Friday, May 25, 2007
Report from Legacy Christian School: Vertical Habits
Report from Betty Grit:
Vertical Habits at Legacy Christian School:
‘Lord, Please Help’ and ‘How Can I Help?’
As children entered the gym for worship, it was evident that it is their habit to enter this space quietly and reverently on Friday morning. Worship music, played by teacher Joan Stob reminded us that today this space was sacred space and our hearts were prepared for worship.
We were invited to repeat after the teacher, “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice in it. Let us worship the Lord together.” After a prayer, we were told that the fourth graders would be using two dramas created by Friends of the Groom for the Vertical Habits program of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
The story of blind Bartimeus was told in three ways – that he demanded attention from Jesus, that he only asked for Jesus’ signature, and finally, as reported in Scripture, that he brought his need to Jesus saying, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
The teacher asked how we thought Bartimaeus felt after this encounter. The script included a phone call between a Legacy student and Bartimaeus. We were reminded that we have an advantage Bartimaeus did not have. We have Jesus with us all the time. The student asked, “What if we don’t need God?” He responded, “There is a word for that – BLIND. You are blinder than I ever was.” We were reminded that God tells us that we should ask for what we need and that he desires to help us.
Joan Stob reminded us that asking God is not all we are to do. We are to be servants and serve others. Another group of children dramatized the story of the Good Samaritan asking, “Who was the good Samaritan?” It was evident to all of us that the Samaritan, the person less expected to follow God’s teaching, was the one who helped the man. In another dramatized telephone conversation between a Legacy student and the inn keeper, we were reminded of what it means to serve God by serving others.
Chapel concluded as we sang, “Make Me a Servant”—the song that has concluded every Friday worship throughout the school year.
CICW is grateful to Joan Stob and to Legacy Christian School for using Vertical Habits resources to teach children these habits of relationship with God.
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