Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated bi-weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Ryan Busby, to First Baptist Church, Danville, Va., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Bosqueville Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
Reba Delzell, to Williston-Immanuel United Church, Portland, Maine, as pastor.
Kate Derbas, to Laurel Hill Baptist Church, Verona, Va., as minister of children and youth.
Andrew Garnett, to Hampton (Va.) Baptist Church, as senior pastor. He comes from Forest Hills Baptist Church, Raleigh N.C., where he was minister of children and senior adults.
Derek Hatch, to Georgetown (Ky.) College, as associate professor of religion and endowed chair of Baptist studies.
Rebecca Hewitt-Newson, to Emmaus Way, Durham, N.C., as co-pastor. She comes from Millbrook Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., where she was associate pastor.
Eric Hodge, to First Baptist Church, Galveston, Texas, as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Crossett, Ark.
Regina Hodge, to First Baptist Church, Galveston, Texas, as children’s ministry director. She comes from Mount Olive Baptist Church, Crossett, Ark., where she was children’s minister.
Michael Hood, to First Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C., as minister of youth and college, effective Oct. 1. He comes from Green Street United Methodist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C., where he was pastoral intern and youth ministries coordinator.
Steve Laufer, concluding his tenure as pastor of University Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
Kevin Moen, to Bethel Baptist Church, Scottsburg, Va., as pastor.
Kyle Moss, to Church At The Crossing, Aledo, Texas, as interim worship leader.
RETIREMENT
David Henderson, retiring after 25 years as pastor or Bedford (Va.) Baptist Church.
ORDINATIONS
Emily Harbin, ordained to ministry on Sept. 13 by First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga., where she serves as minister of students and young adults.
Melody Maxwell, ordained to ministry on Sept. 13 by Wolfville Baptist Church, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.
DEATHS
Edward W. Gaul Jr., 86, died Sept. 13 in East Windsor, N.J. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Pottsville, N.J., for 16 years. He was then called as pastor of First Baptist Church, Hightstown, N.J., where he served until retirement.
Phillip Hassell, 64, died Sept. 13 in Houston, Texas. He served two Houston churches for 31 years. At the time of his death he was pastor of Independence Baptist Church, Brenham, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Leslie; son, Paul; daughter, Jamie Waggoner; and two grandchildren.
Raymond Franklin Hough Jr., 100, died Aug. 16 in Salem, Va. He was executive director of the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home (now Hope Tree Family Services) for 28 years. His lifelong dedication to at-risk children and youth will continue to resonate for generations to come.
E. “Chief” Lawson, died March 12 in Lucas, Texas. He served as pastor of churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado before becoming evangelism director for the Baptist Convention of Indiana. He went on to serve 21 years as director of evangelism with the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. He was involved nationally with the Bill Glass Prison Ministry. He is survived by his wife, Sue; son, Monty; and three grandchildren.
Vernie Mae Wright Lewis, 68, died Sept. 19 in Ridgeway, Va. For 50 years she served as secretary/treasurer and grant writer for the Charles B. Keesee Educational Foundation, Inc., Martinsville, Va., which provided grants for thousands of men and women seeking to obtain a ministerial degree at a Baptist institution. She is survived her husband, Duane; two sons, Kent and West; daughter, Stacey Kiter; and four granddaughters.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Randall Snipes, 10 years as pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church, Colonial Beach, Va.
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In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 9-11-20
Transtions for the week of 8-28-20
Transitions for the week of 8-14-20
Transitions for the week of 7-31-20