SALISBURY, N.C. — Saxonburg native the Rev. Colleen Graff Samson of Catawba has been named Minister of Church Affairs of the Western North Carolina Association of the United Church of Christ.

She begins her duties immediately.

Samson has served as pastor of Bethany United Church of Christ in Claremont, N.C., since 2009 and will continue her ministry there on a part-time basis.

Married to Ret. Air Force Col. David R. Samson, who died in 2015, she has two sons: Carl Johnson lives in Jacksonville, Fla. and David Samson II who lives in Huntersville, N.C.

She is the daughter of the late Dorothy Lassinger, of Saxonburg and the sister of Carol Neubert of Saxonburg.

Samson said, “I still have a lot of relatives in the area, the Graffs.”

She graduated from Knoch High School in Saxonburg in 1969. She received a bachelor's degree in music education from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1972.

As Minister of Church Affairs of the Western North Carolina Association, Samson will have oversight and ministry to United Church of Christ ministers and congregations from Burlington throughout western North Carolina.

“I provide ministry to 65 churches and 350 clergy in western North Carolina,” said Samson. “It's both administrative and spiritual. I do a lot of oversight.

With offices in Salisbury and Catawba County, she will provide leadership to the Western North Carolina Association board of directors and students in college and seminary in preparation and ordination for ministry.

For the past several years Samson has served as co-chair of the Committee on Ministry in the Western North Carolina Association and is a leader in the area United Church of Christ ministers' organization. She also has served on the Southern Conference board of directors and as an elected delegate to General Synod.

Before coming to North Carolina, she served as a pastor in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts she also worked as a licensed clinical social worker with immigrants and children. Earlier, she taught music in public schools, and then served as a licensed nursing home administrator.

Samson received her master of divinity degree from the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, Calif., and a master's degree in social work from Boston University.

She also studied with Peter Drucker at the Peter Drucker School of Management in Claremont, Calif. Currently, she is studying at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio for a doctorate of ministry degree.

“My husband was in the Air Force, so we moved around a lot,” she said.

Samson said she comes to the position as a strong advocate for diversity, social justice and peace.

An installation service for the new Minister of Church Affairs will be announced by the Southern Conference Minister, the Rev. Edward Davis.