On Sunday — one week prior to their graduation — some of the Diamond High School seniors converged at the high school’s commons area for baccalaureate service.
The event was put on by the Diamond Ministerial Alliance and included special music, praise and worship, scripture reading and a message.
“Baccalaureate is simply a farewell address that is given to a graduating class, but has a spiritual emphasis or spiritual flavor to it,” Diamond Christian Church minister Mike Whorlow said at the beginning of the service. “Next Sunday, our graduates will be at commencement, seek their diplomas and also probably get an address on that day as well.”
The event was filled with seniors, their family and friends.
“We come tonight to give praise and glory to God,” Whorlow said. “And give praise and glory to God for our graduates as well.”
The keynote speaker during the service was MSSU Baptist Student Union director Jon Smith.
“As you sit here tonight, surrounded by family, teachers, friends, maybe a minister to the school, you are surrounded by witnesses who have helped you get to where you are right now,” Smith said. “To this first magnificent step into the real world. What I am going to tell all of you tonight is this, the one thing — the only thing that I want you to take from tonight is this — stay plugged into a local church. I don’t care where you go in life, I don’t care what you do, stay plugged into a local church. Because that is how God intended us to live. We are the body of Christ, together we are the body of Christ.”
Later on, Smith told the graduates that we all struggle with the same issues.
“The world will tempt you, the devil will try you and the Lord will test you,” he said. “The question is, will you be ready to stand firm?”
Smith stressed that the best days of the graduates are ahead of them.
“As cool as it is right now, your best days are still in front of you,” he said “Whatever you decide to do in your lives, your best days are still in front of you.”
In his final comments, Smith said, “We can change the world.”
“You are the future, and from where I am standing, the future looks bright,” Smith said. “But it is never brighter than when it is lived out in the context of the local church. So, Diamond High School graduates of 2010, remember that fact, as you seize the world and make a difference.”
Diamond’s commencement will be at 2 p.m. this Sunday.
