Recent church staff changes, anniversaries, ordinations and deaths within the moderate and progressive Baptist network.
Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Kelly Anderson, to Goochland (Va.) Baptist Church, as student minister, effective Sept. 30.
Brack Ballard, to Davidson (N.C.) United Methodist Church, as youth director. He comes from Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., where he was minister to students and their families.
Bryan Brock, to Westwood Baptist Church, Springfield, Va., as senior pastor. He comes from Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga., where he was senior transitions pastor.
Patrick Cardwell, to First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., as homebound minister.
Steve Goatley, to First Baptist Church, Galax, Va., as pastor to youth and families. He comes from Rocky Mount Church, Mooresville, N.C., where he was youth pastor.
Jack Lee, to First Baptist Church, Rockingham, N.C., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.
David Lindsay, concluding his tenure as minister of music at Buechel Park Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky.
Charlie Pannell, to First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas, as contemporary minister of worship.
Jonathan Poole, concluding his tenure as contemporary music and worship leader at Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, effective Sept. 29.
Michelle Ritchey, concluding her tenure as children’s minister at River Oaks Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
Shelley Woodruff, to First Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga., as interim minister for community engagement.
RETIREMENTS
Linda Pigott, retiring as associate pastor of discipleship and outreach at Central Baptist Church, Daytona, Fla., after 27 years of ministry there.
Eddie Morgan, retiring after 36 years of ministry with First Baptist Church, Asheville, N.C. He joined the staff in 1963 as minister to youth. In 2004 he transitioned to missions, young adults and pastoral care.
ORDINATIONS
Israel Louchamin, ordained to ministry on August 25 by First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
Adam Stanley, ordained to ministry on August 18 by First Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
DEATHS
Helen Louise Sheppard Bowser, 82, died July 10 in Ann Arbor, Mich. She served as associate executive minister for American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island, from 1981 to 1994. During this time, she was transitional pastor for several Rhode Island churches. Later she served as co-interim pastor with her husband, Richard, at North Shore Baptist Church, Chicago, Ill.; and First Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash. She is survived by her husband, Richard; three daughters, Helen “Louise” Schmaltz, Alice S. Bowser and Adrian E. Renning; and five grandchildren.
Ray Bowlin, 77, died Aug. 15 in St. Charles, Va. He served for 38 years until retirement as pastor of Beacon Light Baptist Church in St. Charles. He is preceded in death by his wife, Helen; and son, Ronnie Eugene Patterson. He is survived by three sons, Allen Bowlin, Terry Patterson and Jeffery Bowlin; one daughter, Debbie Phillips; and nine grandchildren.
Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Caffey, 62, died July 22 in Auburn, Maine. She served in several Southern Baptist churches in Texas before moving to New England. She helped start five new churches across in Maine and served as president of the Baptist Convention of New England during the 1980s. She was pastor of a church in Sabattus, Maine, and First Baptist Church, Paris Hill, Maine. She was religious education consultant for the Upper New England Baptist Association from 1984-1995. She is survived by her mother, Ann Harrigan Caffey; two sisters, Elaine Lisenbe and Nancy Cavitt; and a brothe,r Larry Caffey.
Lawrence B. “Larry” Coleman, died Aug. 25 in Hampton, Va. He was pastor of Bellewood Baptist Church, North Syracuse, N.Y., followed by First Baptist Church, Laurinburg, N.C., where he served for 10 years. He then was called as pastor of Churchland Baptist Church, Chesapeake, Va., where he retired in 2016. He was active in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Baptist World Alliance. He is survived by his wife, Kim; and three daughters, Jackie, Melisa and Becca Coleman.
Eddy Lee Curry, 66, died Aug. 14 in Abilene, Texas. During 30 years in ministry, he served churches in Texas and New Mexico. For the past 14 years he was minister of education at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene. He served on several boards of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Texas Ministers of Education. He is survived by his wife, Dee Ann; daughter, Kamber Bailey; son, Kade; and six grandchildren.
Sara Ann Hobbs, 90, died Aug. 28 in Siler City, N.C. She held ministry positions in Arkansas and Kentucky. In 1958 she moved to Raleigh, N.C., where she held positions with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (NSCNC). She was the Young Women’s Director, the Girls Auxiliary Director, and then the Executive Director of Woman’s Missionary Union. In 1977 she because the Director of Estate Planning for the North Carolina Baptist Foundation. In 1979 she became director of the Division of Missions for the BSCNC. She was a vocal advocate for women in ministry, speaking to that issue at the national Southern Baptist Press Association and The Forum, a pre-Southern Baptist Convention meeting of moderates. She is survived by her sister, Mary Hobbs Snodgrass; and nieces and nephews.
Raymond L. King, 91, died July 24 in Indianapolis, Ind. An American Baptist minister, he was pastor of First Baptist Church, Lebanon, Ind., for 19 years. Before that he served churches in Mill Creek, Liberty Center, Jeffersonville and Valparaiso, Indiana, and Omaha, Nebraska. In retirement he served as interim for numerous churches. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Melba. He is survived by his wife, Luann; two sons, Gary and Kenneth; a daughter, Connie King; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Daryl Richman, 84, died July 7 in San Pedro, Calif. He was pastor of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and Bybee’s Road Baptist Church, both in Troy, Va. He then discerned a call to ministry to students, faculty and staff at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He was the founder of the Center for Christian Study there. He ministered in places like Indonesia after the tsunami, Ground Zero after Sept. 11 and made several mission trips to Turkey. He was preceded in death by his wife, Allayne. He is survived by three daughters, Carolyn Harris, Valerie Richman and Kathleen Mayo; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Kevin Schrum, 67, died July 28 in Hampton, Va. He served as pastor of numerous churches in Virginia’s Tidewater region, including Ingleside Baptist Church in Norfolk; West Hampton Baptist Church in Hampton; and Buckroe Baptist Church in Hampton. His survived by his wife, Vicki; daughters, Jennifer E. Proffitt, Suzanne M. Nester and Amber L. Schrum; and five grandchildren.
KUDOS
ANNIVERSARIES
Lee Ellison, 15 years as pastor of Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Moseley, Va.
Charles Revis, 15 years as executive minister of Mission Northeast, Post Falls, Idaho.
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
Antioch Baptist Church, Bedford Hills, N.Y.; 125 years; Sept. 15.
Boiling Springs (N.C.) Baptist Church; 50 years; Sept. 8.
Rosalind Hills Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va.; 65 years; Aug. 25.
Baptist News Global provides a free listing of ministry-related jobs for Baptist churches, theological institutions and organizations across the United States. Click here to learn more.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 8-30-19
Transitions for the week of 8-16-19
Transitions for the week of 8-2-19
Transitions for the week of 7-26-19