Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Jason Atchley, to Hunters Glen Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Greenwood Baptist Church, Midland, Texas.
Zach Dawes, concluding his tenure as managing editor for news and opinion at Good Faith Media, Norman, Okla., to pursue a career in teaching.
Pierce Eaton, to First Baptist Church, Texas City, Texas, as senior pastor. He comes from First Baptist Church, Helotes, Texas, where he was associate pastor.
Jesus Garcia, to Parkview Baptist Church, Gainesville, Fla., as pastor.
Steve Gibson, to Millfield (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Kim Hamilton, to First Baptist Church, Smithfield, N.C., as music minister.
Eddie Heath, to Urbanna (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Travis Hoeben Jr., to Greenlawn Baptist Church, Columbia, S.C., as interim pastor.
Mitchell Huskison, to First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga., as minister of music. He comes from First Baptist Church, Waynesville, N.C., where he was pastor of worship and administration.
Christine Keddy, to First Baptist Church, West Acton, Mass., as pastor.
Douglas Lidwell, to Rosalind Hills Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as pastor.
Tim Lipp, to Rosewood First Baptist Church, Goldsboro, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Victoria (Va.) Baptist Church.
Mary Richerson, to Bruington (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Joshua Salazar, to First Baptist Church, Harlan, Iowa, as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Alturas, Calif.
James Sevon, concluding his tenure as pastor of Sharon Baptist Church, King William, Va.
RETIREMENTS
Frank Crawford, retiring as pastor of Millfield (Va.) Baptist Church.
Michael McCullar, retiring as formations pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Ga. He has served the congregation for 29 years.
ORDINATIONS
Jeremiah Banks, ordained to ministry on Jan. 8 by First Baptist Church, Corbin, Ky., where he serves as associate pastor.
Gilbert LaFortune, ordained to ministry on Jan. 27 by West Lynchburg Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va., where he serves as pastoral assistant for member care.
Shayna Wible, ordained to ministry on Jan. 29 by Augusta Heights Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., where she serves as associate pastor.
DEATHS
Robert T. “Bob” Banks, 91, a prominent missions leader, died Jan. 19 in Atlanta, Ga. He was head of Oklahoma Baptists’ Royal Ambassadors, from 1954 to 1968. Then he became director of the state conventions Brotherhood. In 1974 he joined the staff of the SBC Brotherhood Commission, where he served until 1981. He then became associate to the president of the SBC Home Mission Board. He is preceded in death by his wife, Martha. He is survived by two daughters, Sibyl Ann Cantrell and Brenda Lee Benson; and a son, Brian.
Dan S. Hobbs, 95, died Jan. 12 in Tulsa, Okla. He was an early leader in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and in 1992 became the first moderator of what is today the CBF of Oklahoma. He was an early trustee of Associated Baptist Press (now Baptist News Global). He was a member of First Baptist Church, Norman, Okla., for 50 years and a founding member of NorthHaven Baptist Church, Norman, Okla., in 2004. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty. He is survived five children, Stephen Hobbs, Catherine Hobbs, Bruce Hank Hobbs, Jeanne Rogers and Susan Cessna; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Ricky L. Pinkerman II, 42, died Jan. 19 in Salem, Va. He served several churches in the Roanoke Valley area as a student and family minister with the most recent being at Enon Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va. He is survived by his wife, Phuong Tran; three daughters, Kinsley, Kylie and Ellie; and parents, Rick and Sandy Pinkerman.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Brian Farmer, 35 years as associate pastor and minister to students at First Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 1-20-23
Transitions for the week of 1-6-23
Transitions for the week of 12-16-22
Transitions for the week of 12-2-22