The Rev. Thomas Synan
Tom Synan was called to be the Rector of Grace Church in July 2013. Before coming to Amherst, he had been associate rector at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City for 13 years, where he oversaw that parish’s outreach programs, worship life, and pastoral care. Tom has a passionate commitment to the role of the Church in the wider world. As Christians, we are called to be God’s agents in the world, following the mandate of Jesus Christ to serve rather than be served. Ministering in the midst of five college and university campuses, Tom considers campus ministry a priority.
A graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Tom was a bank loan officer before attending and graduating from Georgetown Law School. He then practiced law for eight years before entering Yale Divinity School from which he graduated magna cum laude. He was a member of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity New York City, and his work after 9/11 earned him the designation as an honorary chaplain to the New York Fire Department, particularly for his work with gay and lesbian firefighters. He and his yellow lab, Lucy, are pleased to call Amherst and the greater Pioneer Valley home.