When Tom Spencer was appointed to his new position as the local pastor at Lakeville United Methodist Church, it felt like a homecoming to him and for his wife Kim.
The Spencers, who moved to Lakeville from Rose City just last Saturday, both grew up in Oakland County — Tom in Lake Orion, and Kim in Union Lake.
‘It has changed so much in the 33 years since I left,? said Tom.
The Spencers have been married for almost 26 years and have two children; Scott, 25, an engineer in the 101st Airborne division of the US Army, and Tammy, 23, a full-time student studying to be an accountant. The Spencers became first-time grandparents just seven weeks ago.
Tom graduated from Saginaw Valley with a major in history and minors in philosophy and sociology. Before he decided to go into ministry, Tom was a computer operator working on mainframes in the US Air Force for 20 years until he retired.
Stationed in countries like Panama and Germany, the Spencers grew to love traveling.
Just one year after he retired, Tom, was appointed to his first church in Tawas.
‘I didn’t want to work on computers anymore. I wanted to work with people,? he said.
Kim, on the other hand, said she knew it was her calling to be in ministry her whole life.
After graduating from Walled Lake Central, she worked briefly at Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, moving on to Alpena Community College, then to Macomb Community College and finally graduated from Saginaw Valley with a B.A. in sociology and philosophy in 2002.
During her early college years, Kim said she took a job packing pickles to pay for books.
‘That’s probably been the most interesting job I’ve had,? she said laughing.
Kim just finished her third year of seminary at the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio and is on the way to being ordained.
She said being a full-time seminarian, pastoring a church and maintaining a family is like having three full-time jobs.
Kim is currently appointed to the Davis United Methodist Church. Davis is a small city near Romeo.
Tom will also pastor at the Thomas United Methodist Church.
The Spencers were friends of Lakeville’s last pastor, Gloria Haynes. Haynes is now the Associate Pastor at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Lapeer.
The Spencers said they couldn’t be more happier with the quaintness of Lakeville and plan on being here a long time.
‘We’ve met a few people from the churches and we know things are going to go well,? Tom said.