The Rev. Dr. Daniel B. Merry is Pastor/Head of Staff of the Southminster Presbyterian Church in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Dan began his ministry at Southminster on August 1, 2006.

From November 2000 until June 2006 Dan served as Associate Pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery.  Dan’s primary responsibilities involved working with the medium and large-sized congregations. He was also the staff person to the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, Administrative Commission for Transformation and the Malawi Partnership Ministry Team.  Dan also served as Acting Pastor/Head of Staff to the Presbytery while Jim Mead was on Sabbatical in the spring of 2006.

Dan graduated from Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Communications and Religion in 1977. He went on to Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia where he earned a D. Min. degree in 1981. During seminary he served as Student Pastor of the Midway Presbyterian Church in Maxton, North Carolina.

In June of 1981 Dan was called to serve the Second Presbyterian Church in Pittston, Pennsylvania. It was there that Dan really learned what it was to be a Minister of Word and Sacrament.

In March of 1987 Dan accepted a call to the John McMillan Presbyterian Church in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. For thirteen years Dan served this dynamic and growing church in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. During that time JMPC grew from an average Sunday worship of 85 to almost 400. It was a joyous time of ministry.

Dan is married to Beth Brown Merry. Beth teaches communications at Waynesburg College. In her spare time Beth serves on the Board of Directors of Presbyterian Media Mission and is an active member in the life of the Southminster Presbyterian Church. She is also the National Coordinator of the Electronic Great Awakening, a program of media literacy for the PC(USA).

Dan and Beth have been blessed with two children, Heather, age 19, is a freshman at Westminster College, where she is majoring in Elementary Education.  Brooke, age 16, is a sophomore at Bethel Park High School who plays clarinet in the marching band and loves playing volleyball.

From August 2004 until August 2005 the Merry family had the privilege of being loaned by Pittsburgh Presbytery to serve with the Synod of Blantyre in Malawi, Africa. They like to describe the year as "the most wonderful, difficult year of our lives". Click here to read the Merry Mission Journal, a personal account of their year in Malawi.

Page last updated:03/31/08