Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Ronnie Hayes, to Oak Grove Baptist Church, Boone, N.C., as pastor. Previously he was interim pastor there.
Jeremy Kroeker, to First Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas, as youth minister.
Ron Lithgow, to First Baptist Church, Springfield, Va., as interim director of administration.
Steve Matteson, to First Baptist Church, Macedon, N.Y., as pastor.
Kevin McDonald, resigning as pastor of First Baptist Church, Brady, Texas.
Robert Mullins, to Hollins Road Baptist Church, Roanoke, Va., as children’s minister.
Kerry Peeler, to First Baptist Church, New Bern, N.C., as associate pastor of Christian education.
Mark Ring, resigning as minister of music at Immanuel Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn., to become choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church, Clarksville, Tenn.
Jaziah Masters, to Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Washington, D.C., as education and mobilization assistant.
Evan Rowe, to Midway (Ky.) Baptist Church, as senior pastor. He had been serving as associate pastor.
Todd Smith, concluding his tenure as minister of community missions at First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, Fla., effective Feb. 4, to relocate to Richmond, Va.
Cecil Taylor, to Central Baptist Church, Marshall, Texas, as interim pastor.
Tom Tillman, to Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, as music and worship interim.
Caleb Wade, to First Baptist Church, Graham, Texas, as minister of youth and recreation. Previously he was associate minister to youth at First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas.
Jacob Waldrip, to First Baptist Church, Albemarle, N.C., as associate pastor of family ministries.
Art Wright, now serving as director of BTSR Connects, a new program at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond to connect with a new generation of students. He has resigned as minister of spiritual formation at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
RETIREMENTS
Frank Bonner, announcing plans to retire as president of Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, N.C., in January 2019. He has served nearly 32 years with the university.
Walter Counts, retiring after 12 years as senior adult minister at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. Previously he was church administrator for 19 years.
Don Parks, retiring after 30 years as minister of music and senior adults at Central Baptist Church, Marshall, Texas.
ORDINATION
Joanna Sowards, ordained to ministry on Jan. 28 by University Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
DEATH
Bracy Alvus Bledsoe, 100, died on Jan. 6 in Brenham, Texas. He was pastor of these Texas churches: Friendship Baptist in Waco; First Baptist in Chilton; Emmanuel Baptist in Corsicana; Immanuel Baptist in Temple; First Baptist in Dripping Springs; Ridgetop Baptist in Austin; and First Baptist in Buda. After retirement he was supply or interim pastor for several Austin-area churches. He was preceded in death by his wife, Addie. He is survived by a daughter, Martha Annette Haydon; son, Timothy; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
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KUDOS
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
Rick Carpenter, 25 years as associate pastor of pastoral care at University Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
John Carroll, 5 years as pastor of First Baptist Church, Danville, Va.
Doug Diehl, 25 years as senior pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas.
Rod Maples, 25 years as pastor of worship at First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Mo.
John Moore, 10 years as pastor for missions at First Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas.
Todd Wilson, 15 years as pastor for music and worship at First Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas.
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tenn., 175 years; Jan. 21.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 01.26.17
Transitions for the week of 01.19.18