Transitions
ON THE MOVE
Michael Cheuk, to University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va., as senior pastor, effective in August.
Michael Wyre, to Lynn Haven Baptist Church, Vinton, Va., as pastor.
Alex C. Gallimore, to Hester Baptist Church, Oxford, N.C., as pastor.
Jeff Hayes, to Calvary Baptist Church, West Asheville, N.C., as pastor.
Tim Williford, to Lystra Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C., as pastor. He had been serving as interim.
Chris Kingery, resigning as pastor at Catawba Valley Baptist Church, Troutville, Va.
Keith McKinney, resigning as pastor of First Baptist Church, Rural Hall, N.C., to accept a position at the North Carolina Baptist Retirement Homes.
Tom Jones, to New Hope Baptist Church, Appomattox, Va., as interim pastor.
Morris Oliver, to Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), Fredericksburg, Va., as interim pastor.
Justin Haun, to HarvestPoint Community Church, Charles Town, W. Va., as gathering director.
Leah Reed, to First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, N.C., as minister with youth.
Thomas Rawls, to Tomahawk Baptist Church, Midlothian, Va., as associate pastor/discipleship.
Jason Turner, concluding his ministry as minister to children and youth at Gloucester Point Baptist Church, Gloucester, Va.
Gavin Vickery, to First Baptist Church, West Point, Va., as children’s and youth minister.
Skye Hallman, resigning as minister to youth at May Memorial Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va., to accept a similar position in Annapolis, Md.
Daniel Hughes, to Gateway Community Church, Chantilly, Va., as youth minister.
Robin C. Bass is now serving as the interim executive director/treasurer of Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina. She has previously served on its executive board and chaired the camp committee. She has continued to be involved in aspects of WMU NC and currently chairs the Heck-Jones Offering Committee. She and her husband, Henry, attend Hermon Baptist Church in Waxhaw, N.C.
Matthew Lee Boschen, member of First Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., is serving as summer intern at the Baptist Joint Committee in Washington, D.C.
Marcie L. Townsend has been named office manager at the Virginia Baptist Foundation, Inc. She has been employed as staff secretary at the Foundation since August 2002. She and her husband are members of First Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., where he serves as the associate minister.
RETIREMENT
Paul S. Honaker, associate pastor for worship and music at Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., has announced his intention to retire, effective Sept. 1, after serving at Bon Air for 38 years.
ORDINATIONS
Jody Harrison will be ordained to the ministry on July 15 by Calvary Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va. She is a chaplain at the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Timothy R. Mull was ordained to the ministry by Clarksville (Va.) Baptist Church and Bagby Memorial Baptist Church, Burkeville, Va., on May 20. Mull is serving as pastor of Bagby Memorial Baptist Church.
Rose Mary Stewart was ordained to the ministry by New Community Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., on May 27.
Kristen Tucker was ordained to the ministry on June 23 by Clarksville (Va.) Baptist Church.
DEATH
Retired Virginia Baptist pastor Robert Washington Young Sr. died May 21 at the age of 91. He served as pastor of Little Elam Baptist Church, Charles City, Va., for 28 years. He is survived by his wife, Mildred P. Young, two daughters, Loretta and Carol Young; a son, Robert Young Jr.; and step children, Joni Coleman, Millicent and Joseph Packett. A memorial service was held May 16 at First Baptist Church, Hampton, Va.
Kudos
40 YEARS
Monica Hillery celebrated her 40th anniversary of working at Virginia Baptist Homes on June 19. During her tenure she has served on the development team of The Glebe which saw a 65-acre apple orchard transformed into a beautiful campus. She has served as secretary to the board of trustees for 27 years and has served as an advocate for residents under the past three presidents of VBH. “Monica is eager to assist in any way to further the mission of the organization and to assure that senior adults will be served today and in the future,” said Randall Robinson, president of VBH.
10 YEARS
Todd Gaston, celebrating 10 years as senior pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist Church, Stafford, Va.
Dave Smith, celebrating 10 years as pastor of Kentwood Heights Baptist Church, Quinton, Va.
5 YEARS
Lytle Buckingham, celebrating 5 years as pastor of Sharon Baptist Church, King William, Va.
Jeff Hudgins, celebrating 5 years as pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Farmville, Va.
Events
SUN., JULY 15
Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.; 25th anniversary celebration; worship at 10:30 a.m. with Ron Crawford, guest speaker.
THURS., JULY 19
Randall Robinson, president of the Virginia Baptist Homes, will provide reflections of the 64-year history of the Homes at The Chesapeake retirement community in Newport News, Va., from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Door prizes, refreshments in The Chesapeake’s new model apartment and personal tours will complete the afternoon.
SUN.-WED., JULY 22-25
Cobham Park Baptist Church, Warsaw, Va., homecoming on Sunday at 11 a.m. revival on Sunday-Wednesday evenings with Eddie Heath, evangelist.
FRI., JULY 27
First Baptist Church, Newport News, Va.; Night of Worship at 7 p.m. featuring musicians from First Baptist, Immanuel Baptist Church, Newport News, and West Hampton Baptist Church, Hampton, Va.
News
The Dave Matthews Band has given Goshen Baptist Association’s ministry center a $10,000 grant to purchase tools and equipment for its new construction trailer. The trailer can be checked out by churches to work on homes locally or around the U.S. which are in need of repair. The ministry is a branch of its disaster relief and RuraLove in order to reach families in crisis with the love of Christ.
Andrey Shirin is serving as director of transformational leadership and as a full-time member of the faculty of John Leland Theological Seminary. He will lead the master of Christian leadership program, teach several courses each year and recruit students and adjunct faculty to the leadership program. Shirin and his wife Olga are members of First Baptist Church, Alexandria, Va.
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First Baptist Church, Altavista, Va., has dedicated Sabbath Rest: The Charles E. Jones Mission House, to provide accommodations for missionaries on furlough. “We believe Altavista is the perfect community where a missionary family can receive the physical and spiritual support they need during their time away from the field,” says Michael Lee, pastor. The house was purchased in 2011 and has been used for children, youth and adult activities, as well as office space. The upper floor has been converted into a self-contained apartment with three bedrooms, kitchen and living area. The mission house is named for Charles E. Jones, a longtime member of First Baptist Church who died unexpectedly in 2010. “Charlie Jones was an inspiration to all of at First Baptist Church,” Lee said. “We thought it a fitting tribute to someone who gave his time and energy to the church and community so unselfishly.” In photo at right Ann Jones holds plaque given in memory of her husband.
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Middleburg (Va.) Baptist Church celebrated its 165th year of ministry with homecoming on April 29. Charles W. Gibson, grandson of one of Middleburg’s former ministers, led the service. One of the church’s youngest members, Mitchell Longerbeam, rang the historic church bell. Acey Hotchkiss read Psalm 23 from a historic Bible from the 1800s and Gibson preached from the same pulpit his grandfather would have used. Pictured at left are Charles Gibson and his wife with Middleburg Baptist Church historial, Mary Lee Phelps (on the right).