Our Middle School just wrapped up our production of The Sound of Music. There were many amazing memories from the performances (like the reaction of the Grade 4, 5 and 8 students to the scene where Rolf kisses Liesel’s hand), but most of the really memorable moments occurred long before all the rehearsals happened. This story really begins in the multitude of staff planning meetings.

Pretty Please?

The story of how the Sound of Music came to Abbotsford Christian Middle School started more than three years ago. That was when teachers, Sandra Barthel and Amy Morrow knocked on my office door one day in August to pitch the idea of doing a musical instead of our annual Middle School spring Coffeehouse. Having been a part of a few school musical productions, and knowing the high standard that would be expected by our staff, I firmly said, “No.” I argued that our campus is too small and we do not have a large enough staff to pull off a musical. Twice a year, every year since, these same two teachers have come to me asking if I would please re-consider. I stuck to my guns; sometimes you have to hold great ideas back as they can overwhelm a school!

That is until this year.

Taking It On Together

These same two teachers came knocking on my office door the day after the all-school Christmas concert. They had come to once again pitch the idea of having our Middle School tackle The Sound of Music instead of doing our annual spring Coffeehouse. They argued that it was the 50th anniversary of the release of the movie and now would be a perfect time to try something new.

I knew that this was the euphoria of coming off the Christmas program, but I also knew that these teachers were passionate about the opportunity a musical like The Sound of Music would provide our students. The decision was brought to our staff and it was met with overwhelming support. It was also met with promises from the entire Middle School staff to find ways to share the load; we were going to take this on together.

Something Good

Fast forward four months and all our cast and crew are still humming the songs after taking the stage to perform our sold out evening performance last week. I can now say that it was well worth all the effort. Not only did our entire campus come together to achieve what I once said couldn’t be done, we were also able to become part of something amazing. Something that I know honoured our Lord and strengthened our community. We have been blessed by the sound of music!

What a wonderful example of our theme verse for this year, Luke 18:27, in which Jesus said, “What is impossible with man, is possible with God”!