New Senior Pastor Appointed at Conway FUMC

Conway First United Methodist Church is excited to announce that Rev. Nathan Kilbourne has  been appointed to serve as our new senior pastor beginning Jan. 1, 2023. His first Sunday in the pulpit at Conway FUMC will be Sunday, Jan. 8.


Nathan is currently the pastor at First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where he has served since July of 2016. He also currently serves on the board for Methodist Family Health and chairs both the District Committee on Ordained Ministry and the Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Prior to his appointment to Jacksonville United Methodist, Nathan served at both Vilonia and Asbury United Methodist Churches.

Nathan looks forward to leading Conway FUMC and says that he is excited to work “to create vitality and to make disciples of Jesus Christ by leading by example and equipping the saints for ministry.” He sees his role as being the servant of the servants of God and he looks forward to serving both this congregation and this community.

“Through the spoken word, prayer and relationships there is a joining in partnership to fulfill our call as Christians to be disciples and to make disciples,” Nathan says. “Whether it is building up current ministries or discerning and envisioning new ministries, this partnership plays a vital role in the ongoing health and vitality of the community of faith. I have been set apart for these tasks to see the church succeed in its calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Nathan is from Tennessee. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emory with a B.A. in Religion and Psychology and then, in 2009, he earned his Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. Nathan is married to Rev. Lynn Kilbourne, who is a former associate pastor here at Conway FUMC. Together, they have two wonderful daughters – Eleanor (age 7) and Lydia (age 2).

Welcome messages can be sent to nate.kilbourne@arumc.org or to 7032 Gap Ridge Drive, Sherwood, AR  72120.