Tom earned a B.S. degree in Horticulture from Texas A&M University in 1982, and his M. Div. Degree from Perkins School of Theology at SMU in 1988.  He has served the following appointments:  Mineola Smith Chapel Circuit, Pasadena Sunset (intern associate pastor), Houston Mission Bend associate pastor, Houston Chapelwood associate pastor, Quitman/Liberty pastor, Houston Bethany Senior Pastor, and Texarkana Hardy Memorial Senior Pastor and Atascocita United Methodist Church (September 2004).  In September of 2008, Tom, Wendy, and Kyle Stephenson moved to First United Methodist Church in Orange to serve as the new senior pastor family.

Tom’s special interests include preaching and stewardship.  “I really love to see the gospel come alive in peoples lives; the moment that they experience the ‘aha’ of Jesus Christ is special.”  Tom serves on Executive Committee of the Texas Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as the Psychological Testing Officer.

Tom has been married to Wendy Garrett Stephenson, a native of Orange, TX, since November 1984.  Tom and Wendy are the proud parents of Kyle Thomas Stephenson. Kyle is a mechanical fellow who enjoys building ‘contraptions’, Sponge Bob Squarepants, and swimming.  He is a tremendous blessing from God to the Stephensons.  Wendy enjoys photography, Creative Memories scrap booking, and reading.  Wendy is from Orange and her mother still lives here so their move to Orange is a homecoming of sorts. Tom’s enjoys making a mess in the kitchen, woodworking, and spending time with his family.

Doug Rogers, Director of Music & Fine Arts; doug.rogers@fumcorange.org