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You are invited to participate in a ritual to release with this video. Below the video is the letter that Mandy wrote to the congregation on July 23 to say goodbye. Dear Plymouth, I am writing to you today with some difficult news. On Tuesday, I tendered my resignation as Director of Christian Formation for Children and Youth effective August 15, 2020. That is a special day to me, because it is our 6th year anniversary together. It has truly been an honor to serve you in this role for so long and I will forever be grateful for our ministry together. We have had an incredible six years together, full of growth, transitions, blessings, challenges, laughter and tears. You welcomed me into your community when I was fresh off my honeymoon and moved from Michigan to be with Chris while he finished his PhD at CSU. You welcomed me into your homes and into your lives. It has been my privilege to watch your kids grow up - from nursery to elementary and from elementary to highschool and beyond. I smiled when the toddler who wouldn’t let go of their parent’s hand, started running with joy to their classroom. I watched as the shy sixth grader refused to get out of the car for youth group, grew into a confident leader. I was there when the La Foret camper became a counselor, creating holy mischief with the younger kids. I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. For example, watching the youth hide easter eggs on the roof because they were so excited as kids when they found them there; the trips to Wendy’s on our way down to La Foret and always showing up late on Friday night because of the bad traffic; the joy of seeing our teens and college students dress up for the 3pm Christmas service, with the tallest angel and gender bending holy family; walking down the hallway in the north wing and getting hugs and smiles from the kiddos who wanted to share their art projects with me; and all of the meetings, storytelling and scheming over a pint of cider at Scrumpy’s. You have filled my heart with joy and I have felt so loved by each of you. I pray that you know you are loved and that you have been blessed by our time together as much as I have. I am so grateful for the volunteers that brought life and light to the programs, who helped them go from (sometimes crazy) ideas to transformative ministries. I am humbled by the countless hours and love that you have poured into the life of this church. I am grateful for all of the child care staff members who have taught me how to be a better manager and leader. I am grateful to the staff members who have walked with me on this journey of faithfully serving God and serving you. I am grateful to all of the parents who trusted me with a small part of their children’s spiritual development. I am grateful for the children and youth who let me walk alongside them as they grew deeper in faith, as they pushed back against church, as they asked questions and began to articulate their own beliefs. It has been my honor to be a part of your journey. You will never know how much you taught, challenged and blessed me. Together we experimented with new ways of doing Christian Formation in a progresive setting. I have been amazed by the creativity and energy that so many of you put into the children and youth ministries. Your willingness to change and try new things blew me away. I am tempted to list all the different iterations of the Formation ministries over the years, but you know them. We did the hard work of change, growth and evolution together. Yes, there were some spectacular failures along the way, and I hope that you will forgive me for them. Your strength, resilience and faith allowed us to keep trying hard things. I pray that you continue to dream big for your children’s faith development and your own. For the past six years, you didn’t let the familiar overshadow your potential for growth. May you continue to be brave and to listen for God to speak and move in your ministry. It is time for me to be brave and step out of the boat. Through prayer I have discerned a new call to Hospice ministry and I have accepted a position as Chaplain at Dignity Hospice of Colorado. I feel called to hold a sacred space for individuals and families as they grapple with the reality of death. It will be hard work, but it will be good work. I am thankful for all that I have learned from my time at Plymouth. We have been through a lot together. I am truly grateful for all the ways that this church and its ministry has challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me to grow as a person and as a minister. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Grace and Peace, Mandy
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 Our summer intergenerational interterm begins Monday, July 13, and lasts five weeks. "Intergenerational" means it involves everyone with many different ways to engage. Compassion Camp is all-virtual and, except for Zoom for 7, can be completed at your own pace. Sign up for Zoom for 7 to participate in a small group discussion of the theme/Bible story of the week. We invite you to watch throughout the week as our Bible stories unfold through art, yoga, music and worship. Each week we will focus on a different way to experience compassion:  The week will start with a Facebook Live video 1pm Monday to introduce that week’s theme and music. On the website you will then be able to find videos teaching the Bible Story, Create & Play, Movement/Yoga, and Compassion in Action sections. These videos will also be emailed out on Tuesday. At 1pm Thursday there will be a Facebook Live video to review the week and to share your pictures and stories from Compassion Camp. Lastly, Sunday Worship services will focus on our weekly Bible story.
