Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Anyra Cano, to Texas Baptist Women in Ministry and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas, as staffer for outreach to Hispanic women and younger Hispanics.
Nathan Cecil, to Fox Hill Baptist Church, Hampton, Va., as pastor. Previously he was on staff at Bacon’s Castle Baptist Church, Surry, Va.
Rick Clore, concluding his ministry as pastor of Orange (Va.) Baptist Church, where he has served for 10 years.
Roy Ford, to Pocahontas Bassett Baptist Church, Bassett, Va., as interim pastor.
Vern Gilmer, to New Hope Baptist Church, Chesterfield, Va., as pastor.
James Harper, to Central Baptist Church, Quincy, Ill., as interim pastor.
Terry Henry, to Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, as president, effective Jan. 1. He is senior pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C.
Hope Jackson, to Central Baptist Church, Danbury, Conn., as pastoral intern.
Kevin James, to Troutville (Va.) Baptist Church, as youth minister.
James B. Johnson, to Ministering to Ministers Foundation, Richmond, Va., as interim executive director, effective Jan. 1.
Jason Knight, to First Baptist Church, Jamestown, N.C., as senior pastor, effective Dec. 4.
Ginger Koonce, to First Baptist Church, Morehead City, N.C., as children and family outreach minister.
Luke Overstreet, to Rosalind Hills Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as minister to youth and children.
Casey Pitchford, to First Baptist Church, Benton, Ill., as associate pastor/youth director.
Danny Quirin, now serving as associate pastor at Bonsack Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va.
Jeremy Shoulta, to First Baptist Church, Black Mountain, N.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Maranatha Baptist Church, Plains, Ga.
Major A. Stewart, to Greater Mount Sinai Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Flint, Mich.
Darren Stroh, to First Baptist Church, Lamar, Co., as pastor.
Todd Williams, now serving as pastor of Bridge Community Church, Bristol, Conn.
RETIREMENT
Judy Allbee, retiring as executive minister of American Baptist Churches of Connecticut.
ORDINATIONS
Charles L. Fuller, ordained to ministry on Nov. 13 by Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark. He will begin serving as executive pastor of First Baptist Church, Washington, D. C. in January.
J. D. Granade, ordained to ministry on Oct. 15 by First Baptist Church, Commerce, Ga., where he serves as minister to children.
Pam Woodson, ordained to ministry on Oct. 16 by First Baptist Church, Tucker, Ga., where she serves as administrator/counselor.
Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Click here to learn more.
DEATHS
Sean Gallagher, 33, died Nov. 1 in Fairmont, N.C. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Fairmont, N.C. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca; and daughters, Emma, Layla and Abigail.
Bong Hee Han, 62, died Oct. 23 in Tyler, Texas. He served in East Texas for more than 20 years as senior pastor of Korean Baptist churches in Tyler and Nacogdoches. He is survived by his wife, Han In Song; and children, Samuel, Lois and John.
Holland P. Smith, 89, died Nov. 2 in Round Rock, Texas. His Texas pastorates included First Baptist churches in Bremond, Seminole, Burnet and Mexia, along with Calvary Baptist Church in Bryan. In 1962 the SBC’s Home Mission Board appointed him missionary to Minnesota and Wisconsin. He later was director of missions for South Central Area and Williamson Baptist Area in Texas. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Theresa; and son, Stephen. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; sons, Marshall and Dan; step-daughter, Diana Oyler; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
James H. Smith, 95, died Oct. 21 in Memphis, Tenn. He is former executive secretary of the Illinois Baptist State Convention and later the fifth Southern Baptist Brotherhood Commission president. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nona Lee, and a son, David. He is survived by children, John, Joy and Mark.
R. Hargus Taylor, chaplain and religion faculty emeritus of Chowan University died Oct. 30 in Ahoskie, N.C. He held many positions at the Murfreesboro, N.C., school, including director of denominational relations and chair of the Department of Religion. He was a founding member of the Chowan Christian Service Association, serving as secretary from its inception in 2005 until 2014. He and his wife, Doris, were instrumental in establishing the Oscar Creech Collection of Baptist History at Chowan’s Whitaker Library, establishing the R. Hargus and Doris Taylor CCSA Scholarship at Chowan University, and establishing the Taylor Religious Heritage Lectures and Endowment at Chowan. For their faithful service and support, they were given Chowan’s highest honor, the Spirit of Chowan Award in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Doris; son, David; daughter, Marcia Ellen Taylor Thompson; and five grandchildren.
KUDOS
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY
First Baptist Church, New Haven, Conn., 200 years; Oct. 31.
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
Kirby Smith, 10 years as pastor of Oak Forest Baptist Church, Chesterfield, Va.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 11.04.16
Transitions for the week of 10.28.16
There were no Transitions for the week of 10.21.16