“If elected by the General Assembly, I believe that RUF can help shape tomorrow’s generation of leaders, church members, and culture shapers.  I am humbled and excited about the opportunity to serve a ministry that has meant so much to me since 1981 as a student at the University of South Carolina. It is my desire to serve faithfully the Presbyterian Church in America in this exciting, vital ministry in the Kingdom of God.”

The Reformed University Ministries (RUM) Permanent Committee has announced the nomination of Reverend Thomas Cannon to serve as the next Coordinator of Reformed University Ministries, pending approval by the General Assembly.

Reformed University Ministries is a college ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) with staff members on over 140  colleges and universities nationwide. RUM began at the University of Southern Mississippi in the mid-1970s under the leadership of Rev. Mark Lowrey and eventually became a ministry under Mission to North America (MNA). In the late 1990s, RUM was established by the General Assembly as one of the permanent program committees of the PCA.

Cannon comes to this new position from Red Mountain Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Birmingham, AL, where he has served as pastor since 2008.  Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, Tom attended the University of South Carolina (USC), graduating with a degree in Speech Communication in 1982.

After graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS in 1988, Tom and his wife Dawn moved to Melbourne, Australia where he served as a church planter and a campus minister for ten years with the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

They moved from Melbourne to accept a call from the Village Church in New York City, working with the Metro New York Presbytery to establish a Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) ministry at New York University, serving there from 1997 to 2001. During this time Cannon also acted as RUF’s Northeastern Area Coordinator while serving as Associate Pastor at the Village Church.  Cannon moved to Savannah, GA to pastor students with RUF at Savannah College of Art and Design in coordination with Independent Presbyterian Church.

“If elected by the General Assembly, I believe that RUF can help shape tomorrow’s generation of leaders, church members, and culture shapers.  I am humbled and excited about the opportunity to serve a ministry that has meant so much to me since 1981 as a student at the University of South Carolina,” Tom commented.

A devoted husband, father, and USC Gamecocks fan he remains also a dogged Philadelphia sports fan.  “I can only hope to continue the faithful and effective leadership of Rod Mays.  It is my desire to serve faithfully the Presbyterian Church in America in this exciting, vital ministry in the Kingdom of God.”

Rod Mays, retiring RUM Coordinator stated, “Having known Tom for more than 20 years, and having worked closely with him on several projects, I look forward to the transition and the effective leadership that Tom will bring to RUF and our denomination.”

Tom met his wife, Dawn James of Florence, SC, at USC and they married in 1985. They have three grown children: Grace Cannon Converse, 23 (Ashton), James, 22, and Noah, 20.