Pastor Birnbaum takes helm of Plymouth Church

COLFAX - Plymouth Church has a new pastor in Rev. Michael Birnbaum.

Plymouth Church pastor, Well Child International founder and director, and ranch manager are among the many "hats worn" by Rev. Birnbaum, who will coordinate pastoral staff, which also includes Rev. Robert Ingalls, Rev. Jeanette Solimine and Donna Brost, minister and pastoral care coordinator.

Plymouth Church is Colfax's oldest church and a landmark as the only Main Street church - at 321 S. Main Street. It was founded in 1872 by the Rev. Dr. Cushing Eells, memorialized by Eells Park, the original church site.

Birnbaum's charge by the church leadership is to reorganize and partner with the members to revitalize the congregation with a goal of rebuilding the church "post-COVID" and re-opening the "big church" main sanctuary," he said.

The congregation currently worships in a chapel area downstairs.

"This is an exciting challenge and we are already making growth progress both in terms of program and numbers, Birnbaum said. "Small groups will be our means to growth, just as the early church grew as is recorded in the Book of Acts."

The congregation is also in the process of expanding its music ministry, he said, adding plans are being discussed to go online and on social media, as well.

Birnbaum was trained as both a Lutheran clergyman and at Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif.

He did his undergraduate work in mechanical engineering at Texas Tech University, has a master of divinity degree from Christ Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis with doctoral work at Christ College and University of California-Irvine.

He has also studied at Tel Aviv University, Israel, on a grant from Thrivent Financial (Lutheran).

His Global Health training was at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania, Africa. He has served as adjunct faculty at Texas Lutheran University and Texas A&M University.

Birnbaum "retired" from his most recent position as pastor emeritus of an independent Lutheran church in Arizona.

Prior to that time, he served as a missionary and administrator in several Latin American countries, the Caribbean and Africa.

During his overseas tenure, he founded International Service Learning, Good Samaritan Missions and Well Child International.

He continues to direct Well Child International, a medical mission organization focusing on the medical needs of under-served women and children.

Well Child also provides internships for christian nursing and medical students, and he is a frequent guest speaker on global health policy.

"I am so grateful that Plymouth Church is so supportive in giving me time to continue the medical missions work as well as being able to serve this wonderful congregation so close to my family" said Birnbaum, who has three sons (one daughter deceased) and five grandchildren, all residents of Washington.

Birnbaum makes his home in Colfax and also has a cabin on the family ranch near Hunters - Black Horse Canyon Ranch.

He is already active in the local ministerial association and Rotary, having become a Rotarian in 1979. He is also looking forward to being part of the re-establishment of the chaplaincy program at Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics.

His hobbies include wine-making, sailing and travel.

"I know some people (and my family) think I'm too busy," he said. "But one of my younger grandsons is just learning numbers, and the other day he scratched around with a crayon and tablet, then told me he figured I was 143 years old.

"I'm thinking I can't have many years left, so I may as well do all I can, while I can."

Birnbaum said he will be available to all area residents - regardless of whether they attend Plymouth Church - for counseling, weddings, funerals and baptisms.