Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Mike Bradley to NorthStar Church Network, Manassas, Va., as associate executive director. He comes from the pastorate of Warrenton (Va.) Baptist Church.
Brittany Cardwell, to Great Rivers Fellowship (CBF), as coordinator of community engagement.
Mason Freeman, to Brookwood Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., as minister to children and their families.
Doug Gibson, to Zoar Baptist Church, Locust Grove, Va., as interim pastor.
Claudia Grainger-Sink, to Trinity Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as associate pastor and minister to students.
Alice Burnette Greene, to University Baptist Church, College Park, Md., as interim pastor.
Katie McKown, to Immanuel Baptist Church, Paducah, Ky., as senior pastor. She comes from the pastorate of Scottsville (Va.) Baptist Church.
Shane McNary, to Great Rivers Fellowship (CBF), as coordinator of ministry.
Michael Monteagudo, to Parkside Baptist Church, Sherman, Texas, as pastor of student ministry and recreation.
Allen Preston, to Mechanicsville Baptist Church, Gordonsville, Va., as pastor.
Dave Shafferman, to Crossroads Community Church, Troy, Va., as pastor.
Bill Slater, to Millbrook Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as interim pastor.
Dee Whitten, to Goshen Baptist Association, Mineral, Va., as director of missions.
Jeremy Williams, to Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, as assistant professor of New Testament.
RETIREMENT
Wayne Collis, retiring after 17 years as pastor of Gordonsville (Va.) Baptist Church.
ORDINATIONS
Madison Harner, ordained to ministry on March 6 by Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala., where she serves as minister to the Christian home.
Elizabeth Swett, ordained to ministry on Feb. 19 by First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga.
DEATHS
Charles G. Clay, 75, died Feb. 25 in Chase City, Va. He served churches in North Carolina and Virginia for 35 years. During the latter years of ministry, he also served as a chaplain for the city of Chesapeake, Virginia, and the Chase City Fire Department. He is survived by his wife, Kalen; sons Chuck and Jon; daughter, Jennie; and four granddaughters.
Sonny Hays, 93, died Jan. 5 in Plainfield, Ind. During his 27 years of pastoral ministry, he was pastor of several churches, including First Baptist Church of Madison, Ind. and Switzerland Baptist Church, Vevay, Ind. Beginning in 1980 he served in several professional counseling positions and maintained a private practice until retirement. He is preceded in death by his wife, Blanche. He is survived by two sons, John and Paul; and a daughter, Mary Hays.
William Diberal “Dib” Mills Jr., 85, died Feb. 15. He served as pastor of numerous Virginia Baptist churches, including Crossroads Baptist Church, Mill Creek Baptist Church, Hunting Creek Baptist Church, Falling River Baptist Church, Enon Baptist Church and Ellis Creek Baptist Church from which he retired. He is predeceased by his wife, Mattie Sue. He is survived by a daughter, Wanda Anderson; two sons, W.D. III and Warren; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Thomas Martin Ruane, 77, died on Jan. 18. He worked for the Baptist General Convention of Texas in the student division from 1979 to 2000 and he later was associate director of institutional ministries and director of church relations consultants. After retiring he worked as development director for the Baptist Standard. He served as an interim pastor and visiting preacher in congregations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He is survived by his wife, Mary Alice; two sons, Richard and Jason; daughter, Kristen; and five grandchildren.
James A. “Tony” Spencer, 67, died Feb. 11 in Forest City. N.C. He was minister of music for First Baptist Church, Forest City, from 1982 until his retirement in 2020. He served as choral clinician at the North Carolina Baptist Assembly for 20 years. He was an active participant in the North Carolina Handbell and Choral festivals and the Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers. He is survived by his wife, Becky; son, Charles; daughter, Meredith S. Frees; and two grandchildren.
Karen Sue Sundland, died on Feb. 2 in Laramie, Wyo. She was pastor of Laramie First Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Milton and Emily. She is survived by her fiancé, Eric John Lundquist; and cousins, including Marlys Powell, Charli Gill and Justin Keller.
John Lee Taylor, 89, died Feb. 2 in Birmingham, Ala. He was pastor of First Baptist churches in Drew, Canton, McComb and Grenada, Miss., as well as West Jackson Baptist Church. Following that he served First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga., where he retired. He is survived by his wife, Delores; a daughter, Melanie Claypool; two sons, Michael and Mark; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
David S. Van Brakle, 40, died Feb. 8 in Lawrenceville, N.J. Most recently he served as the associate regional pastor for the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey. Previously he served in Saginaw, Mich.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Wilmette, Ill. He also participated in the congregational care of his childhood church, Calvary Baptist in Allentown, Pa. He is survived by his wife, Erica; sons, Ethan and William; and father, John.
Larry K. Vowell, 78, died Feb. 21. In his 50-plus years in ministry, he served Southside Baptist Church, Irving, Texas; Northway Baptist Church, Dallas; Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas; Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco, Texas; and First Baptist Church, Grapevine, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Brenda; daughters, Laura Lavender and Julie Adkins; and five grandchildren.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 2-17-23
Transitions for the week of 2-3-23
Transitions for the week of 1-20-23
Transitions for the week of 1-6-23