Grace Lutheran Church and Preschool
804 E. Foothill Blvd. Glendora, California 91741
Church: (626) 914-1971, Preschool: (626) 335-8413
The Rev. D. Thomas Ford, Jr., Grace’s Intentional Interim Pastor
The Rev. Ford is a 14th-generation North Carolinian. At age 63, his hair remains red.
The Rev. D. Thomas (Tom) Ford, Jr., an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has served as a parish pastor
in North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, and as director of development for Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia, where he
worked with former president Jimmy Carter. In 1986 he became area director for Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, later
serving as vice president and associate director of development. From 1993 to 2003 he was executive director of Metropolitan Lutheran
Ministry and its associated foundation in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Pastoral Ministry of Grace Lutheran Church includes teaching and preaching the Word of God and conducting the sacraments of Holy
Baptism and Holy Communion. For our pastoral ministry, dedication to "Word and Sacrament" involves introducing us to the good life
that God has prepared for us, helping us deal with challenges when this sinful world confounds us, and guiding us to share our hope
in the Lord with others. We thank Pastor Ford for joining us as Grace’s Intentional Interim Pastor.
Our pastor leads us, prayerfully
and joyfully, along the path of Jesus.
Pastor Ford's educational background is nonetheless impressive: he received his B.A. from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 1969
and his M.Div. from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He was ordained at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hickory, North Carolina.
He has done doctoral-level graduate work in New Testament at the seminaries of the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools in Chicago.
He has also studied at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California; California State University at San Bernardino; the University
of California at Riverside; and Harvard University’s business school and John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has also traveled
and studied in Israel, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and
the Dominican Republic.
Pastor Ford has been extensively involved in developing new Lutheran congregations; sponsoring refugee
families; advocating on behalf of world hunger relief and the rights of gay and lesbian people; developing and administering programs
for the prevention, treatment, and intervention of child abuse; developing and administering programs for the elderly and for emergency
assistance; and developing and administering programs and residential facilities for the homeless.
He has been married for 43
years to Elsie, a registered nurse. They live in Altadena, CA.
Pastor Ford's resume is extensive. He has served as executive director of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida; as Pastor
of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ashtabula, Ohio; as Supply Pastor for The Southwest California Synod of the ELCA; under Call
from the Southwest California Synod Council as Intentional Interim Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Glendale, CA. He came
to Grace, Glendora as Intentional Interim Pastor October 1, 2008.
Grace Lutheran Church & Preschool, 804 East Foothill Boulevard Glendora, CA 91741
Parish: (626) 914-1971
Preschool:
(626) 335-8413
