Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

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!

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!