The Reverend Toby Obadiah Byrd is the son of a
career army officer. Although born in Ft. Jackson,
South Carolina, he grew up in
various areas of the country, mostly in Kansas.
Pastor Byrd is a decorated veteran, having served in the United States
Navy from 1960 to 1967, completing three tours of duty during the
Vietnam War.
Upon leaving the Navy, Pastor Byrd worked for
various electronic companies, as an engineer, manager, and Chief
Executive Officer. He holds various patents for his creative work at
Texas Instruments.
Pastor Byrd entered Concordia Theological Seminary
in March 1996 as a student in the first DELTO class, a program of
contextual theological education leading to ordination. Graduating in
February 2002, he was ordained and installed as Pastor of St.
Luke’s Lutheran Church,
Honey Grove, Texas
on March 10, 2002.
In addition to his duties as pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran
Church, Pastor Byrd has
been serving Grace Lutheran
Church since August 2008 as
their interim pastor. He is also president of the Lutheran Mission
Alliance, which consists of eighteen Lutheran congregations who are
committed to genuine, historical Lutheranism.
Pastor Byrd and his wife, Sue were married in
October, 1961. They have three daughters (Anna, Rhonda, and Gabriella)
and five grandchildren (Derek, Blake, Morgan, Caitlyn, and Cody).
Grace Lutheran Church
