Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Scott Adamsons, to Hopewell Baptist Church, New Kent, Va., as pastor, effective Oct. 1. He comes from the pastorate of Lighthouse Baptist Church, Eden, N.C.
Eric Bebber, to Augusta Heights Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., as associate pastor.
Lois Birdwell, to Central Baptist Church, Lexington, Ky., as music director.
Chris Brammer, to Villa Heights Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as transitional pastor.
Jewel Cannon, to First Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga., as children’s associate.
Jason Carver, to Northridge Baptist Church, Friedens, Pa., as pastor.
Felecia Dewing, to Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga., as minister to children and their families.
Stanley Elliot, to St. John’s Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as pastor.
Aaron Ferguson, to Westhaven Baptist Church, Arlington, Va., as pastor.
Tique Hamilton, to First Baptist Church, Sweetwater, Texas, as senior pastor, effective Sept. 10. He has served there as youth and family minister.
John Higginbotham, to Atlantic (Va.) Baptist Church, as pastor.
Renee MacVicar, to Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, as executive director. She has been associate pastor of community engagement at Hillside Baptist Church, Moncton, New Brunswick.
Zach Mason, to First Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga., as youth associate.
Mark Medley, to Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, as interim academic dean. Since 2007 he has taught theology and ethics at the seminary.
Lex Moore, concluding his tenure as student and discipleship pastor for Fairfax Circle Baptist Church, Fairfax, Va.
Devita Parnell, to First Baptist Church, Morrow, Ga., as senior pastor. For the past 16 years she has served on the staff of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and its work with young Baptists.
Charles E. “Chuck” Poole, to First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon, Ga., as interim preaching minister.
Kyle Reese, to First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga., as senior minister. His previous pastorate was Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla.
Michael Sheppard, to Preston Oaks Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as lead pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Villa Heights Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va.
Brian Thomas, to Skipwith Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as pastor.
Patricia Turner, to First Baptist Church, North Wilkesboro, N.C., as associate pastor. She comes from First Baptist Church, West Jefferson, N.C., where she served as associate pastor of children and youth.
ORDINATIONS
Cintia Aguilar, ordained to ministry on Aug. 14 by Primera Iglesia Bautista, Waco, Texas.
Amy Whittington, ordained to ministry on Aug. 20 by Benson (N.C.) Baptist Church.
DEATHS
Alan Douglas Alrich, 101, died June 23 in Charlotte, N.C. He was a Baptist minister for more than 70 years serving as pastor of First Baptist Church, LaFollette, Tenn., Forest Hills Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., and First Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C. Upon his retirement he continued his ministry as interim pastor in 11 different churches. He served as second vice president of the North Carolina Baptist Convention, trustee of Wake Forest University, Shaw University, Meredith College, Sothern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Biblical Recorder. He is preceded in death by his wife, Edna Lou. He is survived by a daughter, Judith A. Planer; a son, Joseph; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Thomas H. “Tom” Graves, 75, died August 17 in Richmond, Va. He served as pastor of Christiansburg (Ky.) Baptist Church; First Baptist Church, Lake Park, Fla.; and St. John’s Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C. He was the founding president of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond and retired from that position in 2007. His previous academic positions include Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Baptist Theological Seminary of Zimbabwe. He is survived by his wife, Wendy; daughters, Anne Tuskey and Jennie Gwin; and three grandchildren.
Marion Dodson Lark, 87, died Aug. 19 in Henderson, N.C. He served as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.; First Baptist Church, Farmville, N.C.; and of First Baptist Church, Henderson, N.C., for nearly 30 years. He had served on the board of director for the Biblical Recorder, on the general board and executive committee of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and for two years as chairman of the Historical Commission of the SBC. He is survived by his wife, Jean; son, Jonathan; daughter, Jeanne L. Amos; and one grandson.
Robert Y. “Rob” Sandford, 80, died Aug. 6 in Henrico, Va. He began his ministry as pastor of Goshen Baptist Church, Glen Dean, Ky. He moved to Virginia and spent two years as Baptist collegiate minister for Washington & Lee University and Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. He then became Baptist collegiate minister at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. For 41 years he dedicated himself to guiding and supporting college students, leaving a lasting impression on thousands of young lives. He is survived by his wife, Bettina; two daughters, Larisa Lenore Sandford and Melanie S. Dalton; and four grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Jimmy Elder, 20 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbus, Ga.
Jennifer Jindrich, 20 years as associate pastor of children and pastoral care of First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga.
Larisa Leapley, 30 years as music director of First Baptist Church, North Wilkesboro, N.C.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 8-18-23
Transitions for the week of 8-4-23
Transitions for the week of 7-21-23
Transitions for the week of 7-7-23
