Rev. James Thomas Logan

8/30/2020

Tom was born in Ruston, Louisiana and grew up in Quitman, Louisiana.  His parents were Harrison and Willow Logan.  He was the second oldest in a family of five siblings.  Tom always believed that this time might have been the happiest of his entire life.  As a Junior and Senior in high school, he played on a basketball team that won two state championships.  In his junior year, he was selected to the All-District First Team; as a Senior, All-District First Team and All-State First Team.  Tom was one of only five players that were selected from across the whole state of Louisiana.

Tom was called into the ministry in November 1970, in the middle of his senior year.  Upon graduating high school, he would earn a Bachelor’s from Southeastern Louisiana University, in Hammond; a Masters of Theology, from Perkins School of Theology, SMU, Dallas.  He did work on a D.Min. from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, but due to a lack of money, did not complete his dissertation.  This is something that he would always regret.  Tom’s subject for his dissertation was the development of a blended worship service, using both traditional and contemporary parts.  He wanted to do this, long before many other Methodist clergy and laity would even consider it.  He was introduced to contemporary music in 1980 and, he was ordained as Elder in 1981, he shared one of his songs with the Conference Delegates.  He strongly believed that he might have been the first Methodist minister to use this type of music in a worship service setting.  Tom continued to sing up until his death.  Tom also participated in six building projects, at various appointments.

Tom served the following appointments:  Loranger/Cooper’s Chapel; Meadow’s Chapel/New River; Associate, Bogalusa; Wesley Chapel, Hugo/Grant/Ft. Towson (Oklahoma Conference); Raymond/Elton; Associate, Munholland; Coushatta/Wesley Chapel; Lakeview, Minden; St. Charles, Destrehan; Christ, Shreveport; First, Ponchatoula; and, Wetumka (Oklahoma Conference).  He served as a person chaplain with the Oklahoma Department of corrections from 2011 until 2015.

Tom is survived by three children:  Clay, Carlie and Cayse; and three grandchildren:  Alyssa, Gracie and Haileigh.