at the Shawnee Mission Parkway & Mission Road
Tom Gifford
When Tom Gifford walked into Old Mission about eight years ago and heard the bell choir perform at a Sunday morning service, he knew he had found a new church home.
An avid Husker fan, Tom thought he’d be announcing the scores as a radio or television broadcaster as a young man. But this former Nebraskan let his lifelong love of music lead him to become Old Mission’s Director of Music Ministry. Tom was no stranger to the job; he spent years watching his mother in her role as the bell choir director and youth choir director at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island, Neb.
“Music is one of the most powerful ways God can speak with us,” he says. “Conversely, music is one of the best ways we can communicate with God.”
Tom coordinates music for the traditional Sunday worship services at 8:30 and 10:50 a.m. If you’ve joined the “Halleluiah chorus” at Easter or witnessed a performance of the “Gloria” at Christmastime, you’ve experienced Tom’s talent — bringing outstanding special music to Old Mission. You’ll also see him as a ringer in the bell choir.
To Tom, it’s obvious that “there’s a method to our gladness” (currently the church’s mantra) fits the Old Mission well. “The outreach programs we have to help our community are amazing. Also, the people really care about each other. We truly have a congregation full of amazing humans. To have them all under one roof creates an amazingly powerful energy.”
More fun facts about Tom:
What’s your favorite food?
Chocolate and carbohydrates of various sorts.
What are some of your favorite movies?
I love comedies — anything by the Marx Brothers, the Monty Python guys or Mel Brooks. I also loved the original “Airplane” parody. My wife and I share a quirky sense of humor, so a lot of goofy lines from movies and T.V. end up as frequent phrases in our everyday speech.
For fun I enjoy ...
I love to fish with Amelia. Michelle and I enjoy doing anything with or just watching the kids. We just got a new Wii video game, so I’m a bit obsessed with maintaining my “pro” status in tennis and bowling. I also like Guitar Hero III even though my family laughs at my attempts to be a “rock star.”
What is your idea of a perfect day?
It starts with endless pot of coffee and a big newspaper after a nice morning walk. A beach, an ocean, fishing, and my family would all somehow be a large part of that perfect day. Did I mention chocolate?
Tell us about your family...
My wife, Michelle Milldyke, is my best friend and about the only person who really understands me. She is an incredible writer, talented musician and an amazing mother. My son, Evan, age 9, is a 3rd grader. Although he lives in a Pokemon world, he also plays the cello, enjoys Cub Scouts and is a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. Our twin daughters, age 7, are 1st graders. Amelia is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do; she loves to fish and play all kinds of sports. Bronwyn loves to sing and dance. She is a good athlete, too, competing on the same soccer team with Amelia for the third season in their young sports careers. Both girls take ballet lessons and study music.