Rev. Michael Vollbrecht

A compassionate presence for seekers and skeptics.

Discover Spiritual Direction

In 2022, I began offering private spiritual direction sessions to support people as they deepen their connection to what is personally significant to them. My role is to provide meaningful insights and guidance throughout your spiritual exploration.Spiritual Direction creates a nurturing space for personal growth. In it, you can explore your spirituality, learn more about it, grapple with questions, create new understandings, or even let go of old beliefs.I work with a diverse range of clients, including those from various faiths and spiritual traditions, as well as agnostics, atheists, and those simply seeking a nourishing conversation.In all that I do, I honor that spirituality is a unique and personal journey for everyone.Learn more by visiting my practice.

Mostly work. Some rest. Definitely dogs.

About Michael

I grew up outside of Seattle, Washington, and since 2013, have lived in Lawrence, Kansas, a city rich in history and poetry, once home to Langston Hughes and William S. Burroughs. It’s here that my family, including our beloved Siberian Husky mix, Karma, has found deep roots and a vibrant community.I serve as the Senior Minister of Colonial Church UCC in Prairie Village, Kansas, where my ministry centers on compassionate presence, honest inquiry, and cultivating spiritual depth through our programs and services. I often officiate weddings, memorials, and other sacred moments that invite us into connection with something greater than ourselves. My calling is to a ministry of welcome, one that creates space for people to learn, grow, and belong, especially those who haven’t always felt seen or included in spiritual communities.A lifelong seeker myself, I’m also a meditation teacher, student of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and practitioner of spiritual direction. Through my private practice, I hold space for individuals and groups: seekers, skeptics, and the spiritually curious, offering opportunities for grounded spiritual growth, both in person and online.I hold a bachelor’s degree in business management, a master’s in theology and community advocacy, and certifications in social justice education, nonprofit development, and spiritual direction. In 2025, I began my Doctor of Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary, exploring the intersections of spirituality, community, and care. I am also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and offer consulting to churches and nonprofits seeking to reimagine generosity and sustainability.My life has always been fueled by curiosity: about what makes us human, how we make meaning, and how we can learn to live with greater empathy, intention, and love.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
- Joseph Campbell

Generosity Consulting

Fundraising with Heart.
Strategy with Soul.

I bring over a decade of experience in faith-rooted and nonprofit leadership as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) strengthened through my past experience as a Generosity Officer for the United Church of Christ National Ministries and as a consultant for several organizations in Kansas City and beyond. My work centers on the belief that generosity is a spiritual practice and that fundraising can be both effective and deeply meaningful when our spirituality and our sense of human generosity intersect.Through my consulting, I help churches and mission-driven organizations connect with donors, clarify their vision, and cultivate sustainable generosity.

Areas of Expertise

I offer coaching, teaching, and strategic support on a wide range of topics, including:Major Donor Engagement
Cultivating transformational relationships with high-capacity givers.Capital Campaign Strategy
From vision to celebration, I can help you shape a campaign rooted in clarity, courage, and community.Narrative Budgeting
Move beyond spreadsheets—tell the story of your mission in ways that inspire giving.The Spirituality of Generosity
Teach and preach the deeper meaning behind giving—and how it can form lives, not just fund ministries.Planned Giving
Develop long-term sustainability through legacy gifts and donor conversations grounded in the value of reciprocity.

Who I Work With

Local congregations (especially progressive or justice-focused communities)
Nonprofits and denominational bodies
Clergy, boards, and development staff seeking clarity or capacity-building

Let's Talk

Interested in working together? I’d love to hear more about your goals and see how I can help. Leave a message below and I'll get in touch with you soon.

Ceremonies: Weddings, Memorials, and More

Sacred moments, held with care.

Every life is made of turning points—some joyful, some tender, some full of mystery. Whatever you’re celebrating: a wedding, honoring a life well-lived, welcoming a child, or simply pausing to mark a meaningful transition, I’m here to walk with you.I offer personalized ceremonies for all of life’s sacred moments—crafted with compassion, collaboration, and deep respect for your story.

Weddings

Whether you're planning a large celebration or an intimate elopement, I work with couples to create ceremonies that reflect your unique love story and values. LGBTQIA+ affirming, joy-centered, and fully customizable.

Memorials & End-of-Life Rituals

Funerals, celebrations of life, and moments of remembrance—crafted with deep listening, storytelling, and love. I offer grief-informed support to families as they honor those who have passed.

Baptisms, Naming Rituals & Blessings

Rituals to welcome new life, affirm identity, or mark a moment of spiritual commitment. Inclusive, gentle, and designed to meet you wherever you are on your journey.

Life Transitions & Custom Ceremonies

Moving, retiring, coming out, recovering, letting go, starting again—life offers so many moments that deserve to be marked. If you’re looking for a sacred pause, we can create something meaningful together.

Who I Work With

I joyfully work with people of all genders, orientations, backgrounds, and beliefs. My approach is grounded in progressive Christian spirituality, but always open, affirming, and attuned to the uniqueness of you.

Let's Create Something Together

If you’re planning a ceremony or simply wondering if a ritual might help you mark a moment in your life, I’d love to hear your story. Leave me a message below and I'll get in touch with you soon.

Reading List

Books that have shaped my work and my way of being in the world.

I return to these again and again for inspiration, grounding, and guidance. These books span the inner work of spiritual direction, the outward practice of generosity and fundraising, and the contemplative life that holds it all together.

Spiritual Direction

Books that explore what it means to listen deeply, walk with others, and trust the unfolding of the soul.

Holy Listening by Margaret Guenther
The Practice of Spiritual Direction by William A. Barry & William J. Connolly
With Open Hands by Henri Nouwen
Between the Listening and the Telling by Mark Yaconelli
Sacred Companions by David Benner
Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer
Becoming by Beholding: The Power of the Imagination in Spiritual Formation by Lanta Davis

Contemplative Spirituality

Wisdom for living slowly, noticing deeply, and showing up fully.

The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen
Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr
An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor
The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo
The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault
No Time Like the Present by Jack Kornfield
A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Generosity & Fundraising

Explorations of money and meaning—rooted in values, not pressure.

The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen
Ask, Thank, Tell by Charles R. Lane
Graceful Giving by Laurie Selzer and Michael Durall
The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
The Seven Faces of Philanthropy by Russ Prince and Karen File
Reinventing Philanthropy by Eric Friedman
Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villaneuva
The Ethical Rainmaker Podcast by Michelle Shireen Muri (not a book, but essential listening)