Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
David Braneky, to Grace Baptist Church, Blue Bell, Pa., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of the Baptist Church of West Chester, Pa.
Bruce Burfield, to First Baptist Church, Lindsborg, Kansas, as pastor, effective in September.
Mike Castle, to First Congregational United Church of Christ, Sioux Falls, Iowa, as pastor. Previously he served as founding pastor of Cross Creek Church, which later merged to become Harmony Creek Church, Dayton, Ohio.
Elaine Hawkins, concluding her tenure as children’s minister at First Baptist Church, Shawnee, Okla., to begin seminary to become a full-time chaplain.
Amy Johns, to First Baptist Church, Columbia, Mo., as director of music.
Joe Kendrick, concluding his tenure as associate pastor to youth and community engagement at Spring Creek Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jim Layton, to Baptist Church of West Chester, Pa., as transition pastor.
Joe McKnight, to Hermitage Baptist Church, Church View, Va., as pastor, effective Sept. 27. He comes from the pastorate of Cool Spring Baptist Church, Eure, N.C.
Joshua Plant, to Church on the Drive, Orlando, Fla., as senior pastor. Previously he was associate pastor there.
Jeffrey Quattlebaum, to First Baptist Church, Brady, Texas, as pastor. He comes from Bois D’ Arc (Texas) Baptist Church, where he was associate pastor.
Jorge Rivera, to South Garland Baptist Church, Garland, Texas, as minister to students.
Mike Smith, concluding his tenure as discipleship minister at First Baptist Church, Woodway, Texas.
Cameron Strange, to Shearer Hills Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, as minister of discipleship and missions.
Susan Stroshl-Kagi, to Royersford (Pa.) Baptist Church, as pastor. Previously she was director for emerging leaders and scholarships at the American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
James Swain, to First Baptist Church, Muskogee, Okla., as transitional pastor.
Matthew Waller, to Boiling Springs (N.C.) Baptist Church, as minister for youth.
RETIREMENTS
Dot Carr, retiring as coordinator of Dan River Baptist Association, Halifax, Va.
Steve Davis, retiring as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga., effective Nov. 1. He retires after 25 years as pastor of First Baptist and 40 years in ministry.
Bruce Fields, retiring as minister of pastoral care at First Baptist Church, Gainesville, Ga.
David Stancil, retiring as senior pastor of Columbia (Md.) Baptist Fellowship, effective in December.
Brooks Wicker, retiring as church administrator of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
ORDINATION
Noelle Owen, ordained to ministry on Aug. 30 by First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, Va.
DEATHS
Harold “Bo” Coleman, 87, died Aug. 8 in Rock Hill, S.C. He was associate pastor and minister of education at Oakland Baptist Church in Rock Hill for 30 years until his retirement in 1998. He had also served at First Baptist Church, Rock Hill, S.C.; Orcutt Baptist Church, Newport News, Va.; and Vinesville Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala. He is survived by his wife, Vonda; two daughters, Wendy Snipes and Jennie Kay Coleman; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Nancy W. Hauser, 70, died July 20 in Richmond, Va. She was an Alliance of Baptist endorsed chaplain until her retirement. She is survived by her husband, Roy; son, William; daughter, Kristin H. Farrar; two stepchildren, Lisa H. Bruce and Chris O. Hauser; and seven grandchildren.
John William Laney, 91, died July 28 in Asheville, N.C. He was an American Baptist pastor for more than 60 years. He was the founding pastor of Twinbrook Baptist Church, Rockville, Md., where he served for 30 years. In retirement he served as interim pastor for 14 churches in five states. He held numerous denominational positions, including serving as president of the International Baptist Peace Fellowship. He is survived by his wife, Joan N. Yarborough; children, George Laney, Mary Ann Rogers and Charles Laney; stepchildren, Julie Yarborough, Susan Jorjorian, Jim Yarborough; chosen son, Fairborz Rakhshan; 15 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.
Daniel E. Weiss, died Aug. 22. He served as general secretary of American Baptist Churches USA from 1988 to 2000. Prior to that he was executive director of the American Baptist Churches USA board of educational ministries and president of American Baptist-related schools, Eastern College in St. Davids, Pa., and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Prior to serving on the denominational level, he held pastorates during the 1960s in Wisconsin, Michigan and Massachusetts. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, Daniel Jr.; daughter, Kristen Weiss; and two grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Susie Reeder, 25 years as minister of missions at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, Fayetteville, N.C.
Jeff Scott, 10 years as pastor of Northside Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, Va.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 8-14-20
Transitions for the week of 7-31-20
Transitions for the week of 7-17-20
Transitions for the week of 7-3-20