St. Jude
Fr. Tommy has come to venerate St. Jude, the apostle, due to having prayed for his intercession on an almost impossible outcome. St. Jude came through as he is the “Apostle of the Impossible.”
The Rev. Tommy Sheppard is a priest in The Episcopal Church, a teacher, and a public theologian who loves the God who calls all people to liberation, wholeness, and compassion. He is committed to working and playing alongside God in communities that seek to practice justice, mercy, and joy in our world.
Bio
Fr. Tommy grew up in rural Tishomingo, Mississippi, raised primarily by his paternal grandparents, who taught him the value of hard work, compassion, and attention to the beauty of the natural world. From an early age he has lived at the intersection of nature and technology, equally at home under a wide Southern sky and in front of a computer screen.
Now serving as a priest in West Virginia, Fr. Tommy weaves together parish ministry, teaching, chaplaincy, and digital engagement. A devoted animal lover, he shares life with two dogs, Grace and Belle. When he’s not at church or at the hospital, he can often be found quilting or reading history, both practices that help him pray, reflect, and stay grounded.
Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.
St. Augustine
Open & Relational Theology
Fr. Tommy utilizes Open & Relational Theology (ORT) to help make sense of his faith. You can learn more about ORT at the following sites:
