Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Marty Akins, to First Baptist Church, Ballinger, Texas, as pastor.
Josh Beeler, to Madison Heights (Va.) Baptist Church, as pastor. He comes from Central Baptist Church Fountain City, Knoxville, Tenn., where he was associate pastor of formations.
Scott Covington, now serving as pastor of Buena Vista (Va.) Baptist Church.
Dillon Evans, to Gloucester Point (Va.) Baptist Church, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Grace Bible Church, Protection, Kansas.
Scott Henderson, to Etowah (N.C.) Baptist Church, as pastor.
Kimberly Hurt, to Ironbridge Baptist Church, Chester, Va., as children’s ministry director.
Aaron Kilbourn, to American Baptist Churches of the Dakotas, as executive minister, effective June 1. He has been a pastor in the Dakotas for over 20 years.
Kevin Long, to Crab Creek Baptist Church, Kerrville, Texas, as pastor.
Janna Louie, to Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Washington, D.C., as chief of staff.
Timothy McKeown, to GracePointe Church, Springtown, Texas, as pastor.
Catherine Miller, to First Baptist Church, Westwood, Mass., as pastor.
Brandon McMinn, to First Baptist Church, East Flat Rock, N.C., as pastor.
Billy Orton, to Trinity Baptist Church, Madison, Ala., as interim minister of music.
Patrick Ransom, to First Baptist Church, Cameron, Texas, as pastor.
Vance Shearin, concluding his tenure as pastor of Pamunkey Indian Baptist Church, King William, Va.
Jim Siegel, to First Baptist Church, Killeen, Texas, as minister of discipleship and administration. He comes from First Baptist Church, Temple, Texas, where he was youth minister.
Allan Smith, to Mechanicsville Baptist Church, Gordonsville, Va., as pastor. He comes from Haymarket (Va.) Baptist Church, where he was associate pastor of community outreach.
Gavin Spell, to First Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C., as minister of missions and media, effective in Aug. Currently he serves as student minister there.
Keenan Thomas, to Shiloh Baptist Church (New Site), Fredericksburg, Va., as pastor.
William Wall, to First Baptist Church, Meridian, Miss., as senior pastor. He comes from Pine Belt Baptist Association, Hattiesburg, Miss., where he was associate missions specialist.
Josh Wootton, to First Baptist Church, Woodbridge, Va., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Eastern Hills Baptist Church, Montgomery, Ala.
RETIREMENTS
Steve Crane, retiring after 16 years as pastor of Poplar Springs Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
Tony Martin, retiring after 26 years as worship pastor of Central Baptist Church, Johnson City, Tenn.
Cathy Watson, retiring after 12 years as director for student life at Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C.
ORDINATION
Haley Blackwell, ordained to ministry on May 7 by St. John’s Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., where she serves as minister for youth and young adults.
DEATHS
John Paul Griggs, 91, died April 8 in Johnson City, Tenn. He served as pastor of Caskey Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, Ky. Then he and his wife, Florence, were appointed by the SBC International Mission Board as missionaries in Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, Africa, where they served as church planters for 35 years. Upon retirement he joined the staff of First Baptist Church, Morristown, Tenn., where he served as minister of prayer. He is survived by his wife, Florence; five children, Dottie, Ruth, Mary, Becky and Philip; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Andrew M. Kilpatrick Jr., 96, died May 7 in Tewksbury, Mass. He served as pastor of churches in the New England area, including Bradley Baptist Church and The Great Works Baptist Church in Maine. He was the founding pastor of The Trinity Baptist Church, Lynnfield, Maine. He then was pastor of First Baptist Church, Adams, Mass., and Savoy (Maine) Baptist Church. Other churches include Greenville Baptist Church, Leicester, Maine, North Billerica Baptist Church, and Granville (N.Y.) Baptist Church, until his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Mary; two sons, Stephen and John; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Jerry Sprock, 76, died April 3 in Salem, Mo. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Hayes, Kansas, for 26 years. He also held pastorates in Roundup, Mont., and McCook, Neb. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; son, Andrew; daughters, Rachel and Angela; and six grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Roy Fletcher, 30 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Fletcher, N.C.
Greg Lundburg, 5 years as minister of music and senior adults for First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.
Karen Whitlock, 40 years as music director of Floyd (Va.) Baptist Church.
CHURCHES
Calvary Baptist Church, Mt. Airy, N.C.; 110 years; May 7.
Drummondtown Baptist Church, Accomac, Va.; 150 years; May 7.
St. Mark Baptist Church, Maidens, Va.; 150 years; June 18.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 4-28-23
Transitions for the week of 4-14-23
Transitions for the week of 3-31-23
Transitions for the week of 3-17-23