Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Preston Cave, to Texas Baptist Men, as missions and discipleship coordinator for students. He comes from Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury, Texas, where he was pastor to students and families.
Charlie Fuller, to Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, as intentional interim minister. Previously he was executive pastor of First Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
Sarah Jordan, to King’s Cross, Tullahoma, Tenn., as children’s pastor.
Joshua Kelly, to Bethel Baptist Church, Salem, Va., as children’s pastor, effective Jan. 5.
Maria Lynn, to Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as ministry coordinator.
Lawrence Powers, to Benson (N.C.) Baptist Church, as senior pastor, effective Jan. 1. He comes from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina where he was campus minister in the Triangle area.
Brian Willard, to Garden City Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as pastor.
ORDINATION
Anna Walker, ordained to ministry on Dec. 1 by First Baptist Church, Jasper, Ga.
DEATHS
Frank Alexander, 76, died Nov. 12 in Indianapolis, Ind. He was pastor of Oasis of Hope in Indianapolis for 40 years, as well as a former director at the Edna Martin Christian Center. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; sons, Cedrick and Frank Jr.; daughters, Charisse Alexander and Michelle Edwards; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Luther G. Brewer, 86, died Nov. 28 in Cary, N.C. He was pastor emeritus of Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary where he served as senior pastor for 33 years. He was a former board member for Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., and The School of Pastoral Care Foundation, North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem, N.C. He was a founding member of the Alliance of Baptists in 1987. He is survived by his wife, Mary; three children, L. Gordon Brewer Jr.. Rosemary Brewer-Rhodes and J. Timothy Brewer; three grandchildren; and one step-granddaughter and step-great-grandson.
David W. Dockery, 64, died Oct. 9 in Princeton, W. Va. He served as pastor of Highland Creek Baptist Church, Martinsville, Ind.; associate pastor of Colonial Avenue Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va.; pastor of Fairlawn Baptist Church, Parkersburg, W. Va.; and pastor of First Baptist Church, Princeton, W.Va. He is survived by his wife, Maribeth; daughter, Lydia Ruth Dockery Parkey; son, Andrew; and four grandchildren.
Walker Knight, 95, died Dec. 1 in Decatur, Ga. He became associate editor of the Baptist Standard, published by the Baptist General Convention of Texas, in 1950. In 1960 he became secretary of the department of editorial service of the SBC’s Home Mission Board and editor of Home Missions magazine. Retiring from denominational journalism, he became a trailblazer in establishing a free and independent Baptist press. He became editor of SBC Today which was renamed Baptists Today in 1991, and today is called Nurturing Faith Journal & Bible Studies. In 2008 he received the annual Judson-Rice Award from Baptists Today. He was presented the Religious Freedom Award from Associated Baptist Press, forerunner to Baptist News Global, in 1998.
Riley Holcombe Walker, 71, died Nov. 24 in Bedford, Ind. He retired as the executive minister of American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas, was an Indiana State Police Chaplain for many years and was a member of First Baptist Church, Bedford. He is preceded in death by his wife, Joyce. He is survived by two daughters, Adair W. Brent and Rachel S. Landers; a son, Jonathan; and 10 grandchildren.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 11-22-19
Transitions for the week of 11-15-19
Transitions for the week of 11-1-19
Transitions for the week of 10-25-19