Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Kyle Ballantine, to Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C., as minister of music and organist. He comes from First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga., where he was director of music and administration.
Kaitlyn Bradley, to Manly Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, Va., as children’s director.
Randy Carter, to New Hope Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Hillsborough, N.C.
Julia DeSeno, to Zoar Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C., as worship leader.
Dee Gray, to Black Creek Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, Va., as music minister.
Ronnie Harris, to Deep Run Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as minister of music.
Randall McGuire, to Dover Baptist Church, Manakin-Sabot, Va., as music director.
Scott Moffet, to Faith Baptist Church, Goochland, Va., as interim pastor.
Bo Prosser, concluding his interim pastorate at Providence Baptist Church, Charleston, S.C. He continues to direct the Ministerial Excellence Fund at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Mike Ruffin, to The Oaks Baptist Church, Lyons, Ga., as interim pastor.
Matthew Stacy, to Briarcliff Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga., as pastor.
Aaron Tomes, to First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas, as minister of worship (classic).
RETIREMENTS
Vallerie King, retiring as pastor of Emmaus Baptist Church, Quinton, Va.
Steve Sumerel, retiring as associate pastor of congregational life at First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., effective the end of May.
ORDINATIONS
Gayle Haywood, ordained to ministry on Feb. 17 by Brentwood (Tenn.) Baptist Church, where she serves as minister to senior adults.
Tara Workman-Holmes, ordained to ministry on Jan. 20 by Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
DEATHS
Gray Allison, 94, died Feb. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. He was founder of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, serving as president from its inception in 1972 until 1997. After that he continued to serve as professor and chair of the evangelism department. He created the seminary to be a conservative alternative to liberal-leaning institutions. He is survived by his wife, Voncille; two daughters, Suzanne Grigsby and Charlotte Miller; son, Gray M. Allison; six grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
David Lee Davis, 66, died Jan. 30 in Kansas City, Mo. An American Baptist minister for 36 years, he served churches in Nebraska, Montana, Kansas and Colorado. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca; daughters Abigail Lee Smith, Marney Sue Hedrick, Katherine Lynn Randolph; and seven grandchildren
Faye Pearson, 78, died Feb. 20 in Hattiesburg, Miss. She was the first woman to serve as an area director for the Southern Baptist International Board. In 1968 she was appointed as a missionary to Taiwan. In 1993 she was elected to lead the IMB’s work in East Asia. She selected to take early retirement from the IMB in 1997, and for the next 12 years, she was supported by the churches and individuals from the Taiwan Chinese Baptist Convention and taught at the Nanjing Theological Seminary in Nanjing, China. She is survived by a nephew, James W. Pearson.
Phillip Wright Sherrod, 83, died Feb. 13 in Waco, Texas. A longtime Texas Baptist minister of music, he led educational and music ministries at First Baptist Church, Woodville for 14 years. He went on to serve in music and senior adult ministry at First Baptist Church in Levelland and Central Baptist Church in Carthage. He is preceded in death by his wife, Margaret. He is survived by daughters, Cherisa York and Rebecca Guess; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Timothy George, 30 years as dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, Birmingham, Ala.
Carol Ann Hoard, 20 years as minister of students and activities at First Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C.
Les Hollon, 10 years as senior pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas.
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.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 2-15-19
Transitions for the week of 2-8-19
Transitions for the week of 2-1-19
Transitions for the week of 1-25-19