Transitions for the week of 02.16.18

Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.

STAFF CHANGES

Bryan Cantrell, to First Baptist Church, Hurricane, W. Va., as pastor of student ministries.

Judd Cochran, to Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas, as youth pastor.

Colonel David L. Coggins, USMC, to Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy as president. He will succeed Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe, USCB, who will retire July 1.

Robert “Bob” Ellis, to Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology, as dean. He had been serving as interim dean since the retirement of Donald Williford.

Herman Falu, to Church of the Master, Providence, R.I., as pastor.

Mark Harkrider, to Wylie Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas, as pastor.

Tom Howe, to Baptist General Convention of Texas, as director of urban missions. He comes from the pastorate of Birdville Baptist Church, Haltom City, Texas.

Martha Kearse, to Peakland Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va., as pastor. She comes from St. John’s Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., where she was associate minister.

Alex Lockridge, to First Baptist Church, Morehead, Ky., as pastor. He comes from First Baptist Church, Corbin, Ky., where he was minister to children and youth.

David Platt, stepping down as president of the SBC’s International Mission Board, when a successor is found. He is pastor of McLean Bible Church, Arlington, Va.

Lawrence Swain, to American Baptist Churches of Ohio, as interim executive minister.

Darren Theesen, to First Baptist Church, Holdrege, Neb., as pastor.

RETIREMENTS

David Kile, retiring as pastor for senior adult ministries at First Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash.

Bob Sievers, retiring after 13 years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Olympia, Wash.

ORDINATIONS

Leah Harlow, ordained to ministry on Feb. 4 by Wake Forest (N.C.) Baptist Church, where she serves as minister of youth and missions.

Toby Wagoner, ordained to ministry on Jan. 28 by First Baptist Church, Ravenswood, W. Va., where he serves as youth pastor.

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.

DEATHS

Eugene Arthur Charsky, 84, died Jan. 20 in Williamsport, N.Y. He was pastor of American Baptist churches in Ohio, Rhode Island, New York and Pennsylvania. In 1979 he became director of pastoral care at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital, retiring in 1995. He is survived by his wife, Marion; three sons, Kevin, Brett and Bruce; and seven grandchildren.

David W. Cook, 72, died on Feb. 2 in Liverpool, N.Y. He was a certified public accountant. He actively served the American Baptist Men of New York State on its executive committee and as president for two years. He served as treasurer of the Board of Missions of the American Baptist Churches of New York State. He is predeceased by his wife, Nancy. He is survived by a son, Christopher; a daughter, Gayle Vinette; and five grandchildren.

Roy E. De Brand, 75, died Feb. 6 in Portsmouth, Va. He retired with over 40 years in the ministry, having served as senior minister of numerous churches, including Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; First Baptist Church, Richmond, Texas; First Baptist Church, Americus, Ga.; and Franklin (Va.) Baptist Church. He was a retired professor having taught homiletics at North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, S.D.; Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.; and Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, N.C. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; son, Brian; daughter, De Anne Lyda; and three grandsons.

John L. Ellis, 82, died Feb. 3 in Twin Falls, Idaho. He served as pastor of these California churches: First Baptist in Fresno; First Baptist in Exter; Mayhew Community Baptist in Rancho Cordova; and Thornton Avenue Baptist Church in Fresno. He then began serving as Big Sky area minister and then as Intermountain area minister. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; son, Johnny; daughter, Nancy; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Ron Ellison, 85, died Feb. 9 in Vidor, Texas. A Texas Baptist historian, he was author of numerous historical books and multiple academic papers. He served for 15 years as secretary of Texas Baptist Committed. He was past president of the Texas Baptist Historical Society and served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas history committee. He is survived by a daughter, Rebekah Anne Cox; and two grandchildren.

Mike LeMore, 69, died in Birmingham, Ala. He was executive director of Birmingham Baptist Association and prior to that was longtime pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham. He served as president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. He had served on the Committee of Committees and Tellers Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and he was a trustee of the North American Mission Board. He is survived by his wife, Wanda; son, Brandon; daughters, Britney and Bonnie; and six grandchildren.

Ray P. Rust, 92, died Feb. 2 in Richardson, Texas. He was executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention for 10 years. His denominational service included serving New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as executive vice president and acting president. He served on numerous Southern Baptist boards and committees, including two terms as president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He was pastor of churches in Louisiana and Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joy; and son, Larry. He is survived by his daughter, Jory; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Wyatt Tee Walker, 88, died Jan. 23 in Chester, Va. He was pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York City, and for 37 years served as pastor and chief executive of Caanan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem, N.Y. He was chief of staff for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and helped assemble the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He had served as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the first board chairman of the National Action Network. He is survived by his wife, Theresa; a daughter, Patrice W. Powell; three sons, Robert, Earl and Wyatt Jr.; and two grandchildren.