76: What it Means to be Actively Waiting: Retirement Planning and Looking Hopefully Forward with Lead Pastor, Jeff Bills

Join in for today's episode as we embark on the start of an ongoing conversation about transition and succession at Hope Church. Listen to Lead Pastor, Jeff Bills, answer questions you might have about the transition process and his eventual retirement. Jeff also shares what he is learning right now as he waits for what's next and invites you, listeners, to join him in the process!

Have any questions after listening? Don't hesitate to reach out! Contact Jeff at jeff@meethope.org or reach out to us at podcast@meethope.org.

Thanks for being a part of the HOPE community as we continue conversations about faith and hope! You can learn more at meethope.org or find us on socials @meethopechurch. Join in for worship on Sundays at meethope.live! Have a question? Contact us at podcast@meethope.org.

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Transcript

Intro: 0:03

Welcome to the Meet Hope podcast, where we have conversations about faith and hope. Hope is one church made of people living out their faith through two expressions in person and online. We believe a hybrid faith experience can lead to a growing influence in our community and our world for the sake of others. Welcome to Hope.

Rick Court: 0:29

Hello everyone, Welcome to another episode of the Meet Hope podcast. My name is Rick and I'm happy to be with you, and today I have Pastor Jeff with me as well.

Jeff Bills: 0:37

Yeah, Hi everybody.

Rick Court: 0:38

Hey, how are you, Jeff? I'm doing well and you I'm well. And we also want to mention that Bodie is here as well, but he was snoring a few minutes ago and I think he's still sound asleep.

Jeff Bills: 0:48

Yeah, he's right at my feet here.

Rick Court: 0:50

And Ashley's here as well. Yeah, she's not sleeping or snoring, so we knew this was coming. Jeff, this is going to be part of an ongoing series, I believe, as this is one of those things that happens to nearly everyone. We're going to have a discussion about retirement and this retirement discussion. Now, during this, we're not going to be discussing 55 and over communities or investments, just so all of our listeners are clear, I am not a financial planner. But today we are talking about succession, specifically a succession plan at Hope, and really, I think what we're going to do is to ask questions that people might be asking or wondering, and I know you get questions, I get questions, and what I'm hoping and we're hoping is this is going to be an ongoing dialogue. So watch for future episodes and, as always, please stop and ask questions that you might have. You can stop us in the lobby anytime you see us ask those questions that you might have. And so, jeff, what are we doing to prepare for your retirement? Yeah, first, did you know that you were?

Jeff Bills: 2:02

retiring. Yeah, first, first did you know that you were retiring. It is rather shocking, I must say. But yeah, we knew and have been planning for it, not with a date specific but, just knowing that this is something that's going to be sooner than later.

Jeff Bills: 2:25

So the lead team has really started focusing on this, initially in 2019. And then COVID came along and everything changed and we were completely focused on how to be a church in the midst of that. Pandemic came out of that and then they picked up the ball again on the retirement succession question in 2022. And so lead team has been very focused on it, and then you and me and the other pastors have been addressing it as well.

Rick Court: 3:10

Yeah, so we've had some conversations and planning for months and years. Even. As you said, one of the things you and I do frequently is we're always studying the systems and the protocols at Hope, making sure that our systems are clarified and updated. So things like. Most recently, we've looked at how staff meetings function and what happens in the staff meeting, what makes it most efficient and who needs to be in the room, and we've done the same thing with management team and worship team and all those things and really looking at it from the eyes of if it weren't me, if there was somebody else in this position, would this make sense, right?

Rick Court: 3:50

And looking at where it's, and this is probably another podcast, but where it's organic and where it's a system.

Rick Court: 3:56

And when it's a system it's reproducible. When it's an organic either and by that I mean knowledge that's in someone's head then that's not going to be reproducible. So, yeah, so looking at identifying those systems and we're fortunate that our staff has always played major roles in the church and so we know that it's the staff that help disperse the culture and help share the DNA and all those kind of things so we've been looking at that along the way, right.