If you would prefer to have less screen time with Compassion Camp, you can download the full Family Pack from our website. The Family Pack has the written instructions for each of the weekly activities, even yoga! Families with Elementary aged kiddos will also be getting a packet of coloring pages and song sheets via snail mail. You can find all the information about Compassion Camp on our website. Downloadable materials are available here.* Be loved * Be kind * Be you Carla & Mandy *Email formation @plymouthucc.org for the password. Hello Plymouth! For this week’s staff reflection, I thought I’d change things up a bit and send you a video message instead of an essay. This is a Spiritual Practice much like the ones that I share Mondays at 1pm on Facebook Live. You can watch the past videos on the youth Christian Formation page. I miss you! Stay safe! Grace and Peace, Mandy AuthorAuthor Mandy Hall began her ministry at Plymouth in August of 2014. She is originally from Michigan where she followed her call to ministry to become a Deacon in the United Methodist Church. Her passion is helping young people grow in faith in creative and meaningful ways. Read more  As the great modern philosopher Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Those words have never felt more true than they do today. I feel like I can't keep up with all the things life throws my way. The inbox keeps filling up, family obligations... The news is constantly changing, rushing from one important story to the next... Okay, I'm tired just writing that list. Let's face it, we live in a fast paced, on demand lifestyle. It can be exhausting. We keep rushing to accomplish the next task. This is nothing new. From the very beginning humans have had to be reminded to REST! No really, from the beginning. The first creation story is set up to show the importance of Sabbath rest. The third commandment is to keep the Sabbath, meaning rest in God, don't work. Jesus used to go up in the mountains to pray, away from the crowds and demands of society. But I digress. We are great at doing and struggle to simply be. This month, we are offering you a chance to slow down and be. Be still. Be peaceful. Be restful. Be with God. Be with each other. Be with yourself. Every week you will have the opportunity to experience a different prayer practice. So instead of talking about God, you will have the opportunity to talk to God. The hope is that you will take some time in the month of November to reflect on the theme Rooted in Love, and be nourished by the Holy Spirit. There will be a mixture of crafts, meditations, video discussions and labyrinth walks. You are encouraged to drop in and experience as many or as few workshops as feels right to you. You can find out more information about the November Interterm here: plymouthucc.org/rooted My prayer is that these workshops will be a gift to you in the midst of your busy lives. I pray this will be an oasis of peace and calm in the midst of your week. May this be a time for the Holy Spirit to draw you in to Her quiet center. May you be rooted in love. Thank you to the Rooted planning team for cultivating this month of spiritual experiences. Thank you Renae Matkins, Tricia Medlock, Denise Morrison, Joey Prows, Sharon Smith and Mackenzie Wiggs. Also thank you Plymouth! We are able to offer opportunities like this because of your generosity and financial support. Thank you. Grace and Peace, Mandy :-) AuthorMandy Hall began her ministry at Plymouth in August of 2014. She is originally from Michigan where she followed her call to ministry to become a Deacon in the United Methodist Church. Her passion is helping young people grow in faith in creative and meaningful ways. Read more  Many of you have asked me, "How was the mission trip?” You might have gotten a response along the lines of “it was great!” or “our youth are amazing!” or “it was one of the best I’ve ever been on.” While all true, those answers fall short. How do you summarize a week of spiritual growth, laughter, hope, challenges, systematic oppression, culture shock, hard work, little sleep, and intangible moments of grace? As much as I love to talk, I am at a loss for words to describe the transformational experience of spending a week at the Rosebud Episcopal Mission (REM). Every single day we were stretched outside our comfort zones and lived by the REM motto Semper Gumby (always flexible). Each day we built stronger relationships with members of our group. We laughed and played and at night we tried to get some sleep despite the symphony of snoring. Most importantly, every day God was made known to us. You will get to hear more of these stories from our youth at a Special Summer Forum August 11th at 11:15am. Until then, I’ll try to give you a better answer to “how was the mission trip” by using the same questions that our kids will be answering when they share their stories with you at the Forum.  