Led by Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris & Rev. Andrea Cummings
A high-energy, immersive worship service.
Led by Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris & Rev. Andrea Cummings
A high-energy, immersive worship service.
Led by Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris & Rev. Andrea Cummings
An intimate liturgical worship service.
Led by FUMC Kids
A unique worship experience for families of all ages, taking place on the 1st Sunday of every month.
Led by Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris & Rev. Andrea Cummings
Each month, First Sunday Worship will be led by both our worship leaders in a “best of” service for all to gather as one.
Come together. Come to the table.
Communion is offered every Sunday in all of our worship services.
Sharing Christ, Making Disciples.
To become the Spiritual Heart of Bentonville; a mission station to equip disciples for building relationships with people who are far from home or feel far away from God.
FUMC Bentonville welcomes all. Because we believe the Communion Table is God’s table, we invite everyone into our church family. We welcome and celebrate every race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, physical and mental ability, national origin, economic station, and political ideology. We come together in action and outreach, aspiring to follow Jesus’ example of radical hospitality, love, and grace as a transformative movement in our community.
Rev. Dr. Michelle J. Morris started as Lead Pastor here in July 2021.
Rev. Dr. Michelle J. Morris started as Lead Pastor here in July 2021. Prior to serving this church, she served churches in West Memphis, Fort Smith, and Conway. She also worked as the Lead Equipper in the Arkansas Conference Office where she helped launch the conference’s online learning system. Michelle is a perpetual student, holding a Bachelor of Arts in English and French and a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature (both from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville), as well as a Master of Divinity and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies with an emphasis in New Testament (both from Southern Methodist University). She also is the author of Gospel Discipleship: 4 Pathways for Christian Disciples, which includes both a participant and a congregation guide. Her philosophy for leading a congregation is to meet with each person and learn what your passions are, and then connect you with others with similar passions so that you can do the work that God is calling you to do. As you share your passions, it also helps reveal the vision God has for God’s church. So send her an email and schedule some time to learn what God can do through you!
Rev. Andreá Cummings is a native of Arkansas…
Rev. Andreá Cummings is a native of Arkansas. She has served as campus pastor of St. Luke, the second campus of Pulaski Heights since 2018. Andreá is a native of Arkansas and a graduate of Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where she graduated with a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Church Planting and Scripture & Interpretation. She earned her B.A. in Communication from the University of Arkansas, her MBA and Master of Education in Special Education from Grand Canyon University. Andreá loves to root for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and loves spending time with her nieces and nephews. You may contact her at andrea@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712.
Toni Hinrichs joined the staff in January 2017.
Toni Hinrichs joined the staff in January 2017. She is a native of Bentonville and is married to Tim. She holds an Accounting Degree from the University of Arkansas. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. Her accounting background is in Real Estate, Retail, and Healthcare Accounting and Finance.
A fun fact about Toni – she used to own 3 donut shops! Her passions include travelling, reading and her 3 dogs.
You may contact Toni at toni@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 202.
Brooke joined staff in 2013.
Brooke is originally from El Dorado, Ark., where she grew up attending Parkers Chapel UMC. After high school, she moved to Fayetteville and earned a Bachelor’s in Communication from the University of Arkansas. As an active youth, Brooke served on Conference and Jurisdictional levels of the United Methodist Church. These experiences guide her in her ministry. She strives to provide opportunity for today’s youth to grow in their faith and make lifelong friends in the process. She began working as a youth minister in 2009, and in 2020 has began a new area of technology ministry.
Brooke has recently moved into the combined areas of Communication and Video & Technology. As an interim position, she will oversee all things digital and all church communication. She is also responsible for weekly “altarscaping” in consultation with the worship leaders.
In her spare time Brooke enjoys shopping, spending time with family and friends, planning weddings/parties, going to the lake, and traveling. You may contact Brooke at brooke@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 209.
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Ken is a graduate of Lambuth University with…
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Ken is a graduate of Lambuth University with a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance. He has served as a worship artist and touring musician for more than 15 years. Ken is married to Casey, a freelance graphic designer. Together, they have two sons named Aidan and Coleman. Ken and Casey have spent several years touring around churches, colleges, and living rooms as an acoustic duo called The Weatherfolk (weatherfolk.com), releasing three albums to date. From 2011 to 2013, the couple lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, working with the Church to establish a new worshipping community that is still growing today. Upon returning to the U.S., Ken spent two years working with a United Methodist Church in Little Rock to further an existing worship arts ministry. Having experienced so many different expressions of church, both here and abroad, Ken is thrilled to bring his love for community, creativity, art, worship (and golf) to First United Methodist Church. You may contact Ken at ken@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712.
