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Letter to the editor

Founding pastor to leave Davis Islands Baptist Church

By EILEEN SCHULTE
Published June 8, 2007

The Rev. Jeff Parish, senior pastor of Davis Islands Baptist Church, will take over one of the largest congregations in Pinellas County next year, replacing the outspoken minister of the 6, 000-member First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks.

The Rev. Charlie Martin is retiring at 61 and is moving from the Largo church to the Boone, N.C., area with his wife, Stephanie, 48.

Martin's name became known nationwide in recent months after he lobbied for former Largo City Manager Steve Stanton's termination. Stanton was fired from his job in March after disclosing his plans to become a woman.

But Martin won't be leaving soon. His last sermon will be next year, on May 4.

Church administrator Tim Ferguson said Martin has planned to make the move for three to four years.

"Through a series of things that have happened, he felt this was the right time to step aside and let someone else take the church to new heights, " he said.

He said the "things" were personal and would not elaborate. But both Ferguson and the associate pastor, the Rev. David Joseph, said that no one at First Baptist asked Martin to leave.

About last December, Martin called Parish, 44, and the two met for lunch, where they discussed the Pinellas church's search for a new pastor.

Over the next few months, both pastors prayed about whether Parish was the right fit.

When he was eventually offered the job, Parish said he accepted with some sadness.

"It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, " he said. "I love Davis Islands church. I was the founding pastor."

Parish was born in Memphis, and attended the University of Tennessee. He completed a business degree at Memphis State University in 1985. He earned his master of divinity degree at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989, and in May 2000 completed his doctorate of ministry degree through Luther Rice Seminary.

The 1, 600-member Davis Islands Baptist Church was founded in 1999 with Parish serving as its first senior pastor.

He and his wife, Martha, were married in 1989 and have four children, Sarah, Dorothy, Christopher and Carey.

"I plan to continue the great work Pastor Charlie has done, " Parish said.

Martin became embroiled in the Stanton story almost immediately after Stanton disclosed that he intended to become a woman and use the name Susan. Martin asked his congregants to pray about the situation and to attend a City Commission meeting at which Stanton's fate was decided.

Commissioners "are under attack from Equality Florida, a homosexual activist group that has national ties, " Martin wrote in an e-mail.

At City Hall during one meeting, Martin said: "All the great things Largo has to offer will be overshadowed by this issue. One person's future is not worth an entire city. The eyes of America are on us tonight. Do what's right."

Eileen Schulte can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com.

Fast Facts:

Pastoral change

The Rev. Jeff Parish, left, will take over for the Rev. Charlie Martin, right, at the 6-000 member First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks.

[Last modified June 7, 2007, 07:31:34]