Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Dan Armistead, to Embrace Church, High Point, N.C., as pastor.
Ben Barrow, to Langley Baptist Church, Hampton, Va., as pastor. He comes from All Nations Church, Newport News, Va., where he was associate pastor.
Jill Bradway, to Philadelphia Baptist Association, as associate regional pastor for congregational continuous learning.
Edgardo Colon-Emeric, appointed to a five-year term as dean of Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C. He has served as dean of Duke Divinity School since 2021.
Jim de Vries, concluding his tenure as youth and young adult director for Culpeper (Va.) Baptist Church.
Mark Dowell, to Church of the Savior, Cedar Park, Texas, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Venice Park United Church of Christ, Venice, Fla.
Lee Ellison, to Stockton Memorial Baptist Church, Chesterfield, Va., as pastor.
Michael P.L. Friday, to American Baptist Churches of Greater Indianapolis, as executive minister, effective Aug. 24. He comes from Transition Ministries, ABCUSA, where he has been a transitional ministry specialist since 2015.
Carolyn Garr, to First Baptist Church, Corbin, Ky., as interim music director.
Eric Lewis, to Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C., as director of the office of Black Christian Studies. He currently is curator of religion for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and lead researcher in the Center for the Study of African American Religious Life.
Tico Montoya, concluding his tenure as young adult, men and college minister for South Main Baptist Church, Pasadena, Texas.
Caroline Moore, to First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga., as associate pastor of students.
Enrique Newman, to Central Baptist Church, Westerly, R.I., as associate pastor.
Aaron Rice, to First Baptist Church, Lincolnton, N.C., as interim minister of music.
Matthew Roberts, to Broadus Memorial Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va., as pastor, effective in mid-August. He comes from First Baptist Church, Marion, N.C., where he is associate pastor for Christian formation.
Daniel Rodriguez Schlorff, to Third Congregational Church, Middleton, Conn., as senior minister. Previously he was founding pastor of Faith Tapestry Community Church, New Haven, Conn.
Kari Selz, concluding her tenure as minister to preschoolers and children for Earle Street Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., to relocate to Massachusetts.
Johnny Serratt, to Wise (N.C.) Baptist Church, as pastor.
Anna Kate Stephenson, to Boulevard Baptist Church, Anderson, S.C., as minister to children and community.
Tyler Shepherd, to First Baptist Church, Hickory, N.C., as minister to students and their families.
Matt Waller, to First Baptist Church, Aiken, S.C., as minister to children and families.
Chelsea Weise, to Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fl., as interim director of children and community life.
Austen Winfrey, to Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, as youth minister.
RETIREMENTS
David Helms, retiring as senior minister of First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.
Jim Johnson, retiring as pastor of Kilmarnock (Va.) Baptist Church.
John Loring, retiring after 13 years as pastor of The Baptist Church in the Great Valley, Devon, Pa.
Kurt Satherlie, retiring as pastor of Central Baptist Church, Jamestown, R.I.
Michael Tutterow, retiring after 12 years as lead pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Cartersville, Ga.
ORDINATIONS
Lindsay Wiles, ordained to ministry on June 17 by Orange (Va.) Baptist Church.
Mary Renfer, ordained to ministry on May 21 by First Baptist Church, Shelby, N.C.
DEATH
John Edward Hester, 73, died June 2 in Liberty, Mo. A minister for more than 40 years, he was pastor of Chikaska Baptist Church, Harper, Kansas; First Baptist Church, Herington, Kansas; First Baptist Church, Harlan, Kansas; First Baptist Church, Larned, Kansas; and First Baptist Church, Rozel, Kansas. He is survived by his wife, Christi; daughters, Sharla Testorff and Heidi Mull; son, Jeffrey; and seven grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
David Helm, 40 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.
CHURCHES
First Baptist Church, Morrow, Ga.; 125 years.
Seventh & James Baptist Church, Waco, Texas; 125 years; June 25.
Village Baptist Church, Fort Edward, N.Y.; 175 years.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 6-23-23
Transitions for the week of 6-9-23
Transitions for the week of 5-26-23
Transitions for the week of 5-12-23