Transitions
ON THE MOVE
Harold Lewis and Bob Auxier, serving as co-pastors of Walnut Grove Baptist Church, Montvale, Va.
Marc Brooks, to Gethsemane Baptist Church, Richlands, Va., as pastor.
Jay Butcher, resigning as pastor of Millfield (Va.) Baptist Church.
Chris Musick, resigning as pastor of Swords Creek (Va.) Baptist Church.
Mel Williams, concluding his 24 year pastorate at Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, N.C.
J. Robert “Bob” Moon, to Middleburg (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Jim Vaught, to Massaponax Baptist Church, Fredericksburg, Va., as interim pastor.
Wellford C. Tiller, to Laurel Hill Baptist Church, Verona, Va., as intentional interim pastor.
Janice Banks, to Derbyshire Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as director of children’s ministry.
James Markey, to First Baptist Church, Canton, N.C., as interim minister of music.
Mona Bross Hylton, to Pocahontas Bassett Baptist Church, Bassett, Va., as choir director.
Anthony Rogone, to First Baptist Church, Marshville, N.C., as youth minister.
Daniel Colston, to Villa Heights Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as youth minister.
Sheryl Johnson, to River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, Va., as interim minister of Christian education and formation.
Grant McIntosh, to Virginia Hills Baptist Church, Alexandria, Va., as associate pastor.
Chester Phelps, to River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, Va., as interim minister to youth.
Craig Robinson, to Community Heights Baptist Church, Cedar Bluff, Va., as youth pastor.
Marcus McClellan, to First Baptist Church, Clinton, N.C., as youth director.
Eddie Andrews, concluding his ministry as pastor of youth and missions at First Baptist Church, Lincolnton, N.C.
ASSOCIATIONAL
Harold Cook, to Roanoke Valley Baptist Association, Roanoke, Va., as interim executive director.
RETIREMENTS
Dennis Knight will retire as pastor of First Baptist Church, Martinsville, Va., effective in April, after 43 years in ministry.
Tom Leland will retire as senior pastor of University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va., effective March 31, after 38 years in ministry.
Jim McLendon has retired as pastor of Ocean View Baptist Church, Norfolk, Va.
DEATHS
Retired Virginia Baptist pastor John W. “Jack” Patterson Sr. died Feb. 28. He and his wife, Patricia, served as missionaries in Columbia, South America, where they both taught on the faculty of the International Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.; executive director of missions for the Peninsula Baptist Association and director of Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association. He had served as a trustee of the Foreign (now International) Mission Board. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, John Jr. and Scott W. Patterson; four daughters, Patricia Gail Leighty, Leighanne Parrish, Michelle Patterson and Heather Patterson. A memorial service was held at Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., on March 3.
Gayle Bolt Price, professor, dean and associate provost at Gardner-Webb University for over 20 years, died March 6 at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer. Price joined the Gardner-Webb faculty in 1991 as professor of English, and eventually chaired that department. In 2006 she was named associate provost for graduate and professional studies, the position in which she worked until her death. She is survived by her son, David, and her daughter, Emily. A memorial service was held March 9 at First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C.
Frank C. Riley Jr., former pastor of several Virginia Baptist churches, died Feb. 18 at the age of 88. He served as pastor of Stukeley Hall Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.; St. Paul (Va.) Baptist Church; Stanley (Va.) Baptist Church; Monte Vista and Edge Hill Baptist churches, Hurt, Va.; Claybrook Baptist Church, Weems, Va.; Samuel Harris Baptist Church, Chatham, Va.; and Concord Baptist Church, Chase City, Va. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Slate Riley; a daughter, Carol Riley Yowell; four sons, Carson, Robert, Peter and Lyle Riley; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held Feb. 22 at First Baptist Church, South Boston, Va.
Kudos
David Burhans has been inducted into the University of Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2012. He voluntarily was team chaplain while as serving as the university’s chaplain from 1974 to 2004. He is now chaplain emeritus and special assistant to the office of advancement.
ORDINATIONS
Robert Little, youth minister at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Clinton, N.C., was ordained to the ministry on March 18 by First Baptist Church, Clayton, N.C.
Lauren Penny, ordained to the ministry on Jan. 15 by First Baptist Church, Buies Creek, N.C.
