 Some students looking at deer passing through during Godly Play. Can you believe this is the end of my second program year with Christian Formation? This past Sunday, I had my second annual Parent Partnership meetings, where we evaluated the last year’s ministry and set goals for next year.
We got to celebrate how this school year brought so much of our life back: OWL, Confirmation, Godly Play, weekly Sunday School, youth group, La Foret, the Car Wash, the Book Sale, the coffee cart… the list could go on. And we had discussions about where we can still grow: making worship more accessible to kids, centering youth voices and youth leadership, and recreating a dedicated ministry for tweens, to name a few. If you would be interested in volunteering with Christian Formation next year, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We have lots of big dreams, and it will take many hands to make them all happen. All of that said, I am intimately aware of the fact that at this time of year, we are all so tired. We are all so ready for the summer sunshine and a slightly slower pace of life. I know this is especially true for all of us still connected to school, but I think this is true across the board. It seems life came back busier than ever. My prayer is that this summer might offer us the space to find balance again. And so, I would like to offer this brief centering prayer or meditation that I wrote for our families as we’re wrapping up this season: Take a breath in. This year has been full of good fun! Let your breath out. By the end of this month, we'll be on summer break. Take a breath in. We had a great year, Let your breath out. And we will have a restful summer. Amen. Brooklyn  Students from Plymouth & FCC Greeley posing at the end of the Fall Youth Retreat. It’s time again for one of my absolute favorite weekends - the Spring Youth Retreat at La Foret.
This time, our theme is “We Built This City,” inspired by the Starship song and the idea of building beloved community. Logan Bennett, the Director of Transformational Programs, often tells the students that their time at La Foret is their chance to imaginatively create a space that reflects the world they want to see. Our hope is that this weekend, we will lean in to this kind of dreaming with special intention. Of course, we will spend the weekend doing the typical camp activities - scavenger hunts, crafts, games, hiking, Frisbee golf, and my personal favorite, chill time. But we also have some really strong theme-related activities planned for the weekend. First, we will give the students space for collaboration and imagination as they craft a city together. Then, we will spend time thinking about the ways we as individuals are gifted and important for contributing to our beloved communities. I rewrote a spiritual gifts workshop specifically for this weekend. Finally, students will be challenged to encourage each other by naming the ways they see each other’s gifts. In other words, they will be filling each other’s cups in beloved community so they can be sent out into being agents of wholeness in their contexts. I want the students to feel valued and inspired. We have such a unique opportunity to empower a generation of brilliant, empathetic dreamers and doers. I hope their home churches will continue partnering in this work after the weekend is over. This will be my third youth retreat with our UCC Rocky Mountain Conference camp, and we’re bringing the largest bunch of students so far! We’ll be driving down Friday afternoon and back up Sunday midday, so please pray for our travels, our health, and for our time together. We’re so excited! Brooklyn  In church on Sunday, I shared about my experience with skiing for the first time. I have lived in Colorado for almost twenty years, and this past weekend I finally braved the slopes. A good friend of mine patiently taught me every step of the way, responding to my frustration with encouragement. She literally picked me up every time I fell. I thought this was a sweet picture of beloved community – I pushed myself to participate, and she met me exactly where I was.
