Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Caleb Bittler, to New Bethesda Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, Va., as associate pastor/minister to students and families.
Leigh Clark, concluding her tenure after 19 years as minister of music and youth at Wise (Va.) Baptist Church.
Kim Hamilton, to Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as director of music.
Merianna Harrelson, to New Hope Community Fellowship, Columbia, S.C., as interim pastor.
Nolan Hayes, to First Baptist Church, Beatrice, Neb., as pastor.
Robert “Bobby” Howell, to Orcutt Baptist Church, Newport News, Va., as associate pastor of student ministries.
Steve Jolly, to Northminster Baptist Church, Monroe, La., as intentional interim pastor.
Christine Powell Kellett, to Augusta Heights Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., as associate pastor with children and families.
DEATHS
Mary Elizabeth Grizzard, 94, died Dec. 29 in Richmond, Va. She was director of religious activities at Westhampton College, University of Richmond, Va., from 1949-1955. Then she was involved with college youth until she became editor of missionary education literature for the Southern Baptist Foreign [now International] Mission Board. She and her husband were active in service to numerous Virginia Baptist organizations. She was preceded in death by her husband, Stewart. She is survived by two nephews and two stepdaughters.
Francis Reid Koger, 102, died Jan. 3 in Hillsville, Va. He served as pastor of churches in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. He began his ministry at First Baptist Church, Hillsville, Va., and many years later, returned to that church until he retired. He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha. He is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Shumate and Constance Sachlis; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Ralph Henderson Langley, 94, died Jan. 13 in Huntsville, Ala. He served churches in Florida, Texas and Alabama for 65 years. He was on staff at Seventh & James Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, while in seminary. He was pastor of University Baptist Church, Coral Gables, Fla.; Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas; Willow Meadows Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; and as senior pastor, then pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala. He is survived by his wife, Eula; daughter, Leanne Langley; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Harold Lindberg “Lindy” Martin, 85, died Jan. 9 in Mountain Brook, Ala. His first pastorate was Ten Mile Baptist Church, Lumberton, N.C., and he continued to serve as pastor and interim pastor for numerous Alabama Baptist churches. He served on The Alabama Baptist board of directors. Most recently he was minister to senior adults for Mountain Brook (Ala.) Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Sue; three daughters, Sue Ellen Martin-Curley; Lue Beth Papageorgiou and Leigh-Fran Martin Jones; three sons, John; David and Daniel; and 12 grandchildren.
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KUDOS
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
Phillip Brown, 25 years as associate pastor for music and worship at Huguenot Road Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
Susan Payne, 15 years as minister to preschoolers and their families at Deermeadows Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla.
David Schwoebel, 20 years as minister of music and composer in residence at Derbyshire Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 01.13.17
Transitions for the week of 01.06.17
There were no Transitions for the week of 12.30.16