By:
Tom Malone served the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for more than 41 years as a Christian educator and pastor. Born and reared in South Carolina, Tom attended Florida State University (B.A. in English) and Columbia (M.Div.) and McCormick (D.Min.) seminaries. The majority of Tom’s ministry was spent in Christian education ministry. He served several local churches as associate minister for Christian education; served as educator/camp director for two presbyteries; and served on our national staff in Louisville, first as associate for curriculum development where he developed curriculum for older elementary children and coordinated a network of more than 1,000 educational ministry advocates and later as an associate for children’s leader development. Tom served his last 14 years as the pastor of smaller churches.
Tom served on committees, task forces, and boards for numerous presbyteries, synods, and on the national level. He served two terms as vice moderator of the South Atlantic/Puerto Rico Region of APCE, with responsibility for planning a semi-annual leadership event. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the South Carolina Inn at Montreat and as a “Bridge” Representative of the Montreat Conference Center with responsibilities for promoting the program and facilities of Montreat.
Tom has taught Christian education training events in local churches, presbyteries, and synods all over the United States and in Puerto Rico. He has also taught workshops or keynoted at Christian education conferences for several other denominations. Tom taught in more than 30 Montreat conferences (25+ years in the Christian Education Conference); taught workshops at Ghost Ranch at Santa Fe and at several APCE conferences; and taught Christian education courses at Columbia, McCormick, and Union/PSCE.
Tom has written numerous articles on Christian education for various journals and magazines and has written Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curriculum for the Presbyterians, the United Church of Christ, and for several ecumenical partnerships. He is currently working on some Sunday School units for small churches and an officer training manual for small churches.
Tom’s hobby is traveling. He has traveled extensively in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and in Europe, especially the British Isles. He frequently leads trips and tours to locations in the United States and Europe.
Mary E. Speedy is a retired certified church educator living in Mechanicsburg, PA.