by Dee Dee Heffner

Dee Dee Heffner with some of the youth of McCurdy School in New Mexico. Image by: Courtesy Deaconess Program Office/GBGM Source: Mission Personnel Several youth from the McCurdy School have expressed the theme, "I am the Lord's servant" by their actions. Image by: Courtesy Deaconess Program Office/GBGM Source: Mission Personnel

"I am the Lord's servant, Mary said." --Luke 1:38

The Drama

My students in drama class at McCurdy School are preparing a chancel drama. Chancel dramas are written to be performed in a church. But this one will be performed in our gymnasium. Our chancel drama, “The Word Became Flesh,” includes our theme from scripture, “I am the Lord's servant.”

Just after final examinations and just before Christmas break, middle and high school students gather for worship. This chancel drama will be the center of that worship experience. We want the students to remember the Christmas story.

There is a young woman in the play who is playing the role of Mary. She is a 16-year-old who looks much like depictions of Mary. She is from a traditional Hispanic family, and the mother of a one-year-old son. She is very hard working.

Because of her hard work she will be attending college next year, with her family’s blessing. She will be the first member of her family to go to college.

Hearing God’s Call

Daily, I see young people, like this young woman, working hard to serve the Lord God and to serve each other with acts of kindness, compassion, and love. Many of these young people have experienced huge pain and loss in their lives.

Through this chancel drama in which we witness Mary answering God’s call, we are reminded that Advent is the time to welcome Christ. We need to learn from Mary to do whatever it is that God asks from us.

Hearing God’s call, welcoming Christ, and doing what is required of us are themes found within the scriptural passage, “I am the Lord’s servant.”

Theme Based on Scripture

Each year at McCurdy School, our spiritual life committee, after prayerful consideration, selects a theme for the year based on a passage of scripture. Here are other ways the school has embodied the 2006-2007 school-year theme.

• The girls on McCurdy’s high school basketball team, contenders for the state championship, have “I am the Lord's servant” printed on the back of their team t-shirts as a reminder of who and whose they are.
• This week our tenth grade world history class prepared and presented a chapel service on hunger among children in Africa. Based on our scripture, they have collected money for a program which will provide breakfast for hungry children.

McCurdy School

Rural northern New Mexico, where McCurdy School is located, looks much like Palestine at the time of Christ’s birth. McCurdy School is in the Española Valley, nestled between the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountains.

At McCurdy, among the nearly 350 students in pre-school through grade twelve, eighty percent are Hispanic. All of the students, along with our staff, are working hard to serve God and other people.

All of our children are affected by grief and loss (This economically poor region of Española has the highest rate of heroin addiction in the United States.)

Especially in this Advent season, I am moved by the choices of some of the high school students with whom I am privileged to work.

Thanks be to God, who gave his son as servant to us all and who calls us to be servants.

Dee Dee Heffner has served since 1975 as a home missionary at McCurdy School, a school owned by Global Ministries. McCurdy School is one of the over 100 mission institutions related to The United Methodist Church through Global Ministries. Ms. Heffner teaches English, speech, and drama in the high school. Her Advance number is 581325.

	See Also... Topic: Advent |  Children |  Christian love |  Christmas |  Education |  GBGM programs |  Jesus Christ |  United Methodist Church |  Youth |  Geographic Region: South Central U.S. |  United States |  Source: Mission Personnel
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Date posted: Dec 15, 2006