Please submit transitions — including staff changes, ordinations, anniversaries or deaths — to Barbara Francis. This page will be updated weekly.
STAFF CHANGES
Jim Ailor, to Rhoadesville (Va.) Baptist Church, as interim preacher.
Kevin Allen, to First Baptist Church, Stephenville, Texas, as minister to children and young families.
Doug Brown, to Gardena Valley Baptist Church, Gardena, Calif., as pastor. Previously he served the American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, Southwest and Hawaii.
Paul Burgess, to Winter Park Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C., as senior pastor, effective Sept. 18. He comes from Benson (N.C.) Baptist Church, where he served as pastor.
David Byrd, to First Baptist Church, Oelwein, Iowa, as pastor. He comes from the pastorate of Hillcrest Baptist-Brethren Church, Fredericksburg, Iowa.
Paulette Thompson-Clinton, now serving as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, West Haven, Conn.
Gary Compton, to First Baptist Church, Aberdeen, S.D., as pastor. Previously he was chaplain for the Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen.
Chuck Craddock, now serving as pastor of Jahnke Road Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
Jimmy Darby, now serving as pastor of First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia, Ark. He was associate pastor for youth and families there.
Matthew Dillingham, concluding his tenure as minister of administration at Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas.
Andy Farmer, to Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala., as minister to students.
Jonathan Fung, to First Baptist Church, Santa Clara, Calif., as youth pastor.
Bob Gladney, to Spring Hill Baptist Church, Mobile, Ala., as executive pastor, effective in July. He comes from First Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss., where he was executive pastor.
Ron Hamrick, to McDoel Baptist Church, Bloomington, Ind., as pastor.
Terre Johnson, concluding his tenure as minister of music at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala.
Shane Kinnison, to First Baptist Church, Glendale, Calif., as senior pastor. He comes from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Gresham, Oregon.
Eric Kraihanzel, now serving as pastor of First Baptist Church, Lansdale, Pa.
Patti Lingafelt, to Westwood Baptist Church, Cary, N.C., as interim minister of music and worship.
Mindi Welton Mitchell, to Queen Anne Baptist Church, Seattle, Wash., as pastor.
Jeremy Myers, to First Baptist Church, Seymour, Ind., as senior pastor.
William “Bill” Roberts, to First Baptist Church, Mobile, Ala., as minister of music. He previously served as music minister at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Mobile.
Elijah Zehyoue, concluding his tenure as director of programs and communications for the New Baptist Covenant.
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RETIREMENTS
Christine Holcomb, retiring as pastor of First Baptist Church, Levittown-Fairless Hills, Pa., where she had served since 2005.
Barry Howard, retiring after 12 years as senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla., effective in August.
Mary An and Ron Wilson, retiring as pastor and minister of music, respectively, at Woodland Forest Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
ORDINATIONS
Tony Aboagye, ordained to ministry on June 3 by New Life Christian Fellowship, Castro Valley, Calif.
Scott Michael Biggers, ordained to ministry by First Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., on June 4.
Mary Lou Grimmett, ordained to ministry on June 25 by Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carrollton, Ga., where she serves as associate pastor for pastoral care.
DEATHS
Sarah Frances Anders, 90, died June 8 in Pineville, La. Highly respected for her academic excellence, she was named professor emeritus of sociology upon her retirement from Louisiana College, Pineville, La., in 1993. A lifelong Baptist, she held positions of leadership in the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. She was one of the early leaders of Baptist Women in Ministry and kept its ordination records for many years. She is survived by a cousin, Sarah Taylor.
Gary Kenneth Javens, 76, died June 13 in Silver Spring, Md. In 1968 he became pastor of Balligomingo Baptist Church, West Conshohocken, Pa. He was called as pastor of Clifton Park Baptist Church, Silver Spring, Md., in 1974 where he served for 31 years until his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Grace; two daughters, Melanie Matthews and Cheryl Steinhice; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Frederick C. Mallory, died June 12 in Richmond, Va. He served in music ministries in several churches in the Richmond area. The centerpiece of his musical legacy is his arrangement of Sir Isaac Watts’ hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” which is included in the Baptist Hymnal. He is survived by his wife, Jackie; daughters, Christy Thompson and Carey Davis; son, John; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Malcolm Elmer Van Antwerp, 97, died June 1 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was pastor of Galilee Baptist Church, Des Moines, from 1970 until his retirement in 1984. In retirement he was interim pastor for 15 churches in Iowa. He is predeceased by his first wife, Emily; his second wife, Banetha; and his daughter, Deborah Coronado. He is survived by two sons, Thomas and Mark; a daughter, Ruth; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
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KUDOS
CHURCH ANNIVERSARIES
Ruckersville (Va.) Baptist Church; 125 years; June 25.
Thalia Lynn Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, Va.; 60 years; June 25.
STAFF ANNIVERSARIES
Richard Dickerson, 20 years as minister of music at Woodmont Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn.
Cass DuCharme, 25 years as associate pastor, music and youth at Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon, Ga.
Douglas Hubbard, 30 years on staff of American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles, Southwest and Hawaii. He serves as regional resource minister for youth and global missions.
Amy Grizzle Kane, 10 years as minister to adults/outreach at South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
In case you missed them:
Transitions for the week of 06.16.17
Transitions for the week of 06.09.17