Author Tom Spence to sign books at the Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home

Retired Marine Corps officer, pastor, and western Oklahoma’s most prolific author Tom Spence will be at the Cumberland Presbyterian Childrens Home  on Friday, 17 August 2018 for a book signing from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the campus library. Tom will have several of his titles, but the featured book will be Throw Away Kids:  Are we concerned enough to get involved?

Tom will also feature a good down home baseball story for the children—Tough Day at the Plate. 

Tom’s books will be available for a donation to the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home.

For those already interested, his books may be viewed at this author page at Amazon.com.

Tom Spence

Curriculum vitae

Tom Spence is a retired United States Marine Corps officer.  He served in command and staff positions in all 4 Marine Divisions, at Marine Corps Schools in Quantico Virginia as both student and instructor, as a series commander at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, and as a program manager for Marine Corps training systems and simulators around the world.   Tom also served one tour training Marine Reservists in Des Moines, Iowa.

His service took him to Marine Bases on the East Coast, West Coast, Japan, the Philippines, and Korea.  He has served in Iraq and Kuwait, and has nearly a year serving aboard U.S. Naval vessels in areas north of the Arctic Circle, in Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Central America, and the Pacific, as well as a year serving in the United Nations.

Tom is a graduate of Mangum High School and Oklahoma State University.  He continued his education while in the Marine Corps and during retirement with American College, Minneapolis, Minnesota; American University, Covina California; Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa; and Memphis Theological Seminary.

In 2008 he was called to ministry and was ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 2010.  He continues to serve as pastor of the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  He recently returned from his second trip to Africa to train pastors and church leaders in Kenya and Uganda.

Tom has served as an officer and chair on the Board of the Western Oklahoma Family Care Center.

Tom has published over 20 books including Throw Away Kids—a call for Christian parents to lead those who have abandon the role of parent back to this sacred calling; and PoMo Poverty—a look at modern poverty in America and what we can do about it right now without creating an entitlement mentality.

Tom’s favorite book is Acceptance of Authority.  This is for the person that had to spend an hour in detention, has received multiple speeding tickets, or has landed in prison for the next 20 years.  Tom guides the reader through what so many have lost sight of with respect to the value of authority in modern society.

Tom is married to the former Sharman Oliveri of Beaufort, South Carolina.  Tom and Sharman have two children and three grandchildren.

FAQ

What is the author working on now?

His current project is the publication of the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church history up to 2018.  He would like to have this print edition ready for the Red River Presbytery meeting hosted by the Burns Flat CPC this October.

So how is the Reverend Doctor Thomas Ray Spence, Major, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret) to be addressed?

The only form acceptable to this man is Pastor Tom.

How many of each type of animal did Moses put on the ark?

Did you fall for it?  Noah, not Moses loaded the ark.  See you on the 17^th.