By Gary Long

I remember reaching into my mailbox when the first copy of The Baptist Paper - BGAV edition arrived in August 2024. There it was, our stories tucked inside someone else’s newspaper like a casserole dish at a potluck. It did the job. It fed folks. But now, it's time we brought the dish in our own pan.

After a year of partnering with The Baptist Paper (TBP), BGAV is moving to self-publishing our print news. That means starting this fall, our stories will show up under our own masthead, with our own rhythm, and in our own voice.

This isn’t a knock on our friends at TBP—they’ve been gracious hosts, and we’re thankful. But the truth is, we’ve grown. We’ve learned how to cook our own meals, and now it’s time to set the table ourselves.

Our team’s been simmering some fresh ideas—ways to better connect with churches of all sizes, to spotlight leaders and ministries, and to tell the kinds of stories that help us remember who we are and where we’re headed. It’ll still be in print. It’ll still be about Virginia Baptists. But this time, the flavor will be all ours.

Now, I know some of you will miss the routine of flipping open TBP and finding us there. But I promise, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just stepping out of the rental and building a little something of our own.

So, hang tight and be ready to check your mailbox this fall.

We’ll be back—with our own print edition packed with stories of faith, mission, and the beautiful, messy work of being church together.

See you in the fall.

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