"My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
Contestants should either live in the West Chester area or have strong ties here. All entries must be original and exclusive to the Fold and include a local angle or theme.
Submissions are due on September 1, 2024, and may be sent by email to Editor@thelocalfold.com
Entries in all three genres should be between 1000 and 3000 words long.
The Fold will maintain the exclusive right to publish all submissions until December 31, 2025, at which point, rights revert to the author, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon.
Since you can't live a full Christian life without community, and you can't have community without a practical means of communication, we've decided to create one.
The Local Fold is—in prospect and aspiration—a monthly magazine of, for and by the faithful of our area to be delivered via subscription in the mail. We'll feature persons, initiatives, and happenings of particular interest to local believers; essays, opinions and discussions; ample space for the civil exchange of ideas, as well as book reviews and cultural criticism. We'll include fiction, poetry, and art composed by the authors and artists among us, and a special section for kids.
Key is that our content will be created by us and our friends and neighbors who share our basic faith and values.
The print edition will be complemented by an online component, where subscribers can get access to our timelier features, including schedules of events, classified ads, announcements, etc. Subscribers can also there submit articles, story ideas, news items, etc. They can comment on our blogs, share links, register for events, and generally stay in touch with what's happening among and around us.
More than just an office, the Church Street House is the home of The Local Fold. It's where we host get togethers, lectures, debates, art workshops, musical evenings, brown bag lunches, and common prayers, all with the aim of facilitating the kind of lively, in-person interaction that is the sine qua non of Christian communion and the sincere desire of our subscribers.
The pilot issue is already in development. If all goes according to plan, it will be ready for publication in May. If it generates enough interest and attracts enough writers and collaborators to give us the confidence to take the plunge, we'll start regular publication in September, 2024. The first year we'll aim for five issues; then 10 per year thereafter.
If you're interested in getting involved at any level, email:
If you want to keep up with developments and happenings at Church St. House, join our mailing list.