Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Brent Bowden, to First Baptist Church, Rochester, N.Y., as pastor.
Bob Dale, to Center for Healthy Churches, located in Clemmons, N.C., as leadership coach.
Dan Edwards, to First Baptist Church, White Hall, Ill., as pastor.
Priscilla Eppinger, to the American Baptist Historical Society, as executive director, effective Aug. 15. She comes from the Historical Society of Graceland University Community of Christ Seminary in Lamoni, Iowa, where she has been professor of religion since 2002.
Benjamin Harlan, to University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La., as minister of music.
Laura Heise, now serving as lead pastor at First Baptist Church, Midland, Mich. She previously served as its pastor of preaching and teaching.
Shannon Kiser, to Salem Baptist Church, Sparta, Va., as minister of youth, children and family discipleship.
Sean and Sarah Lee, to Calvary Baptist Church, Towson, Md., as co-pastors, effective in late summer.
Justin R. Lester, to Congdon Street Baptist Church, Providence, R.I., as pastor.
Robin Lunn and K. Shayla Appel, to First Baptist Church, Jaffrey, N.H., as co-pastors. Lunn is the former executive director of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
Kevin Maples, to First Baptist Church, Madisonville, Ky., as pastor.
Griff Martin, to First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas, as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La.
Larry Mason, to Old Stonington (Ill.) Baptist Church, as pastor. Most recently he was interim executive minister for American Baptist Churches of the Great Rivers Region.
Rory A. Naeve, to First Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, Tenn., as senior pastor, effective July 1. He comes from First Baptist Church, Claxton, Ga., where he served as senior pastor.
Bruce Queen, to First Baptist Church, Front Royal, Va., as intentional interim pastor.
Adam Smith, to First Baptist Church, Shepherdsville, Ky., as pastor.
Randy and Betty Rains, concluding their tenure as co-pastors of Oakland Baptist Church, Gum Spring, Va.
Betsy Sowers, now serving as minister for earth justice at Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Cambridge, Mass.
Kristie Stokes, now serving as missions and community outreach pastor at First Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Ark. She had been serving as its children’s minister.
Robert S. Turner, to University Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio, as pastor.
Charles Warger, to First Baptist Church, Ottawa, Ill., as pastor.
Colby Whittaker, to Wyatt Park Baptist Church, St. Joseph, Mo., as minister of youth and education.
Elijah R. Zehyoue, to the New Baptist Covenant, as director of programs and communication. He most recently served on staff at Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
RETIREMENT
Gary Fenton, retiring after 25 years as senior pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., effective Aug. 28.
DEATHS
Joe Crumpler, 89, died June 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio He was pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, for 30 years. He served as president of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastor’s Conference and trustee of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources) before helping found the North Carolina affiliate of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and serving as its moderator. He is predeceased by his wife of 27 years, Eleanor; and by his wife of 25 years, Carolyn, who served as executive director of the SBC’s Woman’s Missionary Union. He is survived by three children and four grandchildren.
Roger Fredrickson, 95, died June 16 in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, from 1959-1975. He then became pastor of First Baptist Church, Wichita, Kansas, where he remained until his retirement in 1988. He served as president of America Baptist Churches USA and authored several books. He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth.
KUDOS
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
Cornerstone Baptist Church, Warrenton, Va.; 20 years; June 26.
First Baptist Church, Wood River, Ill.; 100 years; June 12.
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
Lois Baltzer, 20 years as organist at Lexington Avenue Baptist Church, Danville, Ky.
Darren DeMent, 20 years as minister to students at Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.
Janet Henley, 25 years as minister of education at Clifton Park Baptist Church, Silver Spring, Md.
Rick Mixon, 10 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Palo Alto, Calif.
Kevin Payne, 10 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Independence, Mo.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 06.17.16
Transitions for the week of 06.10.16