Archive
Subscribe
Weather
 |
|
 |
|
Baccalaureate becomes a time of worship, celebration, thanksgiving |
Four Newberg High School
students met with a local pastor at Chapters Books one spring
afternoon. But they weren’t there for the books, the coffee or the
wireless Internet.
The students are responsible for planning all aspects of the 2007
NHS baccalaureate service and for the past few months they have been
busily preparing for an event they hope will change lives.
“From this experience we hope that (students) would feel like they
have some direction to their lives,” committee member Marissa Riggan
said.
This year’s service will be held at 7 p.m. June 7 in the NHS
auditorium. Families of graduating seniors are invited; refreshments
will be served.
Baccalaureate is a traditional Christian worship service held the
same week as graduation. It is a time of worship, thanksgiving and
celebration of the completion of a student’s high school education.
“I kind of got the whole thing rolling,” said Les Comfort, another
committee member. He contacted NHS assistant principal Dan Malone
and expressed his interest in planning the event.
Because baccalaureate is a religious celebration, NHS
administrators cannot sponsor the event or require students to take
part. They can, however, offer the use of facilities and assist in
planning and contacting community members.
Malone helped Comfort get in contact with Gregg Lamm, pastor of 2nd
Street Community Church. Lamm, a member of the Newberg Ministerial
Association, had helped students plan baccalaureate before and was
happy to help again this year. “It’s been a process,” he said.
NHS senior Dani Hawblitzel became involved with baccalaureate plans
when Comfort asked her to help.
“I thought it sounded like fun,” she said, “and a good way to get
involved. I thought it would be a neat thing to do.”
She added, “NHS needs more exposure to faith and I thought this
would be a good way.”
This year’s baccalaureate is themed “The World Is Not Enough:
Pressing On Toward The Goal,” a combination of the senior class
theme and Philippians 3:12-21. Hawblitzel had heard teaching on the
scripture passage at her church, and the group thought it tied well
into the theme.
“It’s kind of like a statement,” Lamm said, “like Proverbs, a
two-part statement. It seemed like a good quote.”
The service will include a sermon given by local pastors Shaun
McNay and Ed Nichols, fathers of graduating seniors Zach McNay and
Abe Nichols, respectively. Lamm described the sermon structure as a
“tag team talk” or a “dialogue sermon,” with both pastors onstage
talking and responding to each other’s messages.
Another traditional element of baccalaureate is live worship music
performed by students. This year, the committee chose local band
Lenon to provide music.
Band members include Killian Sump, Nolan Staples, Ian Eilert, Kaleb
Eilert and Seth Williams, all current or former NHS students.
Hawblitzel said they chose the band because of their prominence in
the community.
“They’re pretty professional for their age,” she said. “And it
takes a lot of heat off of us not having to hold auditions.”
Lamm said he hopes the event will be a time of reflection and
contemplation for this year’s graduating class.
“Graduation, for most people, is the last time when they’ll all be
together,” he said. “I would hope that there would be people that,
because of baccalaureate, would connect with God and invite him to
be part of their map for their future.” |
|
From
May 26, 2007, Newberg Graphic
Click Here to Subscribe |
|
|
|
 |
|
