Rev. Michael Vollbrecht

Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
The coffee’s metaphorical, but the welcome is real.

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.

About Michael

I grew up outside of Seattle, Washington, and have lived in Lawrence, Kansas—home to the poets Langston Hughes and William S. Burroughs—since 2013. I love this town's vibrant community and rich history, where my family, including our 8-year-old Siberian Husky mix named Karma, has found a true home.Ordained in the United Church of Christ, I serve as the associate minister at Colonial Church UCC in Prairie Village, Kansas, and as a Generosity Officer on the national staff of the denomination. My work is rooted in cultivating deep, meaningful relationships with others. In addition to my academic and pastoral training, I am a meditation teacher and a student of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the lineage of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. My private practice, offers a space for spiritual connection and growth for individuals and groups both in-person and online.I hold a bachelor's degree in business management, a master's degree in theology and community advocacy, and certificates in social justice education, nonprofit development, and spiritual direction. In 2025, I began a doctoral program at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where my early writing has examined how theology has shaped understandings of addiction—both positively and negatively—and how congregations and ministry leaders can more effectively support those experiencing addiction.These foundations have shaped a career dedicated to channeling people’s generosity toward projects and programs that foster long-term change and community transformation.My journey has been shaped by a lifelong curiosity about what makes people tick and how we can grow and deepen our lives over time. Along the way, I've immersed myself in exploring how our minds work and how we can think and feel more compassionately and empathetically about the world around us.

“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) and in my current role as a Generosity Officer for the United Church of Christ National Ministries. 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

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.

Contemplative Spirituality

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

Generosity & Fundraising

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

Contact

I typically respond to messages within 24 hours.Curious about private spiritual direction sessions?
Learn more here.