Bishop Laura Merrill has announced her intention to appoint Rev. Natasha Murray as District Superintendent for the Central District, effective July 1, 2025.
The Rev. Dr. Ulysses Washington has served as the Central District Superintendent since 2021 and will retire effective June 30, 2025. He will continue to serve on the appointive cabinet as he leads the ARUMC Black Church Initiative. More information on Dr. Washington’s new role will be shared at a future date.
“It has been a joy to serve alongside the Rev. Dr. Ulysses Washington,” Bishop Merrill stated. His wisdom and gentle spirit have been an asset to the work of the cabinet and to all who have served alongside him. He also brings deep passion and energy for connections between the church and community. I am grateful for his service to the Arkansas Conference and the United Methodist Church, and I look forward to his next chapter of ministry in retirement.”
The Rev. Murray is currently serving the First United Methodist Church in downtown Little Rock as Pastor of Hospitality and Belonging. She previously served St. James UMC in Pine Bluff as Senior Pastor, Director of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Associate Pastor at First UMC in Pine Bluff, Southwest District Mission Field Coordinator in Pine Bluff, Senior Pastor of Parkview UMC and New Hope UMC in Benton, Senior Pastor at Auburn UMC and Scranton UMC in Kansas, and as a campus minister at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.
Bishop Merrill affirmed, “I am glad to welcome Rev. Murray to this new role. She will bring a voice of clarity, wisdom, and faithfulness to the cabinet table, as well as a spirit of joy and possibility for the ministries of the Central District. Her gifts and breadth of experience will be a blessing to this conference.”
Murray received her BA in Political Science from Harding University, an MA in Political Science from Arkansas State University, and an MDiv with an emphasis in Evangelism from Saint Paul School of Theology.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the incoming superintendent of the Central District. I look forward to working with Bishop Merrill, members of the cabinet, and most of all, the amazing laity and clergy of the Central District,” shared Murray.
Rev. Murray has previously served on the boards of Faith Action Network, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas. She currently serves the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Central Arkansas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Black Methodists for Church Renewal, Black Clergywomen of the United Methodist Church, United Women of Faith, Board of Ordained Ministry (member), Arkansas Conference delegate to the South Central Jurisdictional Conference and alternate delegate to General Conference, and as Co-Covenor for the Arkansas UMC Clergywomen.
Murray is an Adjunct Instructor at Philander Smith College and has served as dean and instructor of worship, sacrament, and preaching for the conference’s Local Pastor Licensing School. She is also a previous MissionU instructor for the Arkansas Conference United Women in Faith.
Murray is married to Rev. Mark Norman. They have two children, Kelly Murray-Norman and Mylas Murray-Norman, and a granddaughter, Luna Murray-Norman. In her spare time, Rev. Murray enjoys listening to podcasts about culture, social justice, and current affairs, taking nature walks, reading, and developing curricula for intergenerational Bible studies.