Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Josh Anderson, to Summit Church, Boise, Idaho, as youth pastor.
Gwyn Bacon, to First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga., as interim minister of music.
Abigail Cook, to First Baptist Church on Fifth, Winston-Salem, N.C., as communications specialist.
Lucas Dorion, now serving Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Alabama, as interim coordinator. Previously he was associate coordinator.
Kristen Duncan, to St. John’s Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, Va., as pastor.
Chuck Emory, to Parisview Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Earl Street Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C.
Rick Hawthorne, to Faith Baptist Church, Georgetown, Ky., as minister to senior adults.
Shawn Howell, to Abingdon (Va.) Baptist Church, as minister of music and worship.
Keith Jameson, to First Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C., as church music director.
Matthew Manwarren, to Park Road Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., as director of music.
Eric Mathis, to First Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., as associate pastor for faith formation, worship & the arts and young adults, effective Sept. 27. Most recently he served as associate dean for the Division of Music, associate professor of Church Music and Worship Leadership and founding executive director of the Center for Worship and the Ats at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala.
Lynda Myers, to United Church of Auburn, N.Y., as pastor.
Kem Reeder, to Forest Hills Baptist Church, Bella Vista, Ark., as pastor.
Daniel Ripley, to Piney River Baptist Church, Roseland, Va., as pastor. He is chaplain for the Metro Richmond (Va.) Emerald Society and chaplain in the Virginia Defense Force.
Lawrence Rodgers, to Second Baptist Church, Detroit, Mich., as pastor.
Heather Seiber, to First Baptist Church, College Station, Texas, as interim minister of music.
Missy Smith, to The Baptist Church of Beaufort, S.C., as minister of youth and communications.
Richie Vazquez, to Southview Baptist Church, Herndon, Va., as worship leader.
Ryan Walker, now serving as music director at Commonwealth Baptist Church, Alexandria, Va.
Elijah Zehyoue, to Alliance of Baptists, as co-director, effective Oct. 15. He has served as associate pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., since 2014.
RETIREMENTS
Tom Allen, retiring after 30 years as minister of education and administration at First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C., effective Dec. 31.
Larry Bertrand, retiring after 42 years as associate pastor at Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
Phil Christopher, retiring after 26 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas.
Don Davidson, retiring after 16 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Alexandria, Va., effective Dec. 24.
Alice Downs, retiring after 38 years as organist at First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, Va.
Penny Folsom, retiring after 33 years as minister of music at First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, Fla.
Bill Killion, retiring after 25 years as minister of music at First Baptist Church, College Station, Texas.
ORDINATIONS
Kristen Duncan, ordained to ministry on Sept. 6 by St. John’s Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, Va., where she serves as pastor.
Sam Maxwell, ordained to ministry on Sept. 19 by First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala.
Stephanie Parker, ordained o ministry on Aug. 15 by First Baptist Church, Clayton, N.C., where she serves as pastor to children and families.
Elizabeth Scarry, ordained to ministry on Aug. 16 by First Baptist Church, Herndon, Va.
DEATHS
Kirk Lashley, 82, died Sept. 7 in Roanoke, Va. He served churches in Oklahoma and Virginia. His longest pastorate was West Main Baptist Church, Danville, Va. In retirement he served as executive director of the Roanoke Valley (Va.) Baptist Association. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; a daughter, Kimberly Sutliff; two sons, Eric and Mark; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by a son, Kirkland Jr.
Randy Parsons, 85, died Aug. 5 in Lubbock, Texas. During his long career as a church musician, he served churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. His last 14 years in church music ministry were at Trinity Baptist Church in Lubbock. He served as adjunct professor in church administration and academic adviser at Wayland Baptist University’s Lubbock campus. He is survived by his wife, Myrna; son, Matt; daughter, Pam Ketelboeter; and four grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Justin Bell, 5 years as associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Elkin, N.C.
Michael Edwards, 10 years as pastor of May Memorial Baptist Church, Powhatan, Va.
John Lemons, 5 years as minister to young adults at First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala.
Tim Perrin, 20 years as senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Woodbridge, Va.
Brian Moore, 15 years as minister of youth and students at First Baptist Church, Southern Pines, N.C.
Susan Prather, 15 years as minister to youth and children at Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Moseley, Va.
Jud Reasons, 15 years on staff of First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ala. Currently he serves as executive pastor.
C.J. Redden-Liotta, 10 years as music minister at Vienna (Va.) Baptist Church.
Larry Schultz, 20 years as minister of music at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
Brian Varble, 20 years on staff of Calvary Baptist Church, Lexington, Ky. Currently he serves as minister to the community.
CHURCHES
Aversboro Road Baptist Church, Garner, N.C.; 50 years; Oct. 3.
First Baptist Church, Boone, N.C.; 150 years; Sept. 12.
Lake Avenue Baptist Church, Rochester, N.Y.; 150 years; Sept 12.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 9-3-21
Transitions for the week of 8-13-21
Transitions for the week of 7-30-21
Transitions for the week of 7-16-21