Born and raised in Toronto, Michael attended the University of Toronto receiving both an Honours B.A. in Economics as well as a Master of Divinity degree. After serving a multi-point rural charge in Saskatchewan, he received a call to Central United Church in the inner-city of Calgary in 1980. He retired as Senior Minister there in 2015 after more than thirty-five years of service. Michael passionately believes in the role of the church in being a transformative presence in its community. He helped to found The Calgary Urban Project Society which currently ministers to thousands of homeless, needy people and families. As well, while at Central, the church became one of the founding churches of Inn From the Cold which provides shelter and services to the homeless.