Staff Changes

Sam Grozdanov, to Four Mile Creek Church, Richmond, as pastor.

Richard Harris, to First Church, Gate City, as interim pastor.

Robert Shoup, to Freemason Street Church, Norfolk, as minister of music.

Mount Ararat Church, Stafford, with two new staff members. Matthew McDonald as pastor of adult ministries and Susan Harvey as minister to children.

Ordinations

Terry Henley was recently ordained to the gospel ministry by New Hope Chapel, Pulaski.

Roger Jones, minister of youth and children at Hillcrest Church, Ridgeway, was ordained to the gospel ministry on May 28 by North Main Church, Danville.

Charles E. O’Roark Jr. is retiring as pastor of Motley Church, Hurt, effective June 30.

Helen Riley is retiring as minister of education at Melrose Church, Roanoke. The church will honor her on July 23.

The Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond held its graduation on May 27 at First Church, Richmond. Graduates with ties to Virginia who received the doctor of ministry degree were: Megan Limburg of Richmond; Sarah Todd Nave of Disputanta; Julious L. Russ of Hampton; John H. Snow of Poquoson; and Charles Davis Stewart of Buena Vista. Virginians receiving master of divinity degrees were: Laura Trevvett Anderson, Ivy; Sharon Ann Smith Bobb, Midlothian; Douglas Todd Bradbury, Powhatan; Amy C. Douglas Farinelli, Norfolk; Corey Samuel Fields. Harrisonburg; Paul Douglas Flowers Sr., Richmond; Geoffrey Hugh Fuller, Prince George; Jason N. Kimlick, Charlotte Court House; Theodore R. Lewis Jr., Norfolk; Nita D. May, Chesterfield, Anita J. McEntire, Charlottesville; James Fordes Merifield, Sterling; Linda C. Moore, Richmond; Michael Patrick Parker, Williamsburg; Rachel Leighanne Phillips, Mechanicsville; David Wayne Rice, Richmond; Vernon Minor Rogers, Richmond; Kathy S. Shereda, Jarrett; Kerry Mitchell Smith, Richmond; Anna Christine Tuckwiller, Mechanicsville; Richard Blackburn Vinson, Danville; and Ayuko Colleen White, Charlottesville.

Church News

James Square Church, Lawrenceville, will celebrate homecoming on July 9. Jim Lamb, pastor of Enterprise Church in Littleton, N.C., will be guest speaker. A covered-dish luncheon will follow. Revival services will be held July 10-12 with Lamb as evangelist.

B>Second Branch Church, Chesterfield, Westover Church, Arlington, will celebrate its 66th anniversary with homecoming on July 23. Donald Retzer will be guest speaker. A luncheon will be held after the service.

Death

Retired Virginia Baptist pastor Thomas Edward Pugh died June 17 in Williamsburg at the age of 88. He served for 29 years as pastor of Williamsburg Church, Williamsburg, and was named pastor emeritus by the church on his retirement. He had served as a trustee of the Religious Herald and the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services. He served on the board of the Williamsburg Community Hospital for 25 years, 12 of those as president/chairman. Pugh is predeceased by his wife, Mary Nelson Decker Pugh, and a son, Thomas Nelson Pugh. He is survived by a son, Mark and his wife, Carol; a daughter-in-law, Penny Duke Pugh Cory; and two grandsons. A service of remembrance was held June 22 at the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists Church.