Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Nathan Adams, to First Baptist Church, Hereford, Texas, as pastor, effective Nov. 1. He comes from First Baptist Church, Floydada, Texas, where he was associate pastor of students and discipleship.
Patricia King Bilyeu, to the American Baptist Churches Great River Region, as executive minister.
Tyler Brock, to Summit Baptist Church, Greene, R.I., as pastor.
Heath Burchett, to First Baptist Church, Huntersville, N.C., as minister to youth.
Ryan Carpenter, to Village Parkway Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Ganado, Texas.
Elisabeth Cothran, to Sandy Plains Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C., as pastor. She has served as youth pastor there since 2019.
B.J. Crowder, concluding his tenure as associate pastor of youth and family ministries at Glen Allen (Va.) Baptist Church, effective the end of the year.
Daniel Cunningham, to First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Iowa, as pastor.
Ron Danley, to First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Texas, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Meadow Lane Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas.
Thad Davis, to First Baptist Church, College Station, Texas, as youth minister.
Joanna Gilbert-Cannon, to First Baptist Church, Rochester, N.Y., as senior pastor. Most recently she has served as interim minister at the United Church of Pittsford, N.Y.
Sarah Godheim, to First Baptist Church, Inman, S.C., as minister of worship.
Scott Henson, to First Baptist Church, Taylorsville, N.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Dallas (N.C.) Baptist Church.
Slade Hogan, to Community Church, Milton, N.H., as pastor.
Tony Hopkins, to First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., as interim senior minister.
Melissa Hughes and Paul Raybon, to Hominy Baptist Church, Candler, N.C., as co-pastors. They have served Hominy as staff ministers and pastors for 25 and 16 years, respectively.
Mitch Huskison, to First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga., as minister of music and worship.
Angeline Lau, to Japanese Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash., as pastor.
Maria Ellis Lynn, to the River City Network (Richmond (Va.) Baptist Association), as executive director.
Jake Mauk, to Lakeside Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, N.C., as minister of music.
Jim Menzies, to First Baptist Church, Hope Valley, R.I., as pastor.
Marvin McMickle, to Cleveland (Ohio) Baptist Association, as interim regional executive minister.
David Pace, to First Baptist Church, Clemmons, N.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Langley Baptist Church, Hampton, Va.
Coleman Reidling, to First Baptist Church, Alpine, Texas, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Spring Creek Baptist Church, Bosque County, Texas.
Karen East Robinson, to First Baptist Church, Pawtucket, R.I., as pastor.
Jonathan Walton, to Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J. as president. Since 2019 he has been dean of Wake Forest (N.C.) University School of Divinity.
RETIREMENTS
Steven R. Gibson, retiring after more than 17 years as associate pastor of music for Franklin (Va.) Baptist Church.
Sandra Stevens, retiring as music director for Bowling Green (Va.) Baptist Church.
Dorothy Strickland, retiring after 20 years as minister to children and their families at First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.
ORDINATIONS
Stephen Carter-Hicks, ordained to ministry on Sept. 18 by Lake Ridge (Va.) Baptist Church, where he serves as praise and worship leader.
Joy Choi, ordained to ministry on Sept. 11 by First Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo.
Michon McCorkle, ordained to ministry on Sept. 25 by Fernwood Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C. She is a marriage and family therapist in Camel, Ind.
Lane Riley, ordained to ministry on Oct. 23 by First Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C. She currently serves as associate coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina.
Joe Thele, ordained to ministry on Sept. 18 by Lake Ridge (Va.) Baptist Church.
Lisa Lee Rust, ordained to ministry on Oct. 2 by First Baptist Church, Lumberton, N.C.
Stephanie Spears, ordained to ministry on Sept. 11 by First Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo.
DEATHS
Howard Goodlett, 93, died Oct. 3 in Maryville, Tenn. He served pastorates at Canoe Baptist Church, Almore, Ala.; Port Royal (Ky.) Baptist Church; First Baptist Church, MacClenny, Fla.; and Monte Vista Baptist Church, Maryville, Tenn. He retired from the pastorate of First Baptist, after having served for 30 years. He was active in denominational service as chair of the executive Committee of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and on the national council of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is preceded in death by his wife, Jean. He is survived by his children and spouses, Lynn O. and Tom Orms; John and Cherie Olive; David and Kathryn Olive; Allison O. and Dodd Townsend; and Angela O. and Barry Johnson; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Fred Werhan, 85, died Sept. 30 in Asheville, N.C. He was pastor of Hominy Baptist Church, Candler, NC for 23 years. Prior to that he was associate pastor at West Asheville (N.C.) Baptist Church. Hominy became one of the first Baptist churches to ordain women as deacons and ministers in the 1980’s. He was the original host of the moderate pastor’s lunch that evolved into the Asheville CBF Fellowship Lunch and then the WNCBF. He is survived by his wife, Pat; daughter, Debby; and his grandchildren.
KUDOS
CHURCHES
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington, W. Va.; 150 years; Oct. 23.
Glebe Landing Baptist Church, Laneview, Va.; 250 years; Oct. 16.
River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, Va.; 75 years; Oct. 30.
Upper Essex Baptist Church, Caret, Va.; 250 years; Oct. 2.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 10-7-22
Transitions for the week of 9-23-22
Transitions for the week of 9-9-22
Transitions for the week of 8-26-22