STAFF CHANGES
• Israel Gwyn, to Oak Grove Church, Cana, as pastor.
• Kenneth Compton, resigning as pastor of Fountain Creek Church, Emporia, to accept the pastorate of a church in North Carolina.
• Randy Prouse, resigning as pastor of Critz Church, Critz, to return to Louisiana.
• Leslie Skinner, to Moore's Swamp Church, Surry, as church pianist.
• Alan Delano, to Immanuel Church, Colonial Heights, as interim part-time youth minister.
RETIREMENT
• W. Rand Forder retired on March 30. His ministry has included pastorates in Bristol, Chatham, Petersburg, Powhatan and Easton, Md., and the chaplaincy at Hargrave Military Academy.
ORDINATIONS
• James Douglas Davis was ordained to the gospel ministry by Glebe Landing Church, Laneview, on April 27.
• Rachel Hoffman, minister to youth at River Road Church, Richmond, was ordained to the gospel ministry by the church on May 18.
DEATH
• William L. Hales died on May 10 at the age of 79. He had served a field of churches between college and seminary, including Central Church, Church Road; Smyrna Church, Din-widdie; Sharon Church, Blackstone; and Cut Bank Church, McKenney. His full-time pastorates included Hulls Memorial Church, Fredericksburg; Pocohontas Bassett Church, Bassett; and First Church, Annandale. He served a number of churches as interim pastor. At the time of his death he was interim pastor of West End Church in Petersburg. He was active in Virginia Baptist life, serving on many boards and committees. He was the first moderator of Fred-ericksburg Association and served as a trustee of the Religious Herald. He is survived by his wife, Feigh Hart Hales; a daughter, Kathy Hales Thompson; two grandchildren, Lance Corporal Matthew B. Thompson, USMC, and Christopher Y. Thompson; and a brother, Joe C. Hales Sr. A memorial service was held May 13 at West End Church, Petersburg.
CHURCH NEWS
• Senior pastor John W. Fox was honored for 50 years in ministry at Belmont Church, Roanoke, on May 4. He was ordained in April 1958 by Calvary Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He served as pastor at Belmont from 1969-1978. He was recalled to Belmont in 2004 as interim pastor for 3 years and since 2007 has been serving as pastor of congregational ministries.
• The 30-member combined IMAGE Youth Choir and Jubilate! Young Adult Chorale of Derbyshire Church, Richmond, will open its 2008 touring season with a home concert on Sunday, June 15, at 6:00 p.m.
• Senior pastor J. Michael Palmer, and his wife, Hazel, celebrated 20 years of ministry at Green Ridge Church, Roanoke, on May 1.
ASSOCIATIONAL NEWS
• Clinch Valley Baptist Association has called Tommy Holtzclaw as interim director of missions.
• Sam Duenckel has been called as Dover Association's first associate for missions.
• Powell River Association will hold an associational crusade revival on June 12-14 on the association property. Kester Bunch will be guest evangelist. The Gibson Family Singers will provide special music.
OTHER
• Melissa Oliver will resign as interim campus minister at the University of Richmond on Aug. 1. Oliver, who served as campus minister for more than three years, is a full-time occupational therapist at the Veterans Hospital in Richmond.
• The National Association of Child Care Professionals has recognized River Road Church Preschool Development Center in Richmond as the 2008 NACCP National Child Care Center of the Year. River Road Church Preschool Development Center was founded in 1972. Margaret Collins has been the center director for 20 years. The Center has been accredited for 20 years and hold both NAC and NAEYC accreditations.
PORTSMOUTH ASSOCIATION PROVIDES DISASTER RELIEF
The Disaster Relief Recovery Team of Portsmouth Baptist Association has responded to its neighboring community of Driver which recieved significant damage following a tornado in April. The team cleared debris, stored items that were salvageable, cut trees, provided food items and gave support to the community. Members of the PBA team represented workers from several churches and the people of Driver were very appreciative of their help. During this time the association was able to purchase new equipment to help it be more effective during the upcoming hurricane season. A disaster relief drill will be conducted in the parking lot of Pinecrest Church, Portsmouth, on June 7 at 8 a.m. The following day PBA will provide block party equipment for a Driver Rising Celebration from 1:00-6:00 p.m. in Driver.
MISSIONS MOMENT
Sara Matthews, a member of Calvary Baptist, went on a mission trip to Tequcigalpa, Honduras, with “Book of Hope,” an organization that promotes outreach to children around the world. The mission team went into schools and performed dramas, shared the Word of God and handed out over 5,000 books to children from kindergarten to high school. Three nights the team showed a movie on the streets called “The God Man,” an animated movie on the parables of Christ. Afterward hundreds of children accepted Christ. The team also worked on a church that was destroyed by a hurricane. Sara (center) is pictured above with school children.