Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Travis Ball, to First Baptist Church, Parsons, Kansas, as pastor.
Evan Bever, to First Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Ind., as senior pastor, effective Oct. 1.
Jacob Boyd, to First Baptist Church, Springfield, Va., as associate pastor of students and discipleship.
Susan Hineman, concluding her tenure as children’s minister at Effort Baptist Church, Palmyra, Va., to relocate to Florida.
Sam Kelly, to First Baptist Church, Springfield, Va., as associate pastor of worship arts.
Allie Osborne, to Central Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as children’s ministry assistant.
Jo Nygard Owens, to First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., as communications director. Previously she was associate pastor at Guilford Park Presbyterian Church in Greensboro.
Irving Scoby, to Georgiaville (R.I.) Baptist Church, as pastor. He will continue to serve Pawtuxet Baptist Church, Cranston, R.I.
Ashli Shaw, to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Macon, Ga., as preschool and children’s coordinator.
Meagan Smith, concluding her tenure as associate minister at First Baptist Church, Lexington, N.C.
RETIREMENT
Bill Coates, retiring as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga., where he has served for 20 years.
DEATHS
Ben M. Elrod, 87, died Aug. 7. He was president of Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Ark., from 1988 to 1998. Prior to that he was Ouachita’s first vice president for development. He was named chancellor following his retirement as president. In recognition of his commitment to servant leadership, the Ben M. Elrod Center for Family and Community was named in his honor upon retirement. He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou; daughter, Cindy E. Stroud; son, Bill; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Martha M. Howard, 99, died on Aug. 3 in Dallas, Texas. She is the widow of Herbert R. Howard Jr., who served as senior minister of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas for 28 years. She is survived by a son, Herbert; three daughters, Laura H. Denham, Carolyn M. Howard and Martha H. Moore; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Cheryl R. Thomas, 58, died Aug. 1 in Des Moines, Iowa. An ordained minister, she had served churches in Minneapolis and South Central, Minn., and Des Moines, Iowa. She was a passionate advocate for social issues, including gun safety, and women in ministry. She is survived by her husband, Hardy Whiteman; son, John Whiteman; and daughter, Glenna Whiteman.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Tom Allen, 20 years as minister of education and administration at First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 8-3-18
Transitions for the week of 7-27-18
Transitions for the week of 7-20-18
Transitions for the week of 7-13-18