Colonial Church Installs New Associate Pastor
Colonial Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, is preparing to welcome a new Associate Pastor!
On October 24th, 2021, Colonial voted unanimously to call the Reverend Michael Vollbrecht to this new role, and the Conference joins with the church as they welcome him on Sunday, January 16th. Colonial had been seeking an Associate Pastor that could focus on communications, with skills in technology, social media, and building Colonial’s outreach ministry and strengthening connections in the community. In addition, Michael’s skill in teaching and pastoral care made him an ideal candidate to support Colonial’s Senior Pastor, the Rev. Aaron Roberts.
Michael received his Master of Divinity in May 2020 from Central Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas, as well as a Certificate in Justice Ministry Education in collaboration with Auburn Seminary in New York City. During his time in seminary he was licensed to serve Peace United Church of Christ in Alma, Kansas. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, his ordination was the first to be held digitally in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference.
Michael is a member of the UCC's Next Generation Leadership Initiative, a program that empowers younger UCC local church pastors to build vibrant congregations that change lives and further God’s mission in the world. He is currently engaged in a three-year certificate program in Spiritual Direction through the Souljourners program at Mt. Saint Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas. He is also a trained sexuality education facilitator using the “Our Whole Lives” curriculum. Michael lives in Lawrence, and also serves as the Communications Specialist for the KO Conference.
Please join Colonial in a Service of Installation for Michael on Sunday, January 16th, 2022 at 10:15 am.
Colonial is meeting in-person (safely wearing masks and socially distancing, of course!) as well as online by visiting colonialucc.org/worship.
We look forward to seeing what grows from this new partnership between Reverend Michael and Colonial Church!