COVID Update
As of February 11, 2022, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported 1,127 new cases, totaling 500,516. Following is the recent case count by county:
- 354 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 13 new cases in Los Alamos County
- 19 new cases in Rio Arriba County
- 17 new cases in Taos County
McCurdy continues to implement health and safety measures regarding COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of our staff and the children and youth we serve.
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Spotlight
on Angela Ortiz
McCurdy is very fortunate to have Angela Ortiz lead the After School Care program. She has been at McCurdy for more than seven years working both with the Pre-K program and with the After School program.
Angela came to McCurdy with 25 years of experience from the Española Public School System and five years at the Cariños Charter School System where she worked as a Licensed Instructional Assistant. Four of Angela’s grandchildren are attending McCurdy Charter School.
McCurdy is blessed with her loving heart and Christian influence directing the After School Care program.
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McCurdy Amazon “Wish List”
A quick and easy way to support McCurdy’s vital ministries to children and youth is to help purchase needed supplies.
A “wish list” has been created on Amazon for the supplies needed for After-School Care, Pre-K, and Project Cariño (mental health counseling) programs. Simply use the link below to view the current list, which includes arts and craft materials as well as some general office, kitchen, cleaning, and safety supplies.
Select an item or two and purchase them just like you would any Amazon purchase. (It operates like a wedding registry site.) Just be sure to select McCurdy Ministries Community Center on the address list at checkout so your ordered items will be shipped directly to Española.
Please know that your order of watercolors or Play-Doh will put a smile on a child’s face and/or your order of disinfectant cleaner will help keep both the children and staff a bit safer. Thanks for your ongoing support of our ministry!
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Schedule a virtual mission
If you have a group that has never been to McCurdy or your VIM team had to cancel plans for a mission to Espanola last year, why not schedule a virtual mission session this winter. It is a wonderful way to support the McCurdy staff as they love the opportunity to interact with Christian groups.
Virtual opportunities are available in a variety of lengths of time. Consider booking a series of 60- to 90-minute sessions during weekdays or evenings. Or book a single one- to two-hour session. Times are fully adaptable to meet your needs. It is a wonderful way to hear about what is happening in McCurdy’s ministry programs and to get an update about the future plans of the ministry.
Any group (i.e., VIM team, UMW Circle, Sunday School Class, etc.) is welcome to host a McCurdy Virtual Mission. Simply make a reservation for a specific week by downloading the Virtual Mission Application form on the McCurdy website and email it to Eufemia Romero at eromero@mccurdy.org.
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Book a 2022 VIM team
Many VIM team leaders are still wondering when VIM teams will be able to return to the McCurdy Ministries Community Center, while other VIM team leaders have already booked a mission week for 2022. As you know, the McCurdy campus has been closed to VIM teams because of health and safety concerns.
While there are still many unknowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the McCurdy Board and staff are hopeful that the NM Governor may lift some of the COVID-19 restrictions in the state by summer. If that happens, VIM teams should be able to begin serving McCurdy in mission. Teams already have begun booking dates for this summer and early fall.
If you are considering booking a mission trip to McCurdy for later this year, we strongly recommend that you:
- ensure that you have the support of your pastor and congregation;
- ensure that your team can safely travel to McCurdy for a week of mission service;
- ensure that your team members have been fully vaccinated; and
- ensure that your team members are aware of the best practices for health and safety established by the CDC.
Remember, it often is easier to make plans for a mission and cancel it than to try to hurriedly plan and prepare for a mission at the last minute.
If you are considering scheduling a team in 2022, please contact our Volunteer Registrar Eufemia Romero by phone at 505-753-7221, ext. 210 or by email at eromero@mccurdy.org to schedule a week of mission.
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Recipe of the month
Here’s a recipe to test your abilities to find and discern the ingredients found in the scriptures. It’s a dessert recipe found in McCurdy’s very own collection, Recipes of a Century Past. This wonderful recipe book was published in 2012 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ministry.
This recipe was contributed by Irene Maestas Gifford, Class of 1946. Enjoy the search in God’s word for the ingredients!
Scripture Cake
1. 1 cup Judges 5:25
2. 2 cups Jeremiah 6:20
3. 2 teaspoons I Samuel 14:25
4. 6 teaspoons ? Jeremiah 17:11 (eggs)
5. 4-1/2 cups I Kings 4:22
6. 2 teaspoons Amos 4:5
7. 1 teaspoon Leviticus 2:13
8. 1/2 teaspoon each II Chronicles 9:9
9. 1/2 cups Judges 4:19
10. 2 cups I Samuel 30:12
11. 2 cups chopped ? Nahum 3:12
12. 2 cups chopped Numbers 17:8
Cream 1, 2, and 3. Add 4 one at a time, beating well after each. Combine 5, 6, 7, and 8. Blend into mixture with 9. Stir in 10, 11, 12. Bake in greased and floured 12-cup tube bundt pan in 350o oven for 40-50 minutes. Use toothpick to test for doneness. Cool 10 minutes then invert on serving plate.
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Hymn of the month
If you were raised in the church, it is likely that the first hymn you learned as a child was Jesus Loves Me. I was fortunate to learn the beautiful song at the age of three. It still resonates in my heart and reminds me of this basic truth of my Christian faith!
