Colonial UCC Calls Associate Minister
written by Edith Guffey, Conference Minister
Congratulations to Rev. Michael Vollbrecht on accepting a call to serve as the Associate Pastor at Colonial UCC in Prairie Village, KS where Rev. Aaron Roberts is the Senior Pastor. Michael is no stranger to KO; his total journey in the UCC has been in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference. After discovering the UCC through Plymouth Church, he became a Member in Discernment, answering a life-long call to ministry, and attended Central Seminary in Kansas City. Michael served as a Licensed Minister at Peace UCC in Alma while completing his Master of Divinity and after being approved for ordination pending call, Peace UCC called Michael as their settled pastor which is where he is currently serving and will continue through the end of the year.
Michael’s ordination date was delayed due to COVID as he kept hoping that the pandemic would ease and an in-person service might be possible. Finally, he joined others across the country in opting for a virtual ordination and his was the first virtual ordination in the Conference. Michael served in a volunteer role for several years as the “tech person” for Annual Meeting, and when the Conference received a grant for Communications, Michael’s knowledge of technology, social media and communications and his commitment to the Conference and the UCC made him the perfect candidate for the Communications Specialist for the Conference.
Colonial was seeking an Associate Pastor that specifically focused on communications, with skills in technology, social media, and building connections in the community. The position was posted on the UCC Employment Opportunities page and Michael submitted his profile. The Search Committee interviewed him and the rest is history. Sometimes the right person is found in your own backyard. This is great for Colonial, for Michael, and for the Conference as KO retains a gifted Authorized Minister who continues to serve.
Congratulations to Michael and to Colonial. I love it when it works.