Rivermill Baccalaureate

I was invited to pray the invocation and benediction at a local high school’s baccalaureate service today. Ashleigh Denny, a teacher at Rivermill Academy asked me and of course, I said I would. Since I’ve never been to a baccalaureate service before and wasn’t entirely sure what such a service was and how to pray, I thought I’d share here that invocation—if only to help someone else in a similar but future jam.

Almighty God, Creator, Sustainer, and Author of Truth, we humbly appeal to you to awaken our spirits so that we might understand how very present you are with us today. In this hour of glad fellowship, we ask again your blessing upon this school and all who are graduating. I, along with Chief Prichard, the faculty, staff, board of directors, and parents, thank you, Lord, for guiding these students thus far.

We have watched their progress up to now and once again admit to you and to ourselves that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. And so, standing at this threshold to the future, we must submit our children to your care once again. We can only take them so far and now we let them go to you and your care. Though we have loved them much we know that you love them more and so it is that we are able to entrust them to you.

In a world filled with strife, we ask for these Seniors that they may know Peace…real Peace. When it seems that everything around them is out of control, may they know real peace, your peace.

In a world permeated with broken dreams we ask for these Seniors hope…an abiding hope—not in themselves but in the promises of One greater than themselves.

In a world often invaded with cruelty and spite we ask for our Seniors grace. May they know that Amazing Grace that is you, and thereby grow from grace to grace…sustained by the knowledge of the One who is all grace, all hope, all peace…their Way, their only Truth, their very Life. Amen.