H7 Story: Bill Richards

Watch this cool Coffee Convo from 2020, where Bill shares a little about his life, ministry, and how God is currently working in his life. 

For more than forty years, Bill and his wife, Vickie, have been deeply involved in the life of FCC. Together they’ve raised two children—Chris and Carlene—who now have families of their own, including four wonderful grandchildren and a first great-grandchild born in 2021.
An East Tennessee native, Bill grew up on a farm in Hawkins County, where faith, family, and farming shaped his life. His dad served as a deacon, and his mom taught Sunday school, so church was part of his rhythm from the start. At just nine years old, Bill trusted Christ and was baptized in the Holston River—a moment that anchored his faith for a lifetime.

Shortly after marrying Vickie, Bill served four years in the Air Force Security Services (1970–1974). God used those years to surround him with friends who strengthened his faith and helped him grow in Christ. After the military, Bill worked more than 25 years in grocery management—the very place he first met Vickie—before owning and operating Community Insurance in Greeneville for the past sixteen years. He plans to retire this year.

Serving at FCC has been a steady thread through every season. Bill has faithfully served as an Elder for over 20 years (not consecutively), and today you’ll often find him welcoming guests on the Greeneville Campus Guest Services Team or helping others take their next step as a Next Steps Coach. Vickie, until recently, poured her heart into caring for the church’s landscaping, and together they remain active in the Proffitt Life Group.

When asked what serving has meant to him, Bill reflected, “Serving is not an outward thing or a physical thing you are doing around the church, but it starts to change your heart over time. That’s what serving does. I think it’s why God calls us to be like Jesus, like His Son. He is the ultimate servant, and so when we serve in whatever capacity that is, we look a little bit more like Him than we did before.”

As FCC prepares to finalize the vote for Elder On Sep 28, inviting Bill to return to the Board of Elders, we celebrate a life marked by quiet faithfulness, a servant’s heart, and a deep desire to help people look more like Jesus.