Pastor Jason Fletcher Mekelburg died Thursday, June 2, at University of Michigan Medical Center at the age of 44. He is survived by his wife, Lorissa, and their four children Lauryn, Joel, Meghan, and Alyssa Mekelburg.
Pastor Mekelburg, will be missed not only by congregants who attended College Baptist Church year-round, but by the many college students who attended the church while at Hillsdale.
“He was such a sweet man, he just had a loving and compassionate disposition towards everyone,” said Natalie McKee ’16, who attended College Baptist during her four years at Hillsdale College. “It’s heartbreaking to me because of how much I love his kids and Lorissa.”
McKee recalls the church being like a “second family” to her while at college.
In the last years of his life, McKee recalls Pastor Mekelburg, who had been sick for many years, preaching even when he was so sick he couldn’t stand up for the entire length of a sermon. In those times, she said, he would continue to preach from a stool.
“He was really loved by his church,” McKee said.
Senior Mackenzie Dickhudt, who attends College Baptist while at school, said that receiving some much blessing was a tough role-reversal for a man who gave so much. He enjoyed having prayer breakfasts with men at the church as well as mentoring others.
Dickhudt also said the Pastor Mekelburg was very open and inclusive towards the roughly 75 Hillsdale students who attend during the school year.
“He was always open to talk with college students,” Dickhudt said. “It was always something that the church was behind – including the college students.”
Pastor Mekelburg ministered at College Baptist for nine-and-a-half years before his death. Before coming to College Baptist, he was an associate pastor in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Hillsdale Professor of Religion Don Westblade, who is an elder at College Baptist, said Pastor Mekelburg grew the church both spiritually and numerically during his time there.
“College Baptist Church is profoundly saddened but more richly healthy and more fervently on our knees today, thanks to God’s gift to us of Jason Mekelburg,” Westblade said.
Pastor Mekelburg’s visitation will be held at College Baptist Thursday, June 9, from two to four p.m. and six to eight p.m. and the Celebration of Life Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 10, also at the church.
In lieu of flowers, a savings account has been set up for the education of Pastor Mekelburg’s children. A Go Fund Me page has also been set up to support the family.
