Church honors longtime pastor
Nixon United Methodist Church, 334 Airport Road, held a celebration May 19 to mark Rev. Bruce Merritt’s 35 years in the ministry.
After a worship service conducted by retired pastor Bonnie Rupp-Fisher and Rev. Dean Ziegle, the Butler District superintendent, a luncheon in honor of Merritt and his wife, Glenda, was held in the church’s social hall.
An informal ‘roast and toast’ was conducted where tributes and presentations were made to the Merritts.
Former parishioners from those churches where the Merritts have served were represented as were many of their family members.
Merritt graduated from Mercer High School in 1974, West Virginia Wesleyan College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology/Bible and religion in 1978 and United Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in divinity in 1981. He was ordained a deacon in the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1979 and as an elder in 1981.
He served in the following United Methodist churches:
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 to present: Nixon United Methodist.
Merritt and the former Glenda Looman married May 27, 1978, and have three sons and three grandchildren.
