Getman is the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Haddonfield.
This is the second in a series of articles profiling the leaders of Haddonfield’s places of worship. This week’s article highlights the life and work of the Rev. Bill Getman of First Presbyterian Church.
If the Rev. Bill Getman had to pinpoint one reason why he became a pastor, he says, with a good-natured laugh, it’s simple: He wanted to be a teacher, but he was terrible at decorating bulletin boards.
Getman, who has served as pastor of Haddonfield’s First Presbyterian Church since 2002, said his journey toward becoming a pastor was “a slow, unfolding process.” Raised in a small Minnesota farm town until the time he was a teenager, Getman said his family was always active in their local Presbyterian Church, but he didn’t particularly share in their interest.
“I grew up in the late 60s/early 70s, and probably with so many others of my age and generation, I sort of tossed out anything that had to do with religion or government or authority,” he said.
Getman’s family moved to Western Pennsylvania when Getman was in high school, and the pastor at their church in Paoli, Pa. — of whom Getman was not particularly fond — told Getman he was going to become a pastor one day.
“When he told me that I said to him, ‘Well if being a pastor means being like you, you can go to hell,’” Getman said with his signature warm laugh. “He quoted that in front of the congregation the day I was ordained in the ministry.”
The pastor wasn’t the only one to see something in Getman. He said throughout his life, friends and significant people in his life encouraged him to give some consideration to working in the ministry, but he didn’t give it much consideration at the time.
Getman said he was never the best student, and he was contemplating dropping out of Conestoga High School when a guidance counselor asked him what it would take to get him to stay. He told the counselor he’d be willing to come to school in the morning if he could work in the afternoon. It wasn’t about making money so much as feeling like he was serving a purpose.
So, Getman’s counselor arranged to have him work at a school for students with disabilities in Norristown, Pa. He said it was working as a tutor at the school that sparked his desire to teach special education.
Getman went on to study special education at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa., for three years before transferring to and graduating from Eastern Baptist College, which is Eastern University today.
The plan was to work in special education, but after graduation, when it came time to create bulletin boards and plan arts and crafts, he said he knew teaching just wasn’t the right fit for him.
At the encouragement of some of the people in his life, Getman attended Princeton Theological Seminary.
“I wasn’t sure when I went that I was going to end up in the church,” Getman said. “My real interest at that point — beyond working with people with disabilities — was working in like a community social service center, an urban justice center.”
After his first year at seminary, Getman had spent time visiting communities in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and began thinking about how he could do peace and justice work in the church. He said he ultimately decided he didn’t have to be in an urban justice center to have the most impact.
In 1981, Getman graduated from the seminary and went to work as an associate pastor in of Park Presbyterian Church in Beaver, Pa., for four years. He then moved to Woodstown, where he would serve as pastor of Woodstown Presbyterian Church for 17 years. After 17 years, he got to thinking it was time to for a change both for him and for the church.
Some friends in Haddonfield asked Getman if he was interested in coming to serve as pastor of First Presbyterian, and so, in January 2002, Getman came to Haddonfield. Four years ago, Getman moved to Wilimington, Del., but he continues to commute to Haddonfield.
Compared to where he served before, Getman said his congregants in Haddonfield are very progressive. He said his church community is highly engaged in social justice and community outreach. For instance, five years ago, the church started a collaborative relationship with Urban Promise in Camden. He said he appreciates that his parishioners are always looking beyond the church’s front doors.
He said the greatest gift he has received during his time in Haddonfield has been the unwavering support of his congregation. He said the support of his church has seen him through some of his most difficult times.
“That has been my experience here of just amazing support, encouragement and love from my congregation,” Getman said.
For more information on First Presbyterian, visit http://www.haddonfieldpres.org/index.aspx
