Reverend Bruce K. Merritt

Personal Mission Statement
I seek to lead people to a deeper faith in God, love of Christ, and obedience to the Holy Spirit through ministries of nurture and service.

Message from Pastor Bruce
It is such a joy to be pastor of Nixon United Methodist Church - a warm, caring, and friendly congregation! I believe every person is important to God and important to the Church. We all have opportunities to share the love, grace, and good news of Jesus Christ with the world around us. I hope that you will join us as we minister together at Nixon United Methodist Church.

About Pastor Bruce
I have been a pastor for 23 years having served churches in Scottdale, Tionesta, Claysville, and Oil City. I graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a degree in psychology and Bible and Religion in 1978. While there, I met Glenda Looman, who became my wife on May 27, 1978. We moved to Ohio where I completed my M.Div. at United Theological Seminary while working as an Associate Pastor at Amelia United Methodist church, a suburb of Cincinnati. We then returned to Western Pennsylvania.

I serve on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and have been active in District Lay Leadership Ministries, Committees on Ordained Ministry and education ministries. I have been the Bible teacher for 10 years at a Sr. Citizen Retreat at Olmsted Manor. Locally, I have been active in Ministeriums and involved in various social outreach projects. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening and yard work, reading, and traveling. I am excited about being in Ministry here at Nixon.

Glenda graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan with a degree in psychology and sociology. She has been active in church singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, UMW, and other activities. She does much work behind the scenes supporting and helping the pastor and the church as she shares her gifts and graces in ministry. Glenda's work experience includes directing two homeless shelters, drug and alcohol counseling, and programming in a nursing home. She presently is director of Grace Learning Center in Franklin, PA where she coordinates three after school programs for children in 1st-6th grade. Her hobbies include gardening, traveling, quilting and needlework, crafts, and reading.

Samuel, our youngest, will be a senior at Knoch High School and hopes to pursue a career in physical therapy or sports medicine. he is active in band (saxophone) and a sport's enthusiast. He is active in Youth Group, and has served as sound technician at church.

Our oldest son, Daniel, is married to Julie. They currently live in Seneca, PA. He works as a TSS worker for St. Anthony's Point and Julie works for US Investigative Services in Grove City.

Our middle son, Andrew, lives in Colonial Heights, VA and teaches 5th grade science in the Charles City School System.

My family home is in Mercer where my sister and mother continue to live. Glenda's mother, Loretta Looman, lives at Brownsdale Manor.

Pastoral Leadership
1979-1981: Associate Pastor, Amelia United Methodist Church, Amelia, Ohio
1981-1985: Jacob's Creek Circuit: Hickory Square, Jacob's Creek, Wesley Chapel
1985-1991: Tionesta/West Hickory
1991-2002: Claysville
2002-2005: Trinity (Oil City)
2005-Present: Nixon

Education

Conference Relations

Conference, District, and Community Activities
Conference/District Board of Ordained Ministry; Clergy Mentor; Family Life Commission; Education committee; Lay Leadership Committee; Lay Leadership School Teacher; Oil City Ministerium (Secretary and President); Teacher-Sr. Citizen's Retreat, Olmsted Manor (1993-2004); World Methodist Conference (2001); Mission trip to Venezuela (1997)

Strengths in Ministry
Communication Skills, Mission and Outreach Ministries, General and Hospital Visitation, Teaching

Hobbies
Gardening, Reading, Traveling

You may contact Pastor Bruce by calling (724) 586-7372 or by email at nixonumpastor@zoominternet.net.