Dennis WilkinsDENNIS WILKINS retired July 27 from the pastorate of First Baptist Church, Bluffton, where he served for 12 years. During his tenure, 1,000 people joined the church and a new sanctuary was built in 2006. He served Savannah River Baptist Association as evangelism director, vice moderator and chairman of the finance committee, and was moderator for 2006-07. He serves on the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s Executive Board and is chairman of the finance, budget and audit committee of the state convention. Prior to entering the ministry, he was a senior vice president of the Del Webb Corporation and general manager for Sun City Hilton Head. Wilkins and his wife Marsha will remain in the area for a few months before retiring to Arkansas.
Stephen CannonSTEPHEN CANNON began duties July 13 as pastor of Cedar Shoals Baptist Church. A graduate of Erskine College and New Orleans Baptist Seminary, he previously served as minister to families at East Gaffney Baptist Church, as minister to families and at Northbrook Baptist, and as minister to students at Grace Baptist. He and his wife Julie have a 3-year-old daughter, Natalie Grace.
DONALD WEST began duties July 6 as interim pastor at Glenn Street Baptist Church, Newberry, where he served from November 1965 to January 1974. He is a graduate of Wofford College and Trinity Theological Seminary, where he earned master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees. West is a certified interim pastor specialist, SCBC; and certified interim minister for Today’s Church, Center for Congregation and Health. He served seven churches from 1956 to 2000 prior to serving as interim pastor of five churches, and was interim leadership development director for two years at Lexington Baptist Association. West and his wife Peggy live in Cayce.
Russell FreemanRUSSELL FREEMAN has been called as pastor by Warrior Creek Baptist Church, Gray Court. A native of Durham, N.C., he is a graduate of North Greenville University and Southern Baptist Seminary. He was ordained to the ministry in 2006 by Beaumont Baptist Church, Spartanburg, where he served as minister of students and education from 2004-07. His wife Katie earned a degree in nursing from USC-Upstate.