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 The United Church of Canandaigua, N.Y., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Muncie, Ind.
Liz Baker, to First Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as director of communication.
Colonel Leah Botana Boling, to the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, as director. Currently she is chaplain for Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing and is endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Jameson Deering, to First Baptist Church, Cornelia, Ga., as interim children’s minister.
Mike Durham, to Bowling Green (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim pastor.
Todd Gaston, concluding his tenure after 19 years as lead pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist Church, Stafford, Va.
Zach and Claire Helton, concluding their tenure as co-pastors of Northminster Baptist Church, Monroe, La., to relocate to Nashville, Tenn.
Cheryl Jones, to First Baptist Church, Temple, Texas, as interim connections and administrative pastor.
David Peppler Sr., to Peptalk Ministries, as owner and spiritual coach. Previously he was pastor of Chamberlayne Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
Chance Perkins, to First Baptist Church, Morehead City, N.C., as associate pastor/minister of education, discipleship, missions.
Bruce Queen, to Mechanicsville (Va.) Baptist Church, as intentional interim pastor.
Nic Seaborn, to Shades Crest Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Raleigh Avenue Baptist Church, Homewood, Ala.
Brett Stark, to Grace Point Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., as associate pastor of discipleship.
Andy Wakefield, to Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, Fayetteville, N.C., as interim pastor.
RETIREMENTS
Frank Johnson, retiring as pastor of Bowling Green (Va.) Baptist Church.
Jay Martin, retiring after 42 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Manistique, Mich.
Vickie Riggs, retiring as minister of community impact/adults at First Baptist Church, Norman, Okla. She has served there since 1984.
Greg Rogers, retiring after 35 years as senior pastor of Oakmont Baptist Church, Greenville, N.C.
Kathi Traficanti, retiring as minister of senior adults at Second Baptist Church, Henrico, Va.
ORDINATIONS
Jonathan Bryson, ordained to ministry on June 27 by New Hope Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C.
Maggie Hollingsworth, ordained to ministry on June 27 by First Baptist Church, Muleshoe, Texas, where she serves as music minister.
Abby Manes, ordained to ministry on June 27 by First Baptist Church, Muleshoe, Texas, where she serves as children’s and family minister.
DEATHS
Fred D. McGehee, 85, died June 26 in Raleigh, N.C. He had served as pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and Double Shoals Baptist Church, both in Shelfy, N.C. During his retirement years he was pastor of Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Kittrell, N.C. For 18 years he was involved in the creation and growth of a national program of career assessment to aid and encourage ministers at LifeWay Christian Resources. He served as director of the office of minister support with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; two daughters, Kathy Harris and Cheryl Littleton; and two grandchildren.
Norman Sidney Norton, 85, died June 28 in Spartanburg, S.C. He served as pastor of New Heights Baptist Church, Gaffney, S.C., for 43 years. He also was pastor of Grassy Pond Baptist Church, Harmony Baptist Church and Viewmont Baptist Church. He is survived by two sons, Norman and William; a daughter, Cynthia N. Krull; and four grandchildren.
Robert Turner, 82, died June 26 in Salina, Kansas. An American Baptist pastor, he served churches in Kansas, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is survived by his wife, Christina; sons, Rick Turner and John Creighton; daughters, Roberta Turner, Rebecca Jill Turner, Janet Carlson, Joyce Pohl and Joan Newingham; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Tom Cabaniss, 25 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Kannapolis, N.C.
Darren DeMent, 25 years on staff of Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. Currently he serves as associate pastor.
Greg Moser, 5 years as pastor of Green Ridge Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va.
Walter McWilliams, 10 years on staff of First Baptist Church, Lufkin, Texas. Currently he serves as associate pastor/minister of missions.
Philip Turner, 30 years as pastor of Pine Street Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
CHURCHES
Buckingham (Va.) Baptist Church; 250 years; July 11.
Third Baptist Church, Owensboro, Ky.; 125 years; August 8.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 6-25-21
Transitions for the week of 6-11-21
Transitions for the week of 5-2821
Transitions for the week of 5-14-21