My passion is to live well in my town and to invite you into the glory of knowing a place and being known there.

Car-dependence and the digital “landscape” diminish our enjoyment of our immediate surroundings, but we can re-develop town character.

You see, towns can develop individual character, the kind of character that becomes public virtue which in turn can make our places better.

So, I write about towns, characters, and curiosities because I love those things!

I hope you’ll join me as I drop in on places where life carries on in spite of all the trends that are forcing us apart.

Here’s a good sample of what you’ll get with Town Character:

Town Character

Stood Up in Yakima

Julie and Don could be Pennsylvania Dutch: modest, industrious, and uber-connected within their town. She played in the symphony and teaches music lessons to children, just like my next door neighbor Lorie used to do for my kids and just like my daughter Hannah now does fo…

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3 years ago · 1 like · Tom Becker

Who Me Anyhow?

I studied speech at Bloombsurg University and earned my Master of Divinity at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Vocationally, I’ve found my way into curating which gives me the opportunity to show off people, ideas, and movements in our society that embody goodness, beauty, and truth.

Before founding The Row House Forum in Lancaster, PA, I served as a liberal arts instructor and campus minister.

Becky and I have been married since 1985. We have five grown children, four in Philadelphia, and one in Denver, along with four grand kids so far.

I can usually be found in and around Lancaster’s West End on two wheels or with my Border collie mix, Rue.

I’m a developing Christian and grateful lay leader at Wheatland Presbyterian Church.

For Fun: Cycling, reading, hanging, exploring with Becky, dancing vigorously, enjoying live music, and ghost-crafting.

Winter Fun: Roller skating, house projects, and fires.