I talked through this story with our youth group. I asked them how they imagined beloved community. One of our middle schoolers said that a ski lodge is the perfect place to experience beloved community. Up on a ski lift, complete strangers can become momentary friends. Everyone there understands the difficulty of walking downstairs with ski boots on, and everyone patiently waits. Openness, patience, and understanding were the top traits that our students picked out as necessary for beloved community. They agreed that in order to build a beloved community, you have to show up as your whole, authentic self and engage fully. Participants need to agree on a covenantal relationship of kindness and mutual respect. They said this seemed “utopian” – perhaps even impossible to achieve in the state of our world. But I believe God wants us to join in the work of making a better world. So, I asked them where they find glimpses of beloved community. Skiing. Drama club. Youth group. Boy Scouts. Their friends. Their families. Where do you find your beloved community? How are you making beloved community? How can we collectively move Plymouth towards our ideal beloved community? Look to this next generation. They get it. Brooklyn  Image: Corina Hurst (La Foret) This weekend, Mike and I are taking a handful of Plymouth students to the Fall Youth Retreat at La Foret. Our theme for the weekend will be Folklore and Wisdom, where we will explore big truths within all different kinds of stories. I was tasked with developing a discussion workshop, specifically around our faith stories. The Bible contains several different kinds of stories, and I wonder how some of these may be compared to “folklore.” I wonder how some of these stories have changed over time and been misinterpreted, misunderstood, or misused. I want to look at one story in particular, Jacob Wrestles God (from Genesis 32, CEB): 22 Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River’s shallow water. 23 He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river. 24 But Jacob stayed apart by himself, and a man wrestled with him until dawn broke. 25 When the man saw that he couldn’t defeat Jacob, he grabbed Jacob’s thigh and tore a muscle in Jacob’s thigh as he wrestled with him. 26 The man said, “Let me go because the dawn is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.” 27 He said to Jacob, “What’s your name?” and he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name won’t be Jacob any longer, but Israel, because you struggled with God and with men and won.” 29 Jacob also asked and said, “Tell me your name.” But he said, “Why do you ask for my name?” and he blessed Jacob there. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel, “because I’ve seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved.” 31 The sun rose as Jacob passed Penuel, limping because of his thigh. In Godly Play, we are encouraged to approach the stories of our faith with wondering questions. This story stirs up several wondering questions for me. I wonder if these events literally happened exactly as written here? I wonder if that matters? I wonder why it mattered that Jacob’s thigh was injured and that he limps now? I wonder what this story means? I wonder what this story means for you? What wondering questions do you have? For the last few weeks, we have been talking about what we mean when we say, “We are Plymouth.” I believe Plymouth is a place where people can wrestle with God. I believe Plymouth is a place where transformation can happen. We spent some time in youth group this weekend talking about our Plymouth community. The students agreed that our Plymouth community is deeply valuable, but they also expressed that its value is in the intangible. We may not always be able to articulate who we are or why that matters. But within loving community – like Plymouth, or La Foret – we have a great place to be working that out. Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn McBride is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  Wow! What a wild and wonderful Jubilee Sunday. I saw so many friends I had missed all summer, and I got to meet new friends. We talked about everything coming up for this year - Godly Play, Confirmation, OWL, fundraising, and so much more! In a lot of ways, it was like the first day of school. In our time with children during the service, I talked about how the idea of jubilee felt like butterflies in my chest. There were many times I felt those butterflies as we celebrated Jubilee together. We shared our redecorated children’s classrooms for the first time. Our young kids put on an impromptu concert in the Sunday School room. We finally brought our new sixth graders into the youth group fold. And we spent some time dreaming about the future of Christian Formation at Plymouth in what feels like the most “normal” year since the pandemic. I loved listening to the different images of jubilee JT described, dreaming of what the kin-dom of God might look like here today. I wonder what jubilee feels like for you. I wonder what might inspire the world to choose jubilee - to choose rest, play, and liberation. I know the school year has started. To me, jubilee feels like the start of a new thing. And we are starting a new program year strong. Now is the perfect time to jump in to jubilee. Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn McBride is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  Greeley youth minister Hutton Ewert and some students cleaning up in front of the church at Parmelee. Photo by Brooklyn McBride, 2022. The first week of July, Mike and I took eight Plymouth students – joined by ten students & leaders from Greeley First Congregational – to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. We partnered with the local Episcopal Mission, working hard for three hot days to help out around the Bishop Hare Center and a church in Parmelee. There was plenty to learn from the Lakota people who graciously spent time with us. We heard the truth of the way our government continues to mistreat and neglect the indigenous people of the land we live on. Hospitals on the reservation are naval hospitals, a subtle oppressive reminder. Due to the General Crimes Act, native law enforcement often loses their jurisdiction to the FBI. We heard stories about General Custer, Sitting Bull, and Spotted Tail. A man named Nico played traditional drum songs, teaching us about native music and prayer. The students learned to make fry bread from Rich Brokenleg. And it was delicious. We spent the first couple days cleaning up around our home base, the Bishop Hare Center. A house on the property had some pipes burst, so we moved out several years’ worth of furniture and belongings left behind by the intentional community that lived there. We did some yard work, reorganized a tool shed, and sorted old scrap wood. On the last day, we cleaned up the Church of the Holy Innocents in Parmelee after it had been broken into. A grocery store owner came by with a box full of popsicles to thank the students for their work. The trip was full of hard work and good learning, but we also had tons of fun. We played some typical youth group games, pet lots of rez dogs, got some ice cream, played kickball, and spent time getting to connect with each other. More than anything, I love to see our students building relationships with each other and with students from other progressive churches. So, while the week was exhausting, I was totally in my element. On a personal level, I was struck by two things. First, the Rosebud Episcopal Mission needs our help. I am excited to go again, and I am grateful for this partnership. Second, God is experienced across cultures and across history. God transcends all our human-made boundaries. As a seminary student, this is an idea I have encountered in my studies before. But on the reservation, with the Lakota people, I got to see it for myself. I will be carrying all of this with me for a long time, and I am so grateful that our Plymouth community gave us this opportunity. ] Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  Since I started at Plymouth, I have been connecting with other progressive youth ministers in Northern Colorado. We had a couple other churches join us at last year’s Sleepout. Just a couple weeks ago, we hosted a youth lock-in for our church, First Presbyterian Church, and Greeley First Congregational. We are building a unique network for our students and dreaming with each other about ministering to young people in our community. Victoria Burkett, the Youth & Young Adult Director at First United Methodist, is hoping to build a stronger ecumenical effort and draw in college students & young professionals across the front range through their campus ministry, Kindred. Kindred's mission is for college-aged and young adults to grow in their lives and faith through meaningful experiences in a uniquely inclusive environment. During the year, this looks like weekly discussion groups, monthly worship nights, campus outreach, and fellowship events. The Kindred board finds itself in an era of rebuilding as they come out of the pandemic, and they are inviting more people to join them in their mission. Another one of my youth minister colleagues, Carlie Hoskins of First Presbyterian Church, recently joined their board. I think the heart of Kindred aligns beautifully with Plymouth's strategic plan and our vision for campus ministry. This upcoming generation faces a daunting mental health crisis, and in the midst of it, they are searching for meaning and belonging. I love young people. I deeply believe that spiritual communities are key to their flourishing. I am so excited to be at a church that wants to support the next generation. I am also excited about the ecumenical spirit of the progressive churches in Fort Collins that I have encountered. As we continue to explore these connections and ministry in the next phase of the world, I am officially Plymouth's presence on the Kindred board. If you might be interested in learning more about Kindred, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. The way forward will see us better together. Kindred is modeling that as they model this John Wesley quote: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” - Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  The theme of this year’s Spring Youth Retreat was “Stories.” While retreating in the gorgeous Black Forest, we spent our time focused on learning what it means to co-create our own stories with God, mostly by learning from each other. I had a great time building new and old relationships with other leaders and students across the UCC Rocky Mountain Conference. But on the first night, the camp staff reminded the adult leaders that the weekend was all about the campers first. So with that spirit in mind, I interviewed one of our students for this week’s reflection. I hope you enjoy this perspective as much as I did. Q: What do you want