Pastor Tom is the eldest child of hardworking immigrant parents from southern China (Guangdong/Guangzhou/Taishan). His family moved from Toronto to Boston, settling in Jamaica Plain during his elementary school years. Introduced to BCEC through high school friends, Pastor Tom is the first in his family to become a Christian. He came to faith at a BCEC youth retreat, accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, and was baptized in 1978 by Pastor James Tan and Minister Steven Chin. Pastor Tom is also the first in his family to attend and graduate from college and was actively discipled at BCEC throughout his high school, college, and young adult years.
Pastor Tom graduated from Boston Technical High School and Tufts University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He later received a certificate in Bible from Trinity Divinity School, a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and most recently, a Doctor of Ministry from Talbot School of Theology.
Pastor Tom received his call to ministry while attending Trinity in Chicago. He returned to serve as BCEC’s Youth Director before completing his Master of Divinity at Gordon-Conwell. At BCEC Chinatown, he shepherded as English Assistant Pastor, overseeing youth, college, and young adult ministries. Ordained in 1996, he was instrumental in launching the second English worship service, “XO – Experiencing God.” Later, he helped establish and lead the Newton Campus with Pastor Perry Chow (Cantonese) in 2003, where he served as Newton’s English Pastor until 2016.
Pastor Tom’s call to ministry has always been to “share the love of Christ with all.” Over the years, this mission has expanded to “sharing the love of Christ and His kingdom in word and deed with all people.” For the last eight years Pastor Tom has had the blessing of shepherding a Christ-centered, multicultural, intergenerational, and missional campus at Grace Chapel.
In addition to his traditional pastoral roles, Pastor Tom helped initiate BCEC’s Social Responsibility (SR) Ministry, which together launched the English language program, SR committee, annual conference, and Project Destiny summer program. He was active in Chinatown community outreach, participating in the Safety Committee, co-chairing both The Chinatown Coalition and Lower Washington Safety Committee, and co-founding the Fellowship of Asian American Ministers and Ministries. He has also served on the Boston Campus Advisory Board of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and recently sat on the Board of Directors for Arlington EATS Food Pantry.
Pastor Tom and his high school sweetheart, Edna— whom he met at a BCEC youth group—have been married since 1987. They are blessed with three adult sons, two of whom are married, and Pastor Tom had the joy of baptizing each of his sons at BCEC as well as his own mom.
Edna is a Brown University graduate and worked as a commercial loan officer at the Bank of Boston for 15 years before feeling called to ministry in a direct kingdom way. Since 2001, she has taught fourth grade in Bedford Public Schools. Together, Edna and Pastor Tom enjoy hosting and sharing God’s love with friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, missionaries, and many others. Edna is also active in supporting Pastor Tom in ministry, as well as serving in children’s ministry, women’s fellowship, and personal outreach. Edna and Pastor Tom enjoy extended family gatherings, hosting,hiking, travel, bike riding, and learning pickleball. They are excited about the opportunity to return to BCEC and serve both our church and community as they embark on the next chapter of their faith journey.
李蔭棠牧師是家中長子，他的雙親早年從中國南方（廣東/廣州/台山一帶）移民到北美。他們舉家在李牧師唸小學期間，從多倫多移居至波士頓，並在 Jamaica Plain 地區落地生根。在高中時代，李牧師經校內的朋友介紹下首次接觸到波士頓華人佈道會，並成為家裏第一名基督徒。他在一次青少年退修會中決志信主，後於1978 年接受譚雅各牧師和當時的陳卓明傳道洗禮。李牧師亦是家裏第一個完成大學學業的成員。他在高中、大學、職青時期一直在本會受到栽培和牧養。李牧師於 Boston Technical 高中畢業後，在達芙大學取得化學工程的學士。其後，他在三一神學院修讀了聖經文憑，在歌頓神學院獲得道學碩士，並最近在 Talbot School of Theology 取得教牧學博士。
李蔭棠牧師在芝加哥三一神學院進修時蒙神呼召作全時間事奉。在他前往歌頓神學院攻讀道學碩士前曾在本會出任青少年事工主任一職。在1996 被按立成為牧師後，他成為本會的英文助理牧師，主力牧養華埠堂的青少年、大學生、和職青。當時第二堂英文崇拜 “XO – Experiencing God”的創立，李牧師功不可沒。在 2003 年購入牛頓堂後，李牧師更與周君善牧師（粵語堂）攜手開荒及帶領牛頓堂事工，並一直出任牛頓堂英文牧師至 2016 年。
李蔭棠牧師的事奉一向都以「與所有人分享基督的愛」為本。多年來，這使命更延伸至「以言行與所有人分享基督的愛和神的國」。在過去八年裡，李牧師蒙神賜福，能在 Grace Chapel 牧養一個以基督為中心、多文化、跨年齡層、和帶使命感的分堂。除了傳統的牧養工作外，李蔭棠牧師亦曾參與開拓本會的社會責任事工，當中包括了社區英文班﹑社會責任委員會、社關年會、及步上光明路夏令營。他也活躍於華埠社區的外展，既參與治安委員會，又在「唐人街聯盟」和 「下華盛頓街安全委員會」 擔任共同主席，並有份創立「美國亞裔牧者及事工團契」。他也曾經在歌頓神學院波士頓分校擔任顧問，和最近在 Arlington 市EATS 食物捐贈計劃的董事會上服務。
李蔭棠牧師和 Edna 師母在高中時代一起參加本會青少年團契時相識，並於1987年結婚。蒙神的恩典，他們育有三名已長大成人的兒子，其中兩名兒子已經結婚。李牧師感恩有機會能親自為母親和三名兒子洗禮。
Edna 師母畢業於布朗大學，及後在波士頓銀行任職15年，從事商業貸款事務。後來，師母深感神的呼召要做更能直接貢獻上帝國度的工作。遂於 2001 年起，到 Bedford 公立學校任教小學四年級。師母和牧師非常好客，經常邀請親朋好友、鄰居、同事、宣教士等到家裡作客，分享神愛。師母也致力支持李牧師的事奉，並在兒童事工、姊妹團契、和個人佈道上不遺餘力。另外，李牧師和師母喜愛大型的家庭聚會、宴請朋友、爬山、旅遊、騎單車、和打匹克球。他們為著有機會回到波士頓華人佈道會服事教會和社區而感到興奮，並懷著這樣的心情展開他們事奉的新里程。