Bob Auxier, co-pastor of Walnut Grove Baptist Church, Montvale, Va., was ordained to the ministry by the church on Feb. 26.
10 YEARS
B. C. Akers, celebrating 10 years as pastoral care and senior adult coordinator at First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, Va.
Tonya and Jeffrey Vickery, celebrating 10 years as co-pastors of Cullowhee (N.C.) Baptist Church.
15 YEARS
Brad Cockrell, celebrating 15 years at First Baptist Church, Denton, N.C. He joined the staff as student minister and now serves as associate pastor.
Kent Taylor, celebrating 15 years as associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Radford, Va.
Events
MON., MARCH 19
Franklin County Missionary Baptist Association will hold its spring inspiration meeting at 7 p.m. at Boones Mill (Va.) Baptist Church. Ken Nienke, pastor of Fellowship Community Church, will be guest speaker.
SUN.-WED., MCH. 25-28
McCabe Memorial Baptist Church, Martinsville, Va.; revival with Cliff Hudgins, director of missions for Pittsylvania Baptist Association, as evangelist.
Temple Baptist Church, Covington, Va.; revival with Roger Roller as evangelist.
Virginia Heights Baptist Church, Norfolk., Va.; revival with Trenton Garmon as evangelist.
SUN., MARCH 25
St. John’s Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., celebrating its 90th anniversary at 11 a.m. Former senior pastor Tom Graves who also served as president of the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va., will be guest speaker. Gail O’Day, dean of Wake Forest Divinity School, will present the annual Broach Lecture at 6:30 p.m.
SUN.-WED., APR. 1-4
Midway Baptist Church, Gretna, Va.; revival with Roger Roller as evangelist.
Calvary Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va.; “Remember,” at 6:30 p.m.
Dublin (Va.) Baptist Church; “Written in Red,” at 11 a.m.
Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Chesapeake, Va.; “All Because of the Cross,” 8 at 10:30 a.m.
Other
The Virginia Girls Choir, a city-wide choir for girls in grades 4-11, is conducting auditions for the coming academic year. The choir, based at St. Stephen’s Church, Richmond, Va., includes girls from 13 schools and a variety of religious backgrounds. Girls earn stipends and college scholarships while taking part in Sunday worship (twice a month), trips, tours, special appearances and concerts. Summer choir camp and recreational activities are also part of this experience. No prior musical training required. To schedule an audition, contact Dan Moriarty at 804.288. 2867 or dmoriarty@ saintstephensrichmond.net.
CBF of Virginia’s 2012 Youth Retreat will be Sept. 28-30 at Crossroads Camp and Conference Center in Lowesville, Va. Youth groups are encouraged to attend for a weekend of discovering their story and learning where and how their story fits in with God’s Story. For information visit www.cbfva.org/ events.
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After more than 80 years of existence, First Baptist Church, Burlington, N.C., now has a steeple. The church built in the 1920s sits on the outskirts of downtown. “Our church made a decision some time ago to stay in the heart of the city,” said Pastor Terry E. Peele. “Now we have this spire that we can point to and say ‘that’s our building’ as we fan out across the community in our ministries.” The steeple is part of a large-scale renovation to connect all four buildings of the church. A new elevator shaft provides the base for the steeple. The work is expected to be complete by September.
The sanctuary of Gwathmey Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., is gone. There is no roof, no walls or stained glass windows. According to Pastor Butch Hutson, the congregation is renovating its 120-year-old sanctuary from the ground up. A salvage company took the old sanctuary down piece by piece, salvaging any usable materials. The congregation’s fellowship hall will serve as its worship center until the project is complete. The new sanctuary will have a more modern design, Hutson says, and groundbreaking is expected this spring.
On Mission
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Buckingham (Va.) Baptist Church hosted a book carnival for Children’s Ministry Day on Feb. 18. The theme was education with this year’s Scripture of 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the truth correctly.” The book carnival promoted literacy in Buckingham county. Twelve children and six adults attended. The Children in Action and Youth on Mission decorated the fellowship hall into a Mother Goose land with books and stations where children were read a story and participated in a craft or game related to the book. Snacks were related to stories, such as pigs in the blanket, blue popcorn balls, shaped cookies and pizza rolls. Each child was given a book and a book to give to a friend. The remaining books were given to children’s school programs in the area. Pictured above are children of Buckingham Baptist with books.