the church to know about the retreat? A: The retreat was so fun and super inclusive. The community and environment was so accepting, and it just felt like one big family. I made new connections right away! I honestly would love to go back. Q: What did you learn? A: The stories shared really gave a different perspective as well. it helped me learn that everyone comes from a different background, but they grow and change. Q: At Plymouth, we call some spiritual or Divine experiences “God sightings.” Did you have any “God sightings” this weekend? A: There was a moment in the chapel when stories were being shared where I genuinely felt the Divine’s/God’s presence. It was very powerful. It was almost like God was being shown through the stories, which made me feel like He was watching and giving people the courage to share their story. Q: Traditionally at La Foret, the older students lead all the younger students in a processional towards the chapel for worship. It’s a deeply reverent walk around the whole campground. Students were carrying flashlights and singing old hymns. What was it like for you to help lead the processional? A: It felt like one big family/community just genuinely connecting with God as well as each other. God’s presence was shown through the songs and connections. It’s hard to explain, but in a way it felt like everyone was at peace, and everyone was thankful to be able to connect with God through each other. Q: What is one big idea you’re taking away from the retreat? A: It is really easy to assume someone’s background story just by looking at them. And even though this is a very human thing to do, that doesn’t make it right. Everyone comes from a different background, but in the end we can always find support through each other and God. Community is very important. If you find one that’s accepting and inclusive, it’s the easiest to find God through it because it opens your eyes and makes you feel like you can have these connections without feeling judged. Instead of assuming, ask questions. It’s important to ask questions within someone’s comfort zone because it can help you really understand them better without assuming where they come from. Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  By ABF - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0. On Valentine’s weekend, I invited our families to brave the slushy outdoor landscape and join me for Muddy Church. Muddy Church is all about slowing down and noticing God in our environment, paying attention to God among us. With a pack of kids and parents in tow, we followed a path around the church building that directed us for a creative and reflective hour. During this time, we had a few different hands-on activities that required special attention. We were putting puzzles together, wrapping yarn around cardboard hearts, listing things we love through the alphabet, tracing hearts in the snow with our feet, and planting seeds to watch them grow at home. All the while, we were thinking about how God was present in each activity. Now, in our little group, we had a handful of fourth graders and a handful of four-to-six-year-olds. Our fourth graders were super independent, impressively guiding us through each task. Our four-to-six-year-olds needed a bit more help. With the fourth graders, I could hand them yarn and a cardboard heart and let them have at it. However, the four-to-six-year-olds needed some help getting the yarn wrapped around the cardboard heart once or twice before they could get the hang of it themselves. Some children needed a little more help than others. Every child had an answer to every question I asked. Every voice, big or small, had something valuable to say. As J.T. preached this weekend, when we meet the needs for the “least of these,” we are serving Christ within them. So, we practice listening to each other - maybe even as if we were listening to Christ himself. God was among us at Muddy Church, and Jesus was working through each of our children as we played and worshiped together. Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  In Sunday School, we drew ourselves on “Wanted” posters, following the train of thought from this week’s Children’s Moment. In case you missed it, I led us in an exercise of the imagination. First, we imagined ourselves on “Wanted” posters. What would God write in your poster’s description? Why does God want you? Then, we imagined someone else on the “Wanted” poster. I challenged us to imagine someone that we may not think of as a desirable person on this new poster. What would God write in their description? Why does God want them? This was a tough idea for us to talk about in Sunday School. I’m sure we can remember kids in school who weren’t very kind to us. Why would God want them? How can I possibly show them that God wants them, when I don’t want to be around them? It helped me a great deal to sit and meditate on God’s love for me. When I know I have God’s love, it is easier for me to share God’s love. I actually made my own poster and wrote out why God wants me: for being exactly who God made me to be. I hope that in one way or another, you get a moment this week to reflect on why God wants you. Brooklyn AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  Image: Free SVG Another Covid Christmas was not on my 2021 Bingo Card. In addition to all the craziness raging on in the world, we had an overfilled holiday weekend, leaving me even more exhausted. I am weary. I imagine I am not alone.
