the 2026 BGAV annual meeting in Virginia Beach, Heart for the Not Yet.

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