Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Neal Abbott, to Dellview Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, as interim bi-vocational pastor.
Jonathan Balmer and Kendall Ellis, to First Baptist Church, Muncie, Ind., as co-senior pastors. He comes from the pastorate of Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Moseley, Va.
Don Berry, to Boiling Springs (N.C.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Naomi Black-Bass, to First Baptist Church, Anderson, S.C., as minister of youth and missions.
Will Brown, concluding his tenure as associate minister for community at University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.
Ben Caldwell, to Orcutt Baptist Church, Newport Nes, Va., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Corinth Baptist Church, New Kent, Va.
Jenny Clore, to CBF Church Benefits Board, as director of benefits.
Nick Deere, concluding his tenure as senior pastor of Broadus Memorial Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.
Natasha Gordon, to Georgiaville Baptist Church, Smithfield, R.I., as pastor, effective July 24.
Brett Hay, to Bethlehem Baptist Church, Midlothian, Va., as student director.
Matt Hester, to First Baptist Church, Augusta, Ga., as minister to students. He comes from First Baptist Church, Clemson, Ga., where he was minister to youth and college.
Paul Jimenez, to New Hope Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as interim pastor.
Clifford Johnson, concluding his tenure as pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, Wilmington, Delaware.
Raymond Johnson, to First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Fla., as interim pastor, effective July 10.
Mary Kaylor, concluding her tenure as minister for youth at First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Brian Lockamy, concluding his tenure after 24 years as associate minister to students for New Hope Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., effective July 17.
Paul McDaniel, to Indian View Baptist Church, King William, Va., as pastor.
Mario-Seth Morales, to First Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash., as interim pastor.
Alex Rand, to Beulah Baptist Church, Aylett, Va., as pastor.
Mark Rector, to Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., as associate minister.
Brian Varble, to Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as missions pastor.
RETIREMENTS
Jamie Broome, retiring after over 29 years as senior pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Paducah, Ky.
George Bullard, retiring as executive director of the Columbia Metro Baptist Association in South Carolina. In previous years he served as a columnist for Baptist News Global and as general secretary of the North American Baptist Fellowship of the Baptist World Alliance.
Sonia Gonzalez, retiring after 21 years as Hispanic and ethnic churches area resource minister for the American Baptist Churches of Connecticut.
Jim Hamacher, retiring as executive director of missions for Middle District Baptist Association, Midlothian, Va., effective Dec. 31.
Jim Henry, retiring as executive pastor and minister to senior adults for Central Bearden Church, Knoxville, Tenn.
Paul Mosteller, retiring as organist for Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala.
ORDINATIONS
Monet Amos, ordained to gospel ministry on May 22 by Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ariel Koerner, ordained to gospel ministry on April 3 by First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Katherine Smith, ordained to gospel ministry on June 5 by First Baptist Church, Winchester, Va.
DEATHS
George M. Hawthorne, died May 30 in Moorestown, N.J. He was pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Blue Bell, Pa., from 2005 to 2018. He also served churches in Hyannis, Mass. and Collingswood, N.J. He is survived by his wife, Amy; daughters, Jessica and Emily; and three grandchildren.
Lawrence B. Keesler, 82, died June 15 in Mount Airy, N.C. He served as minister of music at First Baptist Church, Kernersville, N.C.; First Baptist Church, Mount Airy, N.C.; and Trinity Episcopal Church in Mount Airy. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca.
Jung Nam Lee, 80, died May 24 in Los Angeles, Calif. He was ordained at First Baptist Church of Los Angeles, where he pastored a Korean-speaking congregation from 1977-1987. He planted a Korean-speaking congregation on the campus of Valley Park Baptist Church in North Hills, Calif., and was pastor there until 2001. He was editor for the Christian Herald and taught English at California International University. He is survived by his wife Hyun Soo; three sons, Chris, James and John; and six grandchildren.
Jack Ridlehoover, 91, died June 19 in Abilene, Texas. He was pastor of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene for 29 years. In retirement he became president of Ministers’ Mentoring and Consulting Service, working with pastors and small churches and served as interim pastor for 22 churches. He is survived by his wife, Betty; daughter, Cindy Myers; son, Roger; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Charlotte May Walker, 85, died June 14 in Fredericks burg, Va. In 1958 she became the first female minister of music in Virginia. She served in the music ministry at Fredericksburg (Va.) Baptist Church; Rivermont Avenue Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va.; Derbyshire Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.; and Fairview Church in Fredericksburg. She was one of the founders of the Virginia Baptist Women’s Chorale and a member of a singing group known as the Eight P’s. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Theisz.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
David Brooks, 15 years as pastor of Edenton (N.C.) Baptist Church.
Randy Myers, 10 years as president of GraceInside, Virginia’s State Prison Chaplain Service in Richmond, Va.
Nancy Petty, 30 years as pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
Marshall Smith, 20 years as business administrator at First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.
Anita Thompson, 20 years as associate pastor and minister of music at First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, N.C.
CHURCHES
Allendale Baptist Church, Providence, R.I; 175 years; June 4.
First Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C.; 175 years; June 25.
South Hills Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; 70 years; June 26.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 6-17-22
Transitions for the week of 6-3-22
Transitions for the week of 5-20-22
Transitions for the week of 5-6-22