If you haven't noticed already, there is a new author for these blogs. A month ago, I wouldn't have imagined writing for the church, especially after Linda Soller's excellent contributions. I was surprised, as many of you were, when she announced last December that she would no longer be writing them.

When I realized the next church newsletter wouldn't include a Christmas message, I wrote one on a whim. I was then inspired to write a New Year's and an Epiphany message, leading to the creation of "Bill's Blog" (thanks to Linda Weiss for the name suggestion). Although I initially thought the name sounded pretentious, it's catchy, it's alliterative, and it serves its purpose. I don't intend to replace Linda, but to carry on her legacy. I hope you find my writings enjoyable and uplifting.

For those who may not know me, I am William (Bill) R. Richmond from Louisville, KY. I am the youngest of four, and I moved to Northern Virginia in 1994, where my wife, Vicki, later joined me. We found our church home at First Baptist when Ray Spears was pastor. Our son, Christopher, is a freshman at the University of Kentucky. After 31 years in the federal government, I am now retired and caring for my wife, who has several health issues. (Another long story there, not mine to tell now.)

My father was an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor who often checked on fellow church members, alleviating their need to see a doctor. My mother, who had initially been a homemaker, became a minister and graduated from seminary the same weekend I graduated from high school. Though she intended to be a chaplain, God had other plans for her, and she served in three churches. She later joked that she "always wanted to marry a minister, but when that didn't happen, she became one!" Interestingly, my wife and I were married by my mother, with my father as my best man. After they both retired, my parents did mission work in India twice.  

My family grew up in the church, not Baptist, but the United Church of Christ. I did not fully understand God's plan of salvation for me until I gave my life to Christ at a Young Life (A Christian outreach group for high schoolers) camp in Colorado when I was about 14. I attended the Christian Academy of Louisville, a conservative Christian school, earned my BS in Earth Science at Furman University, a Southern Baptist College, and later earned a minor in Geography and a teaching certification at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). I was active in many Christian organizations, WDA, Wesley Foundation, SBU, and Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.

???While I initially considered becoming a minister like my mother or a petroleum geologist, God apparently had other plans for me as I ended up teaching middle school in Louisiana for a year (I loved teaching, not good at classroom management) before pursuing a career in cartography (I've always loved maps) with the federal government, where I worked for 31 years, five years in Louisville, KY, the rest in the DC area.

Currently, I am a deacon at our church, my wife and I volunteer at The Closet, and I help create PowerPoint slides for our church services while organizing the newsletter. I enjoy reading, writing, history, music, traveling, hiking, photography (the photo in the corner is of me enjoying the view from Hawksbill at Shenandoah National Park), and I am a big sci-fi fan.

Now, you know a little more about me. Please keep my wife and me in your prayers!

Take care,

Bill R. (I sign as Bill R by habit because there were many Bills at work, where I was called Bill R.)