In our Family Christmas Eve Zoom, Jane Anne asked a question that is sticking with me: What kept the magi going? We are now in the season of Christmastide, waiting until Epiphany. In a few short days, the wise men will finally meet Jesus. Especially during these twelve days, I have been meditating on what kept them going. The baby Jesus was a new king. This birth represented a new political and economic system. They wanted to see this. They wanted to feel this. They wanted to believe this. It’s no longer that hope was coming. Hope arrived. They were going to find Hope. This is what I am striving to remember as we move towards Epiphany and into 2022. As we partner with God’s redemptive work in the world, we bring wholeness and newness to our systems. There is hope that things will get better. That kept the magi going, and it will keep me going. I am tired. I am weary. And yet I rejoice in the Hope that is here and still yet to come. Brooklyn  I am sure a lot of us are living with pandemic fatigue. That fatigue is making it harder and harder to show up for things. We are all exhausted. I know our young people are especially feeling this. I spoke with a student last week about how COVID interrupted her freshman year – she’s a junior now. Together, we reflected on how across the board, groups are feeling smaller. Like I said, it’s harder now to show up for things. But I want to take a second to brag on the students who are showing up. These are students who are still excited about building community and serious about respecting each other. These are students who are motivated to see this year’s Sleepout succeed. These are students who will show up for the Alternative Giving Fair because they care about the mutually supportive relationship between our youth program and Equal Exchange. These are students who ask good questions and are willing to explore together for good answers. Our group may be small, but it is mighty. Every student that I have had the chance to get know – from the little ones in Sunday School all the way up to our seniors in high school – has impressed me and blessed me. Spending time with them is the life-giving antidote that I need for my pandemic fatigue. What’s life-giving for you? How are you feeding your soul right now? If you would like to be inspired by these students, come see them at the Alternative Giving Fair or support them during Sleepout. In any case, I hope you have a life-giving practice that you’re committing to, especially as we enter into the busyness of the holidays. Brooklyn P.S. Learn more about the Alternative Giving Fair or this year’s Sleepout. AuthorBrooklyn is Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation for Children & Youth. Brooklyn has served in local church and student ministries for the past several years. A native of northern Colorado, Brooklyn has professional experience leading in worship, youth, and children’s programs. Read her full bio here.  Thank you for the warm welcome! I appreciate how kind everyone is, bearing with me while I learn all the new names and faces, which I may have to relearn when the masks come off. Last week, Jane Anne compared the barrage of new information to drinking from a fire hose. And let me tell you, that is exactly how I am feeling. My head is so overstuffed with new information, it hurts – almost like I just took several pounds of water straight to the face. I am a little overwhelmed. Most of the week was full of “someone pinch me, I must be dreaming” moments as I celebrated this new and exciting community. However, the self-doubt gremlin would often creep in, and anxiety would overwhelm my excitement. Then came Sunday, and out of the fire hose came an overwhelming outpouring of Love. I felt the Love of God through every welcome, every prayer, every song, every child, every student, and every person. It was a wonderful reminder that even though we may not know each other yet, God knows us all and will still lead us to Love. For some time now, God has been working on me and preparing me for Plymouth. I am so excited to be here, even if I am a little overwhelmed. When that little gremlin starts running its mouth again, I’m just going to blast it with the firehose of Love. Wish me luck.   Please welcome Plymouth's new Director of Christian Formation for Children and Youth, Brooklyn McBride! Brooklyn, a native of Fort Collins, is a graduate of CSU with a BA in Journalism and Media Communication. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity degree in the online program of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. Brooklyn brings to Plymouth experience in youth ministry and family ministries development along with her work experience in media, communications, and drama. She also brings her guitar and experience in worship leadership. Brooklyn was outstanding among the candidates we interviewed, not only for her intellect, her great love of learning and her organization/planning gifts, but even more for her love of people, particularly those on the margins, such as LGBTQ+ youth, and her love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. As you get to know her, you will find that she is bubbly and fun as well as extremely thoughtful and an excellent listener. Brooklyn is married to Michael McBride, an apprentice electrician here in Fort Collins. They have two dogs, Diego, their big, lovable German shepherd mix and Teddy, their 8 week old, Briard-doodle puppy. Please join the Christian Formation Board and Search Team in welcoming Brooklyn to Plymouth on Sunday, Sept. 19 after services. Hal Chorpenning, Sr. Minister
Bruce Ronda, Leadership Council Moderator |
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