Nathan Willard has served as the Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Iowa City since 2023 (despite not actually being Presbyterian). Prior to that, he served as Pastor at Ankeny United Church of Christ between 2013-2022, where he: ran for Ankeny City Council (winning the 4th-highest vote total of all time; unfortunately the other three were also running in 2021), led efforts by the Ankeny Ministerial Assocation to extend emergency shelter and food in times of need, and agitated with A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy. A progressive Christian, he works in the congregation and community to build ministries of reconciliation, especially with LGBTQ issues and the effects of historical and continuing racism.
Pastor Nathan graduated from Harvard Divinity School with his MDiv in 2010. In 2011-12 he served as the Campus Outreach Director for St. David’s Episcopal Church and Campus Minister for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Cullowhee, NC. In the summer of 2013, he served as the Sabbatical minister at the Congregational Church, UCC, in Iowa City. From 2010-2013, he filled in for vacationing pastors in Sylva and Cullowhee. Immediately after graduation from Yale University in 2000, he sold software around the world for startups and networking companies. An Eagle Scout, he’s glad his kids wanted to be part of the BSA, where he continues to be a leader.