What is something you did (work or fun) while on the Mission Trip? Many of us worked at the wood barn helping to split freshly cut trees for the Fire Wood for the Elders program. Yes, FRESHLY CUT trees! Trees so fresh, when you tapped the splitter into them, water came out. Many elders have wood burning stoves to heat their homes but are not physically able to cut the wood they need for the long winter, they rely on their relatives for the wood. REM gives wood away to those who need it during the cold South Dakota winter. Walking down to the wood barn that first day, I felt that I was walking on holy ground. It is a sacred act to chop wood for strangers so they might have warmth and hope in the midst of a bleak winter. Our youth worked so hard and they did so from a place of love and faith. It was truly inspiring to watch.  What is one thing that you learned? Every day we were at Rosebud, we had the opportunity to invite someone from the community to speak to us and teach us about the culture or life on the Rez. We learned about beading, the Lakota language, and games. We stumbled our way through traditional dances. Made fry bread and Indian Tacos and learned the history of the Reservations, food rations, and the oppression that the Lakota people live with every day. With all of that, what I learned was the capacity for compassion and understanding that our youth have for their neighbor. At times, their eagerness to learn, to listen, and to understand took my breath away. I am humbled to work with these teens and feel blessed to be their partner in ministry.  How did you see God? For those of you who know me well, you know that I am NOT a morning person. I am known for being rather grumpy until that second cup of coffee kicks in. On one of these extra grumpy mornings, we headed up to the little chapel on top of the hill for Morning Watch. We already had a Semper Gumby moment of needing to be flexible and change plans for the day. I wasn’t exactly in the mood for the walk or the singing or really anything that wasn’t me going back to bed. Once we settled into the pews, Robbie Carlson the 1st Cong. Greeley youth leader, asked for song requests. We sang a few familiar tunes and ended with a youth ministry classic “Sanctuary.” Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary Pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living, sanctuary for you. As we sang, I could feel the Holy Spirit descend upon us. It moved me to tears. As the song ended we sat together in the stillness--as though God was saying in the midst of the busy week "Be still, and know that I AM God."  What are you taking home with you? How has the Mission Trip impacted your life? On the Rez, hope is tangible and it looks like chopped wood, split by strangers. Every group who comes to the Rosebud Episcopal Mission spends time splitting wood at the wood barn. Every group takes home a piece of wood that they split so that they can tell the story of Hope on the Rosebud Reservation. This is what I take home with me. I bring home the hope that people will know they are cared for because their homes will be warm this winter. I have brought home the hope of young people who are living out their faith and answering God’s call to love your neighbor as yourself. It is easy to lose hope when you are listening to the news, but I have seen hope. It is a piece of firewood, it is a van full of teenagers driving to a mission trip. Hope is the people of God living out their faith, helping a neighbor in need, loving God and one another. Hope is alive. So, how was the mission trip? It was great. Our youth are amazing. This was one of the best mission trips I have ever been on. Grace & Peace, Mandy
Growing up, my extended family alternated who hosted Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a dance between mom’s side and dad’s side, grandparents hosting and aunts and uncles hosting. The years my parents hosted were a mixed bag. The best part was getting all the leftovers filling our fridge, the worst being all the prep work that went into the meal. My mom is an amazing woman, but you don’t mess with her when company is coming over. My brother and I would take turns hiding from mom as she tried to get us to help out. He was better at hiding than me so I got a lot of extra chores. Not that I’m still bitter about that... After all the hours of cleaning, baking, cooking and setting the table we would sit down to eat together. My mom would always marvel and bemoan how much work went into the meal and how quickly we all gobbled it up. All that prep and we’re ready for our post-dinner naps in 20 minutes. This hectic pace is how the holiday season seems to go. It is lots of work, planning, traveling, stress etc. -- and it's over in the blink of an eye. The radio is already playing the songs reminding us "it’s the most wonderful time of the year" yet sometimes it is hard to