Jeff Bills: 4:24

And Lead Team likewise. So for those of you who don't know, lead Team is the lay leadership of the church. It's a nine-member team of volunteers that take responsibility for the oversight of the church. So they've been looking at the finances, they've been looking at the processes and staffing and so forth from that level, all with an eye toward what will a transition succession look like, yeah, and so we're preparing and we're doing those things and some other things.

Rick Court: 4:57

That's very important, and we've talked about this in other episodes, so we'll go through this. Though, is we are a United Methodist Church? Yes, we are. I hope no one's surprised by that, but we are and so there is a process for selecting the next lead pastor, and so, jeff, why don't you just briefly share how that process works?

Jeff Bills: 5:15

Yeah. So again, if you're not Methodist, there's two types of systems that churches get pastors. One is a call system, and that's where the local church goes and they find their own pastor and they have processes and so forth to do that. And then there is an appointment system where a bishop appoints a pastor to a church, and both systems have their strengths, both systems have their weaknesses. We happen to be in an appointment system, so the church won't go find the pastor, the bishop will appoint a pastor to Hope Church, which brings up one of the things that I get asked all the time, and almost with an assumption less a question, but an assumption almost that you, rick, or possibly Heather or Dave, would be the person that would follow me Seems obvious, right, because you're already on staff.

Jeff Bills: 6:21

That's not going to happen. Uh, because of the way that you, heather and Dave um are ordained into ministry, that's different. So you are licensed local pastors. I am a elder and, uh, I'll get into all the nuances and details of how that is different and so forth, but to be a lead, the lead pastor of Hope, of Hope Church, you have to be an elder, and so that means somebody else who's not currently here will be appointed to be the lead pastor.

Rick Court: 6:52

Right, and if that's a question that you have asked me, just so you know, other United Methodist pastors ask me that question as well, so don't be surprised. I'm okay with that that you ask, and thank you, but I am not applying for the job. Okay? So typically in the United Methodist Church the current pastor leaves the last Sunday in June that's how it works, at least in New Jersey. I don't know if that's around the country, but it works like that in New Jersey and then the new pastor arrives July 1st. So there's a June-J July transition period. But we're discussing a different kind of approach.

Jeff Bills: 7:29

Yeah, so we are talking with our district superintendent, reverend Glenn Conway, who has been phenomenal in working with our lead team and with me in dreaming about thinking about talking about how it might work best for our church, and what we're talking about doing is having an elder appointed to the church a year before I retire, Right, and so that there would be this transition period where that person could come in, not take on the full responsibility of the lead pastor, but have time to get to know our staff, to get to know our members, to get to know our culture and to really just be a part of the church before having to step into the lead pastor.

Rick Court: 8:29

Right, and we've done similar transitions like that before, not with the lead pastor, but with other roles.

Jeff Bills: 8:34

Yeah, yeah, marilyn was the most recent, so Andrew was hired a year before Marilyn retired and they had a year long transition, which is why it went so beautifully right.

Rick Court: 8:48

Right, yeah, and so what's the earliest? This is releasing the week after Memorial Day weekend, so what's the earliest that this transition would begin?

Jeff Bills: 9:03

The earliest that we would imagine it would begin is January 2025. So this coming January, unless God intervenes and something happens sooner than that, but the earliest we envision is January. The next logical time, if it's not January, would be July of 2025. Right.

Rick Court: 9:26

And that's when the transition would begin, not when you would be leaving. Exactly, just to clarify, that's the beginning of the transition period. That's right, right, and now part of the preparation also. So that's all the United Methodist information you ever wanted to learn about. But part of the preparation we've also been doing is we recently bought a house. What's that all?

Jeff Bills: 9:48

about. So again, I just I can't say enough good things about the lead team here at Hope. They are forward-leaning folks and so they recognized if we're going to have another ordained elder. One of the requirements for a church to have an elder is that they provide a parsonage, and I'm not letting that family move in with us.

