Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Wade Allen, to United Church of Canandaigua, N.Y., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Muncie, Ind.
Kurt Bowman, to Purcellville (Va.) Baptist Church, as executive pastor.
Josh Bramlett, to Leesburg (Va.) Community Church, as senior pastor.
June Joplin, to Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, Canada, as associate pastor of programs and congregational care, effective March 15.
William Lake Jr., to First Baptist Church of Clarendon, Arlington, Va., as worship leader.
Griffin Gulledge, to Madison (Ga.) Baptist Church, as pastor.
Ian Minielly, to Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Axton, Va., as pastor.
Tyler Phllips, now serving as pastor of Berryville (Va.) Baptist Church.
Redo Purnell, to First Baptist Church, Garnett, Kansas, as pastor.
Stephen Reeves, to Fellowship Southwest, as executive director. He is associate coordinator for advocacy for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Decatur, Ga.
Ron Shortt, to Pioneer Baptist Church, Varina, Va., as senior pastor.
Andrew Snead, to May Memorial Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va., as minister of music.
Scotty Swingler, to Sugar Land (Texas) Baptist Church, as associate pastor of students.
Tiffany Talley, to New Bethesda Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, Va., as minister of music.
Nate West, to Red Lane Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va., as associate pastor of students.
Melissa Wiser, to Pritchard Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., as interim minister to children and their families.
RETIREMENTS
Alba Beasley, announcing plans to retire after nearly 20 years as associate minister for music and worship at University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.
John Michael Helms, retiring as pastor of First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Ga., to join Andrew Cook and Associates Inc., as pastoral counselor.
Zina Jacque, announcing plans to retire as pastor of Community Church of Barrington, Ill., after 15 years of ministry there.
Marv Knox, retiring as coordinator of Fellowship Southwest.
ORDINATIONS
Kyle R. Dobyns, ordained to ministry on Jan. 17 by Ferry Farm Baptist Church, Fredericksburg, Va., where he serves as youth pastor.
Eric Moser, ordained to ministry on Feb. 28 by First Baptist, Newton, Kansas, where he serves as associate pastor for connections.
Dana Peebles, ordained to ministry on Feb. 21 by Belmont Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.
DEATHS
Kenneth Eugene Durtsche, 85, died Feb. 20 in Marion, Ohio. He was pastor of The Kings Creek Baptist Church, Urbana, Ohio; Baptist Church in Morral; and for more than 35 years was pastor of Fairpark Community Baptist Church in Marion. He is survived by his wife, Sue; and his sister, Anita Goodman.
Mildred “Millie” Myren, 85, died Feb. 1 in Chicago, Ill. She served as interim executive minister for American Baptist Churches of Metro-Chicago and interim minister at Morgan Park Baptist Church in Chicago. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur. She is survived by her children, Janice Miller and Mark Myren; and 12 grandchildren.
Everett E. Palmer, 77, died Jan 25 in Alton Bay, N.H. He was pastor of several churches during his ministry, including Newton Junction Baptist Church, Newton, N.H., Danville (N.H.) Baptist Church, Ashland (N.H.) Baptist Church and Holdeness (N.H.) Community Church. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; sons, Kenneth, Jacob and Shawn; and three grandchildren.
John A. Sundquist, 84, died Feb. 21 in Sawyer, Mich. He served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Minneapolis. In 1970 he became the first area minister in the newly organized Mid-Atlantic Region of American Baptist Churches. He then served as both associate executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Michigan and the area minister for metropolitan Detroit. In 1977 he became the executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Ohio. In 1989 he was called as executive director of International Ministries and served there until his retirement in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Carol; and son, John.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Susan Taylor Davis, 25 years as associate pastor, minister of music at First Baptist Church, South Boston, Va.
Chris Smith, 10 years as associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Cleburne, Texas.
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas; 150 years, Feb. 25.
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 2-19-21
Transitions for the week of 2-5-21
Transitions for the week of 1-22-21
Transitions for the week of 1-8-21