Tom grew up in Laurens, SC, coming to visits at Bonclarken in Flat Rock each summer of his life. His maternal grandmother grew up ARP. The other grandparents established a daughter church of First Presbyterian Church on the outskirts of Laurens, which the whole family attended. When he was 10 years old, Tom questioned his father about the possibility of living at Bonclarken but his dad tried to explain ideas incomprehensible to his 10-year-old mind about occupations, church responsibilities, and mortgages in Laurens. Tom attended Georgia Tech, graduating with a mechanical engineering degree in 1980.
Tom moved to Vidalia, Georgia, and began working at a Georgia Power Company nuclear power plant. It was in Vidalia that God saved Tom in a surprising conversion on Friday night, March 12, 1982. On Saturday night, March 13, 1982, Tom met his future wife, Roz. Since it was love at first sight for at least one of them, they were finally married later than Tom wanted, but earlier than Roz expected on July 23, 1983. Tom adopted Roz's daughter, Janice, who was 5 years old when they married. Their son, Robert, was born May 17, 1985.
In 1990, the Sheppards moved to Birmingham, Alabama, to take a job with Southern Nuclear. Four years later, Tom and Roz finally yielded to the call of God to leave Birmingham and move to Bonclarken.
Tom began seminary classes at Erskine Seminary in February, 1995. Tom's mother gave an extraordinary graduation gift by financing a life-altering trip to the Holy Land and Egypt for Tom, Roz, Robert, and herself in April 1998. Tom graduated from Erskine in May, 1998, and then he waited.
Reformation Presbyterian Church appeared in October, 1998, and Tom began working part time on staff in 1999. Tom was called to be the Associate Pastor of Reformation in January, 2000, and was ordained into the ARP denomination on April 9, 2000, at Bonclarken chapel.
Tom, Roz, and Robert live in Bonclarken, proving that 10-year-old inclinations are sometimes on track. Janice married Ian Burzynski and lives in Hendersonville with their 3 daughters, Victoria Paige, Taylor Nicole, and Madison Jane.
In October, 2004, a group from Reformation founded Cornerstone Presbyterian Church and called Tom to be their pastor.
Bonclarken and Cornerstone are home. He also shares a love for hikes in gorgeous western North Carolina, a session of exceptionally committed brothers, and the thrill of the challenge of pastoral ministry.
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Cornerstone Presbyterian Church • Arden, North Carolina • (828) 712-1310 •