Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Adrian Bullock, to Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, as Triangle area campus minister.
Jordan Conley, to Crescent Hill Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky., as co-pastor.
Preston Cooley, to First Baptist Church, Clemson, S.C., as minister of students.
Justin Cox, to Second Baptist Church, Suffield, Conn., as senior pastor.
Natasha Gordon, to Georgiaville Baptist Church, Smithfield, R.I., as pastor.
Ray Graham, to Wilderness Baptist Church, Spotsylvania, Va., as pastor.
Will Haas, to Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, N.C., as pastor.
Patricia Hunter, concluding her tenure as pastor of outreach and education for First Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash.
Jon Lambert, concluding his tenure after 20 years as pastor of Hacienda Heights (Calif.) Baptist Church, to accept a call to a church in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Glen Leverette, to Community Baptist Church, Newport, R.I., as pastor.
Matt McClure, to First Baptist Church, Woodway, Texas, as youth pastor.
Greg Merlo, to Parkwood Baptist Church, Annandale, Va., as pastor of youth and young adults.
Kate Milham, concluding her tenure as director of children and family ministries for Williamsburg (Va.) Baptist Church.
Valeria Schmidt, concluding her tenure as senior minister of Trinity Baptist Church, Northborough, Mass.
Joshua Scott, to Greater Providence Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga., where he was associate pastor.
Doug Shenton, to Faith Fellowship of York County, Pa., as pastor.
Tom Stocks, resigning as lead pastor of Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., effective Oct. 16. He will become a field strategist for the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
Gayle Taylor, concluding her tenure as worship pastor for Bethel Baptist Church, Midlothian, Va.
Philip Vestal, to First Baptist Church, Commerce, Ga., as pastor. He comes from First Baptist Church, Marietta, Ga., where he is associate pastor.
Lori Welborn, to First Baptist Church, Griffin, Ga., as minister to children and families. She comes from New Hope Baptist Church, Raleigh N.C., where she was associate minister to children and community engagement.
Christopher Williams, to Olney Baptist Church, Providence, R.I., as pastor. He comes from Concord Baptist Church, Boston, Mass., where he was minister for teaching.
Stan Wilson, to Circle of Mercy, Asheville, N.C., as co-pastor, effective Sept. 4. Previously he served in a pastoral role at Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss., and Northside Baptist Church, Clinton, Miss.
RETIREMENTS
Richard Copeland, retiring as pastor of De Soto (Kansas) Baptist Church.
Frances Ford, retiring as executive director of Sowing Seeds of Hope, Marion, Ala.
Joan Friesen, announcing plans to retire as executive minister of American Baptist Churches of Greater Indianapolis, effective July 1, 2023.
Jane Gibbons, retiring as executive minister for program and ministry development for American Baptist Churches of Ohio, effective Jan. 1.
Deborah Lockey, retiring as director of youth and senior adults at First Baptist Church, Morehead City, N.C.
Paul Marine, retiring as senior pastor of Sunset Hills Baptist Church, Omaha, Neb.
Bonnie Kline Smeltzer, retiring as pastor of University Baptist and Brethren Church, State College, Pa., where she has served since 2002.
ORDINATIONS
Adrian Bullock, ordained to gospel ministry on Aug. 21 by Watts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
Michael Eley Jr., ordained to gospel ministry on Aug. 20 by Friendship Chapel Church, Wake Forest, N.C.
Amanda Clark Hines, ordained to gospel ministry on July 31 by First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala. She is associate pastor of youth and community engagement at Kingwood (Texas) Christian Church.
Kristin Prasad, ordained to gospel ministry on Aug. 14 by First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala., where she serves as minister to kids and families.
Maddie Rarick, ordained to gospel ministry on Aug. 14 by First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas. She is pastor of Meadow Oaks Baptist Church, Temple, Texas.
DEATHS
Charles ”Chuck” Ray Brawley, 66, died Aug. 14 in Lenoir, N.C. He was pastor of College Avenue Baptist Church in Lenoir, for the past 12 years. He also served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Beesemer City, N.C., and First Baptist Church in Faith, N.C. He was associate pastor of Dundee (Fla.) Baptist Church and was youth and music minister at Morgan Mill (Texas) Baptist Church and associate minister at Conrad Memorial Baptist Church, High Point, N.C. He is survived by his wife, Becky; son, Jason; daughter, Stacy B. Byrd; seven grandchildren; two step grandchildren; and one step great grandchild.
Fred L. Kelly Jr., 87, died July 27 in Winston-Salem, N.C. He retired in 2015 after nearly 60 years of ministry in church music, serving as minister of music in numerous churches as well as in the church music department at Lifeway Christian Resources (formerly the Baptist Sunday School Board.) He is survived by two daughters, Stephanie Dietz and Sherylann Wesner; a stepdaughter, Rebecca Hills; and four grandchildren.
Randolph “Randy” Michael Newsome Jr., 68, died August 10 in Bowling Green, Va. He was the pastor of Round Oak Baptist Church, Corbin, Va., for 36 years. He also was pastor of First Baptist Church, Centerville, Ind., and Elizabeth Baptist Church, Nabb, Ind. He is survived by his wife, Beth; daughter, Kristy N. Ellis; and a granddaughter.
Charles “Charlie” Daniel Sinclair Jr., 91, died July 26 in Warrenton, Va. He was pastor of churches in North Carolina and Virginia. He served as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Arlington, Va., for 35 years. He then joined the North Star Church Network as the Staff Liaison for Rural Churches. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Carol, and his son, Stephen. He is survived by his wife, Georgine; children, Jeannette Flax, Edward Sinclair and Marie Dennis; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
John Wheat, 10 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Kerrville, Texas.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 8-12-22
Transitions for the week of 7-29-22
Transitions for the week of 7-15-22
Transitions for the week of 7-1-22