Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Wade Allen, to United Church of Canandalgua, N.Y., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Muncie, Ind.
Todd Blake, concluding his tenure as pastor of Madison Heights (Va.) Baptist Church.
Kathryn Boren, to Second Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas, as pastor for adults.
Greg Breedlove, to First Baptist Church, San Angelo, Texas, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Meadow, Texas.
John Fulcher, to First Baptist Church, Martinsville, Va., as interim minister of music.
Ashley Harrington, to First Baptist Church, Martinsville, Va., as interim minister to children and families.
John W. Hill, to Yates Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., as minister of music and worship.
Pamela Carrington Holder, to Bethel A Baptist Church, Brevard, N.C., as pastor.
John Irving, to First Baptist Church, Newport News, Va., as director of choral ministry.
Jennifer Jennings, to First Baptist Church, Marion, N.C., as associate pastor for children and families, effective January 1.
Merritt Johnston, to Baptist World Alliance Women, as executive director. She will continue to provide oversight for communications and media for the Baptist World Alliance.
John Lepper, to First Baptist Church, Williamsburg, Ky., as interim pastor.
Christina McCord, concluding her tenure as minister to children and families at First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C.
Lynda Myers, to United Church of Auburn, N.Y., as pastor.
Tommy Sanders, to Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., as associate pastor of pastoral care and senior adults.
Bobby Shields, to Kentuck Baptist Church, Ringgold, Va., as interim pastor.
Jeffrey Snyder, to First-Calvary Baptist Church, North Andover, Mass., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Lansdowne (Pa.) Baptist Church.
Adam Tyler, to Farmville (Va.) Baptist Church, as pastor, effective Nov. 28. He comes from the pastorate of Grace Hills Baptist Church, Appomattox, Va.
Ross Wright, to First Baptist Church, Ashland, Va., as assistant pastor of worship.
RETIREMENTS
Doug Dortch, retiring as senior pastor of Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala.
Bill Johnston, retiring after 15 years as associate pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala.
Rod Maples, retiring after 24 years as pastor of worship of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Mo.
Michael McKnight, retiring after 28 years as minister of music for Oakmont Baptist Church, Greenville, N.C.
Bill Ross, announcing plans to retire after 14 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Marietta, Ga., effective October 2022.
Clark Sorrells, retiring as minister of music of First Baptist Church, Asheville, N.C.
Cassandra D. “Casey” Carkuff Williams, retiring after 17 years as director of discipleship ministries for the American Baptist Home Mission Society, effective Nov. 30.
ORDINATIONS
Sharon Ball, ordained to gospel ministry on Nov. 7 by Community Baptist Church, Tulsa, Okla., where she serves as pastor.
Jonathan Boggs, ordained to gospel ministry on Oct. 31 by First Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C.
Justin Harper, ordained to gospel ministry on Oct. 17 by First Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C.
Jennifer Jennings, ordained to gospel ministry on Oct. 31 by First Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C.
Laura Johnson, ordained to gospel ministry on Nov. 14 by Washington Street Baptist Church, Lynn, Mass.
Lynda Myers, ordained to gospel ministry on Oct. 23 by Ebenezer Baptist Church, Rochester, N.Y.
DEATHS
Clyde Lines Gamble, 74, died Oct. 22 in Honaker, Va. He had served as pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Lebanon, Va.; Valley View Baptist Church, Abingdon, Va.; and several other churches. At the time of his death he was associate pastor of Rosedale (Va.) Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughter, Mary G. Snead; son, Clay; stepson, Dwayne Barton; 9 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Robert “Bob” L. Lamb, 91, died Oct. 19 in Boiling Springs, N.C. He served as associate director of the SBC’s Seminary Extension Department before going to Gardner-Webb University in 1979. He served. numeral Baptist congregations in various roles in North and South Carolina as well as other states, including as minister of education at Boiling Springs Baptist Church. A teacher at heart, he was the founding dean of the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University. He led the school to accreditation and was named dean emeritus. He served as director of the CBF of North Carolina’s Baptist Bible School of Belize. He is preceded in death by his wife, Rhealene. He is survived by a son, Robert; two daughters, Mary Rebecca Lamb and Beth Manning; and five grandchildren.
Matthew V. Ripp, 66, died Sept. 28 in Boonville, N.Y. At the time of his death he was pastor of Newport (N.Y.) Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Donna; two sons, Eric and Benjamin; three daughters, Amy Simanowski, Emily Hernandez and Hannah Peters; and 13 grandchildren.
Paul Wayne Thompson, 87, died Oct. 5 in Wentzville, Mo. He was director of education for the Missouri Baptist Convention for 30 years. He served numerous churches in Southern Missouri as interim pastor and minister of Christian education. He is survived by his wife, Sue; and son, Scott.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, 25 years as editor of The Christian Citizen.
Dorothy Strickland, 20 years as minister to children and families at First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.
CHURCHES
First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas; 150 years; Oct. 24.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 10-29-21
Transitions for the week of 10-15-21
Transitions for the week of 10-1-21
Transitions for the week of 9-17-21