enjoy the season. Between the to-do lists, decorating, shopping, holiday parties, travel, end of semester exams, short days and long nights the time between now and New Years can feel rather overwhelming. In all the hustle and bustle it is the slow moments that we tend to find the most meaning. Holiday comes from an old English word meaning Holy Day. In the midst of the busyness it’s really hard for me to remember that. These are holy days, holy moments of love, gratitude, and community. Too often the Holy Spirit is crowded out of these days by the busyness of the season. I wonder what it would look like if we gave ourselves permission to slow down this holy-day season. What would it look like if we gave ourselves permission to let go of some of the to-do-list? What would happen if we didn’t worry about the food or the decorations being as perfect as Grandma would have done them? (My Grandma Joyce could beat Martha Stewart in a decorating or baking competition any day; I did not inherit that skill). What if we spent less energy on presents and more energy being present? This holiday season, starting with dinner on Thursday, I’m going to intentionally slow down and be more mindful. I am going to give myself permission to enjoy the season and not spend all my energy preparing for it. I will spend more time connecting with friends and family and less time chasing the latest sale or instagram decorating trend. How will you spend your holiday season? How will you put the holy back in your holidays? Grace and Peace, Mandy :-) AuthorDirector of Christian Formation for Children & Youth, Mandy Hall began her ministry at Plymouth in August of 2014. She is originally from Michigan where she followed her call to ministry to become a Deacon in the United Methodist Church. Her passion is helping young people grow in faith in creative and meaningful ways. Read more.  “Where did summer go?” This is the refrain that I have been hearing from families, teachers, and really just about everyone the past couple of weeks. To be honest, I have been wondering about the disappearance of summer myself. I’m not feeling all that prepared for September to happen later this week. I keep hoping that somehow I’m mistaken and we’re actually still in July. Where did the time go? Why does it feel like the business of fall is creeping into our lives earlier and earlier? I could spend some time sharing with you the exciting things that we have instore for the Fall- the Sunday school classes that are starting up next week, the WRYE report and car wash that are just around the corner. I could share with you opportunities to connect with the Christian Formation programs both in and out of the classroom. Instead I thought I’d take some time to pause, reflect and be still for just a moment as time flies and our schedules continue to book up. When we were kids a timeout was punishment, now it feels like a gift. Go to your room, no phone, no email, sit and be. That actually sounds really nice right about now. It reminds me of my favorite bible verse to meditate on from Psalm 46 “Be still and know that I am God.” Sometimes we just need to slow down and rest in the loving presence of God. Otherwise we end up like one of those old cartoon characters that is running so fast they aren’t able to see what’s going on around them and they run right off a cliff. It’s only when they stop to look they realize there is nothing there and they fall. How often do we get so busy we lose track of what’s important? How often do we keep running for the sake of running only to realize we’ve gone way off course? “Be still and know that I am God.” It doesn’t mean stop everything, stop trying to make a difference, or 'give up and let God,' God commands us to pause, refuel, and check in with the Holy. It reminds me of a podcast I listen to, “Levar Burton Reads.” You might know Levar Burton from his role in Roots or Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you’re from my generation you might remember him as the Reading Rainbow guy. Every week he reads a different short story, just because he loves to read. Before every story he invites the listeners to take a deep breath with him. It’s just one moment, one pause in the business of life, one breath. Yet this one breath feels like a gift each time and I am frequently reminded of the gift that is being still in our busy lives. So, before you move on to the next thing, let’s slow down, take a deep breath. Be still, and know that God is with you. Grace and Peace, Mandy :-) AuthorDirector of Christian Formation for Children & Youth, Mandy Hall began her ministry at Plymouth in August of 2014. She is originally from Michigan where she followed her call to ministry to become a Deacon in the United Methodist Church. Her passion is helping young people grow in faith in creative and meaningful ways. Read more. |
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