Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Sean Allen, concluding his tenure as pastor of Greystone Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
John Jay Alvaro, to First Baptist Church, Pasadena, Calif., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Spring Creek Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.
David Ball, to Greenville (Va.) Baptist Church, as pastor.
Ben Brown, to First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, Va., as full-time minister to families with youth.
Lauren Cowell, to Oakhurst Baptist Church, Decatur, Ga., as pastor of Christian education and community engagement. She comes from First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga., where she was associate minister for formation and families.
John M. Finley, to the Baptist History & Heritage Society, as executive director, effective July 1. He comes from First Baptist Church, Savannah, Ga., where he was senior minister for nearly 25 years.
Ty Gist, to Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Robinson, Texas, as youth and college pastor. He comes from Shiloh Baptist Church, Crawford, Texas, where he was minister to youth.
Sarah Greenfield, resigning as pastor for emerging adults at First Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas, to become a Navy Chaplain.
Joseph Lively, concluding his tenure as pastor of Clover Bottom Baptist Church, Nathalie, Va.
Rick Hudock, to Westhaven Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Va., as pastor.
Martha Mikula, to Orange (Va.) Baptist Church, as director of music.
Annette Thornburg Owen, to Community Baptist Church, Warrenville, Ill., as pastor.
Kenneth R. Pruitt, to King’s Grant Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, Va., as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Fairfield, Texas.
Reed Redus, to First Baptist Church, Santa Fe, N.M., as pastor. He comes from First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas, where he served as associate pastor.
Brandon Webb, to Westbury Baptist Church, Houston, Texas, as senior pastor.
RETIREMENTS
Brenda Brown, retiring after 40 years as minister of music at Mechanicsville (Va.) Baptist Church.
Kathy Maskell, retiring as organist/pianist at Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Cambridge, Mass.
ORDINATIONS
Leslie Brogden, ordained to ministry on April 23 by Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga.
Claire Kermitz Chinn, ordained to ministry on May 2 by Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla.
Daniel Headrick, ordained to ministry on May 14 by Seventh & James Baptist Church, Waco, Texas.
Amy Herring, ordained to ministry on May 6 by Hope Valley Baptist Church, Durham, N.C., where she serves as minister to children and families.
Jeannie Jones, ordained to ministry on March 22 by Spring Creek Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla., where she serves as children’s director.
Lynn McClure, ordained to ministry on May 13 by Ox Hill Baptist Church, Chantilly, Va.
Naomi King Walker, ordained to ministry on April 23 by Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort, Ky.
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
Joyce A. Bruce, 79, died May 12 in Plattsburgh, N.Y. She had served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Jay, N.Y., and United Methodist Church of Clintonville, N.Y. She is survived by her husband, Malcolm; a daughter, Beverly Hathaway; two sons, Carl and Mark; and four grandsons.
Linda Hoeschle, 71, died May 5 in Glen Falls, N.Y. She had served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Glen Falls, as well as Village Baptist Church, Fort Edward, N.Y. She was preceded in death by her husband, William. She is survived by two sons, Craig and Eric Peterson; and three grandchildren.
KUDOS
Demi McCoy and Genetta Williams, recipients of the 2017 Addie Davis Award from Baptist Women in Ministry. McCoy, a student at Wake Forest Divinity School, Winston-Salem, N.C., was awarded the Addie Davis Award for Excellence in Preaching. Williams, a student at Campbell University Divinity School, Buies Creek, N.C., was awarded the Addie Davis Award for Outstanding Leadership in Pastoral Ministry.
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
James Bennett, 20 years as associate minister in music and worship at First Baptist Church, Aiken, S.C.
Mark McIntyre, 20 years as minister of music and education at University Baptist Church, College Park, Md.
Ellen Sechrest, 25 years as minister of spiritual formation and missions at Boulevard Baptist Church, Anderson, S.C.
Heather Tiller, 20 years as associate pastor at Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 05.12.17
Transitions for the week of 05.05.17