Behind the Hymn: Jesus Loves Me by Diana Leagh Matthews
“Jesus Loves Me is the best loved children’s song of all time.
The words were written by Anna Bartlett Warner, who was born in 1827. Warner could trace her lineage back to the Puritan Pilgrims on both sides. Her father was Henry Warner, a well-known New York City lawyer originally from New England, and her mother was Anna Bartlett, from a wealthy, fashionable family in New York’s Hudson Square. When Warner was a young child, her mother died, and her father’s sister Fanny came to live with the Warners. Although Henry Warner had been a successful lawyer, he lost most of his fortune in the Panic of 1837 and in subsequent lawsuits and poor investments. The family had to leave their mansion at St. Mark’s Place in New York and move to an old, ramshackled Revolutionary War-era farmhouse on Constitution Island, near West Point, NY. In 1849, seeing little change in their family’s financial situation, Susan and Anna started writing to earn money.
Both sisters became devout Christians in the late 1830s. After their conversion, they became confirmed members of the Mercer Street Presbyterian church, although in later life, Anna became drawn into Methodist circles...
Neither sister married, but held regular Bible Studies for West Point cadets. Their uncle, Rev. Thomas Warner, was the Academy Chaplain. Anna wrote a fresh hymn for her Sunday School class each month. It is believed that Dwight D. Eisenhower was one of the last cadets to attend their classes. He graduated the year of Anna’s death.
The words to Jesus Loves Me first appeared in Susan’s 1860 bestselling novel Say and Seal. In the novel, Sunday School teacher Mr. Linden comforts his student, Johnny Fax. The words are spoken to soothe the dying child…
The tune and chorus were added in 1862 by Dr. William Batchelder Bradbury. Dr. Bradbury dedicated himself to teaching, writing and publishing his music; published 59 collections of sacred and secular music…
When they were on military duty, the cadets would sing Jesus Loves Me.
Anna outlived her sister by more than thirty years. The popularity of the song was so great, that both sisters were buried with military honors because of their contribution they made to the spiritual well-being of the soldiers. They are the only civilians buried in the West Point Cemetery.
Their home, Good Crag, was willed to West Point Academy and made into a National Shrine. Their home is now a museum in their honor.
Jesus Loves Me is the first hymn taught to new converts and children worldwide. Additional verses have been added throughout the years.
Use this link to read the full story: LINK
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Do you have a favorite hymn or scripture that helped you through a difficult time? If so, would you be willing to share your story with me and with our readers? If so, please email it to me at lpolson1966@gmail.com.
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Jesus Walks by My Side and Holds my Hand
by Angela Ortiz, After School Program Director, and Sarah Allen, Director of Development and Church Relations
“I have no greater joy than this,
to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
3 John 1:4
As the Afterschool Care Director for McCurdy Ministries Community Center in Espanola New Mexico, we strive every day to help the children in our care to grow in a way that creates hope and empowers them through our faith-based ministries. I wanted to share the faithful witness of two of our young students.
In class we had been learning about The Lord’s Prayer and our students then had time to paint or draw about what they had learned and how it had impacted them. Two young students, aged 5 and 6, had created beautiful drawings of walking hand in hand with Jesus. One of the drawings had a rainbow and the other was covered with hearts. When I asked my students about their beautiful pictures their faces glowed with enthusiasm and joy. It still makes me feel the same way as I relate to you what they told me.
The six-year-old boldly proclaimed that Jesus was always walking beside her. That when she has nightmares, she calls to him and he is “by me at night, so I am not afraid.” She said that she loves learning songs about Jesus, praying for him and thanking him for everything he has done. She smiled again and resolutely said, “Jesus loves me and takes care of my family.”
The 5-year-old stated, “I love Jesus so much, he is with me in my heart,” as she pointed to the hearts covering her drawing. “Jesus holds my hand every day. I am not scared. I know he loves me.”
There have been times through the past two years that the struggle has been very hard to come up with ways to continue to teach, encourage and care for our students. Covid-19 has taken a toll on all of us. When I am discouraged by needing to return to in-home learning yet again, I am reminded of Psalm 127:3, “Children are a gift from God, they are a reward from him.” My students’ faith bolsters my own and together we continue to praise God for all the blessings because great is their faithfulness.
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Happy Valentine’s Day!
McCurdy Ministries Community Center creates hope and empowers the lives of children, youth, adults and families through education, life skills, and faith-based programs in Española, New Mexico.
Each month we invite you to join us in creating hope and empowering the lives of the children and families in Española Valley in 2022 with your prayers and support. We are blessed to have you serving our ministry, even from a distance!
On behalf of the McCurdy Ministries Community Center Board and staff as well as the children, youth, adults, and families MMCC serves in the Española Valley, we wish you and your family a Happy Valentine’s Day! And may you always remember God’s abundant love for you every day throughout the year!
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Through our Volunteer Newsletter, we are providing the latest information about volunteer opportunities at McCurdy Ministries Community Center and sharing helpful tips about planning a mission trip to Española. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions about articles or resources. Send your suggestions or questions to Linda Polson at lpolson1966@gmail.com. Linda is an MMCC Board Member and experienced VIM Team Leader.
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McCurdy Ministries Community Center creates hope and empowers the lives of children, youth, adults and families through education, life skills and faith-based programs
in Española, NM.
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