Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Hannah Brown, concluding her tenure as college minister for First Baptist Church, Temple, Texas.
Cindy Elmore, to Centra Health Foundation, Lynchburg, Va., as director of major gifts. Since 2011 she has served as director of advancement for the Virginia Baptist (now Everbless) Foundation, Henrico, Va.
Tammy Gill, to Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., as associate pastor of families and missions.
George Mason, to Center for Healthy Churches and PneuMatrix, as consultant. He is the former senior pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas.
Tim Moore, to Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington, W.Va., as interim pastor.
Georgia McKee and Maggie Morey, to Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, as pastoral residents. They will begin two-year residency terms in August.
Randall E. McCaskill Jr., to Second Baptist Church, Media, Pa., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Olivet Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
Marvin McMickle, to First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, Shaker Heights, Ohio, as interim pastor.
Asher Panton, to First Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Immanuel Baptist Church, Greenville, N.C.
Sarah Shelton, to Center for Healthy Churches and PneuMatrix, as consultant. She is the former pastor of the Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Ala.
Rusty Thomaston, to Pritchard Church, Charlotte, N.C., as executive pastor.
Tyler Ward, to First Baptist Church, Dunn, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from Forest Hills Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., where he was associate pastor of missions and adults.
Tammy Wikholm, to First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga., as director of children’s ministry.
RETIREMENTS
Kregg Burris, retiring as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, Shaker Heights, Ohio.
Paul Simpson Duke, retiring as pastor of First Baptist Church, Ann Arbor, Mich., where he has served since 2001.
Mark Johnson, retiring as senior pastor of Central Baptist Church, Lexington, Ky., effective August 24. He has served there since 2005.
DEATHS
Charles Merry Christmas Sr., 97, died March 10 in Memphis, Tenn. He had served as director of missions for Chilton Baptist Association. He also served as pastor of numerous churches in Alabama and Louisiana, including Rock Springs Baptist Church, Lafayette; Mignon Baptist Church, Sylacauga.; Philadelphia Baptist Church, Hillview Baptist Church; and the former Gate City Baptist Church in Birmingham. He also was associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Center Point. He is preceded in death by his wife, Louise. He is survived by a daughter and son; and five grandsons; and several great-grandchildren.
Rebecca K. McKinley, 94, died March 18 in Apex, N.C. She and her husband, Hugh, were missionaries with the SBC Foreign (now International) Mission Board in Africa from 1958 until 1994. Upon returning to the States, they served as missionaries in residence at Stetson University, DeLand, Fla., and Campbell University Divinity School, Buies Creek, N.C. She was active in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, served with the Christian Women’s Job Corps, Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina and Baptist Women in Ministry NC. She is survived by her husband; two daughters, Marsha Lynn McKinley and Margaret Rose Fortenberry; a son, Dale T. McKinley; two granddaughters; and three great-grandsons.
Roger A. Paynter Jr., 74, died March 6 in Austin, Texas. He served as associate pastor of The Church at Highland Park, Austin, Texas; and as senior pastor of Austin Heights Baptist Church, Nacogodoches, Texas; Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco; Texas; Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss; and First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas. He was an early leader of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and was a strong advocate for women in ministry. He is survived by two children, Grayson and Mary Kathryn Paynter; two grandchildren; and his former wife, Suzii Youngblood Paynter March.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Faye Ayers, 40 years as organist for First Baptist Church, Boone, N.C.
Christopher Ingram, 10 years as senior pastor of Yates Baptist Church, Durham, N.C.
Becky Varner, 50 years of service in the music ministry at Manassas (Va.) Baptist Church.
Chuck Warnock, 20 years as pastor of Chatham (Va.) Baptist Church.
Rebecca Wheeler, 5 years as pastor for family life and young adults for Church on Main, Blacksburg, Va.
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
First Baptist Church, Memphis, Tenn.; 185 years; April 7.
Manassas (Va.) Baptist Church; 140 years; March 31.
Northminster Baptist Church, Monroe, La.; 35 years; March 19.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 3-22-24
Transitions for the week of 3-8-24
Transitions for the week of 2-23-24
Transitions for the week of 2-9-24