Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Christy Butler, to First Baptist Church, Denton, Texas, as associate pastor of connections.
Tim Chesser, to First Baptist Church, North Stonington, Conn., as pastor.
Daniel Foster, to First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Okla., as youth minister.
Bruce and Kim Greer, concluding their tenure after 9 years as co-ministers of music at First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jason Hay, to Lynn Haven Baptist Church, Vinton, Va., as pastor, effective Jan. 1. He comes from the pastorate of Mecklenburg Baptist Church, Boydton, Va.
Kent Kern, to Union Cross Baptist Church, Kernersville, N.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Howland Glen Baptist Church, Warren, Ohio.
Brady Lanoue, concluding his tenure as senior pastor of Mill Creek Baptist Church, Fincastle, Va.
Chris Matthews, to First Baptist Church, Tulsa, Okla., as associate pastor, effective in January.
Sara Shehan, concluding her tenure as director of children at Latonia Baptist Church, Covington, Ky.
Patrick Streeter, now serving as minister of families with children at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala.
Ricky Vines, to Greenpond Baptist Church, Woodruff, S.C., as pastor.
Christa Warise, to Westside Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C., as pastor.
Candy Wilson, to Boiling Springs (N.C.) Baptist Church, as associate pastor for music and adults. She comes from First Baptist Church of Tryon, N.C., where she was minister of music and Christian formation.
RETIREMENT
Michelle “Micky” Holmes, announcing plans to retire as vice president for finance and CFO of American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, Calif., effective June 30, 2017.
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.
ORDINATIONS
Ben Burton, ordained to ministry on Nov. 27 by Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky.
Elaine Hawkins, ordained to ministry on Nov. 27 by First Baptist Church, Shawnee, Okla., where she serves as minister to children.
Ossie Heath-Crump, ordained to ministry by First Baptist Church, Ithaca, N.Y., on Nov. 6.
Deborah Sue Lynn, ordained to ministry on Nov. 27 by Glendale Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn.
DEATHS
Jon Appleton, 82, died Nov. 27 in Athens, Ga. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Athens, for more than two decades before his retirement in 1999. Prior to this he held pastoral positions in Kentucky and Alabama. He served for two years as moderator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia and on the advisory council for McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, Atlanta, Ga. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; and daughter, Catherine Peay.
John A. Blackman Jr., 84, died Nov. 20 in Edmeston, N.Y. He served First Baptist Church, Oswegatchie, N.Y., from 1958 to 1964. He was then called as pastor of Second Baptist Church, Edmeston, N.Y., where he served for 30 years. He was the state American Baptist Convention’s nominee for the Rosa B. Hall Award for the outstanding rural pastor. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Kathy Shuman. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; son, David; daughters, Deborah DeForest and Karen Blackman; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.
Carl A. Elder, 85, died Nov. 21 in Fort Worth, Texas. He served as pastor of churches in Texas, Ohio and Alaska. He worked for the Baptist General Convention of Texas as a consultant for church starting, bi-vocational ministry and small-membership churches. He is survived by his wife, Wynona; three children, Mona Figueroa, Carla Perry and Mark Elder; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Max Lennon, died Nov. 29 in Mars Hill, N.C. He held positions at Texas Tech University, the University of Missouri and Ohio State University before becoming president of Clemson University in 1986. He was named president of Mars Hill (N.C.) College in 1996 and served in the position for 30 years.
Barrington “Barrie” Raymond White, 82, died Nov. 12. He was an eminent Baptist historian, particularly for his work on Baptists in the 17th century. He was principal of Regent’s Park College, Oxford, England, from 1972-1989; church history tutor at Regent’s 1963-1972; and minister of Andover Baptist Church from 1959-1963. He was a significant figure in the Baptist Union, including the early years of Mainstream, and was deeply trusted and respected in progressive Baptist circles in North America. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; daughters, Kathryn and Sarah; and two grandsons.
KUDOS
CHURCH ANNIVERSARY
First Baptist Church, Niles, Mich.; 175 years; Nov. 6.
STAFF ANNIVERSARY
Fran Patterson, 20 years as minister to youth at Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas.
Michael Ware, 10 years as pastor of Webster (N.Y.) Baptist Church.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 11.25.16
Transitions for the week of 11.18.16
Transitions for the week of 11.11.16