Rick Court: 10:17

That would be quite an awkward transition.

Jeff Bills: 10:19

That would be it would be, it would speed it up, probably. So they they decide we should buy a Parsonage now and so that when the bishop would appoint this elder, they would have a place to stay, a place to live. And so you may recall that we had a special church conference to get the congregation's permission to purchase another house. The congregation gave us that permission and last week we closed on a house, so it's in Marlton. It's lovely, there's some work going on there even as we speak, right. And so when the bishop is ready to make that appointment, we have a place for that pastor and his family or her family to move into and so.

Rick Court: 11:17

but people would maybe wonder all right, so what happens between now and when? That happens, it's not going to be empty.

Jeff Bills: 11:23

No, so in God's great involvement in this. You know we see God's hand in this throughout. There is a staff person a conference staff person, who's currently in a parsonage up in Parsippany, but that parsonage is needed by the church that owns it and so that family needs to move out. So we will have this house. They're able then to move into the house in Marlton and the conference will be paying Hope rent for that house Right, and then just lastly, and then what happens?

Rick Court: 12:05

so we won't always have two parsonages.

Jeff Bills: 12:08

That's correct. So then, the last part of this whole parsonage thing is the church has agreed to sell the current parsonage where Marilyn and I and our family have lived for the last 33 years, selling that to us. So as I retire, we'll have a place to live because we don't own a house, and the money from the sale of that house will go to pay off the mortgage on the place in Marlton.

Rick Court: 12:40

Yeah, so that's everything, listener.

Jeff Bills: 12:46

that's everything you'd ever want to know about Parsonages and United Methodist appointment systems there it is Other than this is so unique Like this is not the way it typically happens but, who cares Right right.

Rick Court: 12:56

And you, and I appreciate that most probably.

Jeff Bills: 12:57

Right.

Rick Court: 12:58

This is all insider baseball, so let me ask you, jeff, so personally, how are you feeling about this transition? I'm sure people are wondering, and so just how are you feeling?

Jeff Bills: 13:08

I am genuinely excited and I'm not just saying that because it's a podcast. I'm excited for the church. It feels like things are in place, and all of the stuff that we talked about at the beginning of this, all the work that's being done and preparations and so forth is all really just laying the foundation for this new person to come in and to take the church in some exciting new directions. And so I'm excited for the church, and I know that God's not done with me, that there is more for me to do. I don't know what that's going to look like, but that's not a bad place to be. You know that God has a purpose and a plan for my life. You know God has a purpose and a plan for my life, and so I'm excited to see what that's going to look like once I step out of this role. And so, yeah, I'm genuinely excited about it.

Rick Court: 14:10

Yeah, and you've often said that this community of faith, that hope, is more than about one person. Right that we are, that we will be hope, regardless of who the lead pastor is. And what I like that we've done over the years, and now even more recently, is always to work to take the focus off of any one person or any one staff member. And again back to that why we look at systems and protocols and processes and why we do things like team preaching and team leadership, why volunteer teams are so important, why small groups are so important. That is never about one person or one personality, but we're a community of faith together and I love that about this place and I think that is one of those things that's going to make this transition, or has been making this transition, work so well.

Jeff Bills: 15:01

I think, yeah yeah, I mean everybody. You know we're all in this together and each of us have a role here, whether it's somebody who's brand new to the church, we want them to have a role. We want everybody to be connected all the way through the organization. That nobody is more important than anybody else. Everybody has a role to play, and when we all work together and we all do our thing in a coordinated way oh, man look what happens yeah right.

Rick Court: 15:35

So we're going to continue talking about this this is not over the next year, at least and we'll be talking about this process and so that, when it does happen, we'll be ready, we'll be invested, we'll be prepared, we'll be, we'll continue to be excited about it Because, as you always say, this is, this place is unique, and it's because people have been investing all along in it. So let me ask you this also, jeff what are you learning in this process? So ask how you're feeling, but what are you learning in this process?

