Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton became spiritual leader of the approximately 900 United Methodist congregations in Western Pennsylvania on Sept. 1, 2004.
A native of Moundsville, West Virginia, Bishop Bickerton was elected at the 2004 Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference in Syracuse, NY. At age 49, he is one of the youngest bishops in the United Methodist Church.
In West Virginia, Bishop Bickerton served a six-point charge as a student pastor. After graduation from seminary, he was appointed pastor of Perry Memorial UMC in Shady Spring, WV, which grew from 85 to 225 members in the six years he served there. In 1989, he was appointed senior pastor of then 585-member Forrest Burdette Memorial UMC in Hurricane, WV. By the time he was named district superintendent of West Virginia’s Northern District in 1998, the Forrest Burdette church had grown to 1368 members.
Bishop Bickerton’s life and ministry have been shaped significantly through involvement in a number of Volunteer in Mission experiences “that have taken me into the mission field and given me opportunity to gain a global perspective in ministry.” He has joined work teams to aid flood victims in his home state, as well as other work efforts in Mexico, Argentina, Russia, and the Gulf Coast. He has also traveled with groups to Israel and has traveled extensively on behalf of The United Methodist Church on the continent of Africa.
Bishop Bickerton has served as the president of United Methodist Communications since 2004 and currently serves as the denomination’s spokesperson for the Nothing But Nets anti-malaria campaign.
Bishop Bickerton has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in sociology and psychology from West Virginia Wesleyan College (1980), a Master’s of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School (1983), and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological School (1994). He also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at United Theological School teaching Wesleyan doctrine and United Methodist polity.
The Bishop and his wife Sally are the parents of Elizabeth (24), T.J. (22), Ian (14) and Nick (12).