Fall Youth Retreat Reflections from Rev. Brooklyn McBride

This month, we had our Fall Youth Retreat at La Foret. Inspired by Ephesians 3:17, our middle school and high school youth were invited to reflect on the places, practices, and memories that help them to feel rooted and grounded in love. We had 80 campers registered and representation from at least 16 of our RMC churches – as far north as Fort Collins and as far south as Pueblo and as far west as Grand Junction! We’re spread out far and wide, but what’s more impressive to me (and to everyone at our retreat) was the deep rootedness we find in our shared faith tradition. 

We asked folks to send in pictures from their times at La Foret, and we put together a photo album of hundreds of photos. We printed out these photos for the campers to make a collage of a tree with roots. Or maybe it’s a bridge over a river. In any case, many of our youth found pictures of their own parents as youth at La Foret. All of our youth noted that this was one of the most memorable activities of the weekend. We also spent a lot of time outside taking photos of sacred places on the property. And we had a great sermon from Rev. Josh Rumple (First Congregational Colorado Springs) about mushrooms and the sacred interdependence that we find in each other. 

Overall, we had a great time exploring all the sacred fun that the forest had to offer us. One of our youth reflected on how their time at La Foret allows them to ground themselves in who they want to be so they can practice being that person everywhere else. And I think that’s exactly what we hoped our youth would get out of the weekend — a reminder that their roots in God’s love will go with them everywhere, and they can take the best of La Foret and our churches with them, too.

Much love,

Rev. Brooklyn McBride (she/her)

RMC Youth Coordinator

brooklyn@rmcucc.org