Celebrate the Graduation Milestone

Jeff on June 9th, 2009

Graduations are milestones that cry out for recognition and celebration. Select a group of parents to help you plan and coordinate a graduation service to honor and recognize your graduates. Here are some suggestions for celebrating end-of-school graduations in your worship service.

Preparation for a graduation celebration needs to begin as soon as possible. Those most qualified to help with the planning are youth leaders, along with designated staff members.

The type of worship experience will demand research and creativity on the part of leaders and students. Materials used should not be expensive or difficult to acquire.

Organization

·         Gather an accurate list of potential graduates from high school, home school, technical training, college, university, and doctoral programs.

·         Ask information regarding the family. When students do not desire immediate family involvement, a sponsor of their choosing would be appropriate.

·         Set a date best suited for the majority. Try to avoid conflicts that would cause some to miss the emphasis. Publicize the recognition well in advance.

·         Decide whether an entire service might be given, preferably a morning service, so that it will seem significant.

·         Involve the entire church family in the recognition. Check correct pronunciation of names and facts concerning students.

·         Set up a rehearsal for the entire program.

Program/Topics

·         Gather information and share about each students’ school activities and future plans.

·         Plan a week of memories with the theme of Milestones and Memories. Ask parents to prepare short paragraph memories that have of significant milestones in their students’ lives. As each student is recognized, ask the parents to stand and share their student’s milestone memory.

·         Plan a week of activities with the theme of Leadership Legacies. Ask students to be prepared to share brief testimonies about people who have been leaders and people of influence in their lives. Continue with a leadership theme by giving students leadership roles in the service such as: leading in prayer, sharing church announcements, solo, directing the music, speaking, and so on. Gather batons for parents to pass to their students to symbolize the passing of a torch from one generation of believers to the next. Ask parents to write prayers for their teens on the batons before passing them off during the service.

·         Ask a special speaker to come in and challenge the students to look for their next mission as they leave home and go to college or as they move into the workplace. Help graduates see that there is never a moment in our Christian lives in which we have arrived – part of the journey is both continued personal discipleship and continued opportunities to serve Christ where we are.

Ask Your Graduates
Allow time during the service for students to each answer one of the following pre-arranged questions:

·         Who has influenced you most in life?

·         What has been your most memorable experience during your school year?

·         If you could buy a dream, what would you buy?

·         If you could be someone else who would you be?

·         Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture that has helped you in life?

·         What books have you read that have challenged you? 

·         Could you share a dream you have for the future of America?

·         What advice would you give to students beginning their high school or college years?

·         What would you do differently if given another shot at school?

Decorations/Displays

·         Use banners or pennants with school colors. Place students from the same school in the same area.

·         Ask students to wear their graduation caps and gowns to help set the tone to honor the graduates.

·         Document the students’ growth in life by asking parents to bring a baby picture, elementary picture, a high school picture, and college picture (if the student is graduating from college). Find an area outside the worship center to display the graduates’ pictures.

·         Prepare an audiovisual presentation of graduates participating in previous youth events. You can also include pictures of graduates gathered by their parents.

·         Include a special bulletin insert including photographs and brief biographical sketches and the students’ future plans.

Other Supporting Ideas

·         Give graduates a gift. Consider the Holman CSB Graduate’s Bible.

·         Sponsor a luncheon at the church or in a restaurant. Invite graduates, parents, and other relatives as special guests.

Graduation is an important event for your church’s students and families. Don’t let the opportunity slip by to express your pride and joy in their accomplishments

Discuss

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