Dr. Ray Wheeler joined FUMC | Downtown …
Dr. Ray Wheeler joined FUMC in May of 2016 as the traditional choral director. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education in vocal music and a Master of Music in choral conducting from University of Oklahoma in Norman, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of North Texas in Denton. Ray has directed choirs in schools and churches, and also taught voice and music education for the past 30 years. Primarily, he serves as the choral conductor of the chancel choir in the 8:30 am and 11:00 am Traditional service. Ray resides in Bentonville with his wife Pam. You may contact Ray at ray@fumcbentonville.org or 479-273-2712, ext. 207.
Kristin joined staff in May 2021
Kristin Wells
Growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kristin felt drawn to church ministry at an early age. She holds a bachelors degree in youth ministry from Olivet Nazarene University, and served as a youth pastor for six years in a Nazarene church in the St. Louis suburbs. She and her husband, Wesley, moved to Northwest Arkansas to be closer to family in 2020 – a year that became a season of reflection and rest from ministry (and don’t we know, 2020 was a good year for rest). FUMC Downtown Bentonville was an easy place to call home in what could have been a disorienting season. Kristin joined the UMC as an official member in early 2021 and was shortly thereafter presented with an opportunity to join the staff at FUMC.
Kristin is passionate about creating a space where senior high students can know and be known through intimate relationships with God and their peers. It is her belief that youth are not just the church of the future, but that they are wired as an important part of Christ’s body right now. She invites you to celebrate and participate in the way that FUMC Bentonville’s youth can uniquely lead us to be servants in our community.
In her spare time, Kristin enjoys baking, board games, interior design, tending to her many house plants, traveling with her husband, Wesley, snuggling her pup, Faye (short for Fayetteville), and hosting friends and family in her home!
Allison joined the staff in September 2017.
Matt joined our staff in 2019…
Matt Nelson grew up in the small town of Antioch, IL. After studying jazz performance and arranging at Columbia College Chicago, Matt developed a reputation as one of Chicago’s most versatile keyboardists – performing and recording with and arranging for countless artists, including Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band, and hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco. With performances ranging from local jazz clubs to international festival tours, spanning styles from jazz to rock, to electronica, to R&B, Matt’s musical experiences have taken him around the world and back.
After moving to Bentonville in 2017, Matt and his family quickly found a spiritual home at FUMC Bentonville. Having played and led at churches of different denominations and with various traditions, Matt brings this diversity of experience to FUMC’s music team. Matt plays at FUMC’s traditional service and the contemporary worship service, The Gathering, and he is an integral part of the community’s charitable singalong, Beer & Hymns.
Whether writing custom choral arrangements for the Chancel Choir, recording original music for announcement videos, creating the church’s weekly sermon podcast, or jamming pop tunes on FUMC’s TikTok, Matt is enthusiastic about using his talents and experience to bring high-quality music to FUMC Bentonville.
Amanda joined the staff in August 2019.
Amanda Genest
Amanda joined the staff in August 2019. She is a native of Arkansas with an Accounting degree from the University of Central Arkansas.
She and her husband, Steve, enjoy home remodeling and traveling with their teenage twins.
Bio to come….
Carole Dalton, a native Arkansan…
Carole Dalton, a native Arkansan from Little Rock, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration. Her experience as an educator includes working at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as an educational diagnostician and teaching in the public school systems of Arkansas and Texas.
Carole serves on various church committees as a FUMC member and is a volunteer in the Bentonville Public Schools and within the community. She and her husband, David, have two children, Elizabeth and Will. She loves seeing the world through the curious and enthusiastic eyes of children and sharing the love of Christ! Her passions include her family, faith, baking, learning new things, and traveling.
Andrea Mutchler has been a member of FUMC since 1998…
Andrea Mutchler, has been a member of FUMC since 1998, she is married to Thomas and they have 4 grown children. Andrea has a passion for teaching children; she enjoys traveling, the beach and cooking for family and friends. Andrea has held a career in childcare for 20 years and has been the Director at Wee Friends for 7 years.