So if you’re reading this now it means you’ve most likely been directed here from my Facebook and/or Instagram post. Welcome to my blog, the water is usually warm here so feel free to swim around, but seriously no pressure. Okay, let’s get to the point.

I’m leaving my job as the youth minister in Bozeman at the end of June.

I am stepping away simply because I have felt called to move on for awhile now and I’ve just been avoiding stepping into the unknown.

So that is the answer to the next inevitable question that I’m sure some of you have: What will I be doing next? That’s the exciting and terrifying part, I don’t know. There are a couple of things in the works, but for right now I am leaving one thing with no idea of what comes next and if that makes you anxious, trust me it makes me 100 times more anxious than you. So now you may be asking, “Why are you doing this then?” Because I am being asked to put my trust wholeheartedly in God and for too long I’ve been straddling the doorway, telling myself that I would only leave when I knew exactly what I would be doing next. However life doesn’t always work that way and God had other plans for me (and I’m sure was shaking his head at my stubbornness). I love what I do and I love the ministry that I serve in, that hasn’t changed, but I am being asked to step out of the doorway and trust more fully, and while totally terrifying, I truly am excited for what will come next.

Now that I’ve ripped that bandaid off, what I really want to say is thank you…so without further ado…

To the Bozeman community: You welcomed me with open arms (and in some cases open homes) when I arrived here on an August day 8 years ago. I truly had no idea what to expect then, but I know now that Bozeman will always be a place for me to call home. I grew up  as an adult and as a youth minister here, I failed (sometimes really hard) here,  but I became all the stronger for it, I learned so much about myself and ministry here. I was blessed to see a church remodeled and a new church built, to see the communities grow and support each other through hard times and joyful times. To meet 6th graders new to middle school only to watch them graduate from high school and go onto college. To see former high school freshman grow to be tremendous disciples and peer leaders because of the example set for them by their older peers. To see young men and women graduate from high school then college only to take the world head on. I have stories to last me a lifetime and memories to last me two. 

For the parishes and parishioners, for the staff at Holy Rosary and Resurrection, for the other youth pastors and youth ministry community in Bozeman, for their sage wisdom and lively conversations, thank you for welcoming me in and for all you do for our community here.

For the parents: thank you for trusting me with your children. Thank you for the hours of time you spent helping me find my way, for the phone calls and emails and driving and snacks provided. Thank you for wanting more for your child’s faith formation and thank you for challenging me to do more and be better. I know I didn’t always accomplish everything you and I would have liked, but I hope we at least made a start. I can only ask that you continue to help whoever comes next, and please know I couldn’t do even an ounce of what I do without you. Thank you so very much.

For the young people (current and former*)…I’ll be really honest, I’ve written and re-written this over and over, and I’ll never get it quite right, but I want to tell you that you’re incredible. I know sometimes I frustrate you, I know you don’t always understand my pop culture references (because I’m old), and I know sometimes I make you roll your eyes so hard you’re not sure they’ll roll back around. But I need you to know it has been the greatest privilege of my life so far, that I have been able to laugh with you, to share dumb stories with you, car rides, bible studies, games, tears, and most importantly to pray with and for you. My greatest ministers/teachers were the ones who walked with me through life rather than just “preached at me” I hope that I was able to show you Christ at least once through my actions more than words. A person gets into youth ministry for many reasons, but youth ministers can all agree that they want to share the Gospel with young people and doing so is a joy that can rarely be matched. But no one ever tells the youth ministers that there are a lot of phone calls, staff meetings, emails, organization, fundraisers, and the like, just to spend that 1-2 hours per week with the young people. But every youth minister I know understands that all that behind the scenes work is totally worth it to spend time with you because you, young person, are totally worth it. Always. Every week. Even when I was tired and yelled at you. It was ALWAYS worth it. I will miss you all dearly, in a way that will make you all roll your eyes even more. I want you to know that I am endlessly proud to know each and every one of you. I ask that you continue to pray and maybe throw a prayer or two my way, and rest assured you will be in mine. I hope that you seek Christ in all things, don’t be afraid to ask questions and challenge the answers, encounter the sacraments, participate in the Mass, and be kind to others.

That last bit is applicable to everyone.

After June I will be back in Kalispell finishing out some things, praying and searching for what’s next, and spending time with my stupid adorable nephew who is growing too fast. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and I promise when I know what’s next, you’ll know what’s next.

Until next time…

Kelly

*”former” just means you’re my former youth…you’re still younger than me, which I know you’ll gladly point out to me when you get the chance.