About Doug Dyson
Rev. Doug Dyson grew up one of four sons of a United Methodist pastor in New Jersey, spending most of his childhood in Princeton, NJ. After high school he married his high school sweetheart Linda and together they raised their two married biological daughters Casey (31) and Heather (30) along with six adopted children Shayne (23), Evan (22), Chris (22), Tyler (22), Samantha (21), and Daymon (20).
Rev. Dyson studied psychology at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ. He received his Masters of Divinity, with a focused specialization in Church Revitalization and Renewal, from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.
Rev. Dyson began in ministry in the same conference in which his father served, starting as a student pastor in 1996. Through his ministry there he served in rural, suburban, and urban settings in both small and large churches, crossing denominational lines. Although he got his start in the United Methodist Church, in 2002 the family relocated to Punxsutawney, PA to run a youth center for the Salvation Army. For a time, he served as interim pastor for the Independent Reformed Church, St. John’s in Sprankle Mills, PA, before returning to the United Methodist church in 2007 as a local pastor serving in the Marchand Charge and began the process towards full ordination in the Western PA Annual Conference. He was ordained an Elder in 2017. He has been serving since 2016 at Sharon First UMC and currently is senior pastor of the Sharon Area Cooperative Ministry.
Pastor Doug’s passion is summed up in the quote, “A great commitment to the Great Commission lived out through the Great Commandment makes a great church.” He believes that Jesus calls us to love God with all that we are (an ever-deepening discipleship for every believer) and to love our neighbor with all that we have (This is a love that is ACTION above all). For Pastor Doug, this is the very heart of the Christian call.
In his new appointment, Doug will provide leadership in developing systems and implementing strategies for revitalizing existing congregations and new meeting places for new people. In addition, he will work closely with all congregations within the Synod as well as the Synod Council, the Bishop, and newly formed Cooperative Parish
About Northwest PA Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Northwest PA Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is comprised of 74 congregations in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania. The territory covers all or part of 15 counties: Armstrong, Cameron, Crawford, Clarion, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren, and Westmoreland.
The United Methodist Church is in full communion relationship with the ELCA.