Jeff Bills: 16:08

Yeah, you know, I'm learning again and God has to teach lessons to me anyway multiple times. So I'm learning again what it means to wait and to seek God in the waiting, and so one of the ways I'm describing waiting for me right now is it's active waiting. So I'm doing things that I can do to prepare. We've talked about a bunch of them, but there's so much unknown and there's so much that's out of my control, and so it's active. I'm doing the things I can do, but there's a waiting element to that. And to wait in stillness, to not get anxious and worried because I don't have all of the answers.

Jeff Bills: 16:58

So that's a part of it. And then what I'm calling paying attention to spirit sightings, that God's spirit has been leading this process. Like I said, we started talking about this in 2019. And so, as I look back over the years of how God has gotten us to this place right now and how we've had the vision to do the things that we're doing, that we've been talking to the right people, that the finances have been organized in a way to allow this, to happen, and in so many different ways, that the Spirit has been laying the foundation for this.

Jeff Bills: 17:45

So it's wonderful for me, it's comforting for me and it's again one of the reasons I'm so excited. God's all over this thing, and so can't wait to see what's next.

Rick Court: 17:59

Yeah, and then finally here, let's wrap this up with this question. So I've been asking how you're feeling about the transition. I asked you what you're learning in the process. But is there anything that you would like from the Hope community in this process In addition to? We've already said, make sure you ask us questions if you have any questions along the way, but what other challenges might you have for us?

Jeff Bills: 18:18

Yeah. So and this is going to sound trite, but it's not I need people to be praying into this. God responds to our prayers and any great initiative this church has ever done over three decades has been grounded in prayer, or we used to call it saturated in prayer. So please be praying about this transition and this succession thing, that God will just continue to lead us and that we'll be paying attention to it. The other thing I would encourage is that you learn to practice trusting in God, just as I'm learning it again. So, whatever's going on in your life, that maybe you're in a waiting period, that you're actively waiting, you're doing the things that you can do, but you're not allowing anxiety and fear of the unknown and so forth, to direct you.

Jeff Bills: 19:19

And so let's learn that lesson together. You know, as you're learning things I'd love to hear about what you're learning but then also to invest in the church. You know, the reason Hope is the amazing place that it is is because for 30, going on 34 years, people have invested in it. They've given of their time, they've given of their abilities and talents, they've given of their passions, they've given financial resources and so forth. All of that is what has made hope in this amazing church.

Jeff Bills: 19:59

It's never been about one person, it's never been about a personality or about a staff or any of that kind of stuff.

Rick Court: 20:06

It's really about each person doing what he or she can do to invest in this dream community called the church and that really is the heart of the let's Grow campaign right that when we choose to embrace these disciplines of worship plus two and one by one, that when we're actively participating in worship together, when we're in a small group, when we're volunteering, when we're inviting others, when we're serving, that that's not only enhancing the DNA of this place, but it's also sharing the DNA with this place, with the people and the communities around us.

Jeff Bills: 20:48

So we're in this interesting time, right? So we are preparing for a future, and so we look at the past and how people invested in the past to bring us to this place. So we look at the past and how people invested in the past to bring us to this place. People are investing now and all of that is in preparation for what is to come. And so, five years from now, as people look back on this time and what people did in this time, they'll be saying, man, thank goodness that they had the faith and the vision and the commitment to do what they did then, so that we're where we are now, right, right.

Intro: 21:25

So yeah, be excited.

Jeff Bills: 21:27

And please be involved.

Rick Court: 21:30

Yeah, yeah. So listen, this has been fun, jeff. Yeah, it's been great Listener. I hope you've enjoyed it as well and hope you tune in soon to our next episode. And, jeff, I hope we get to do this again. I know we'll do it again. You're not retired yet.

Jeff Bills: 21:45

No, no, yeah, From now on, people are. Every time they see me, it's like you're still here no-transcript.