Baccalaureate 2005: "an amazing night of worship"

by Judy Vetter, class of 2005

It was an amazing night of worship as graduating students, faculty, family and friends came together on Friday evening in Martin Chapel at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

The service was based on II Corinthians 4:5-7, the selection the Class of 2005 chose as their guiding scripture. The worship celebration entitled “Proclaiming Jesus- Light of the World” was crafted by a team of more than a dozen people. The baccalaureate service incorporated such elements as the composition of an original song called “Precious Treasure” by Marilyn Henderson and Tom Eshelman. The entire worship experience was woven together with the gifted writing talent of Rachel Gerber, who as leader of the worship team, gathered the offerings of the various team members and was able to give us an evening that glorified God.

Amazing is a word that truly expressed this service that contrasted lightness and dark, shadows and emerging images of who God created us to be. The use of visual imagery, movement with luminaries, the absence and presence of light and the powerful use of The Word of God resulted in an encounter with Jesus-The Light of the World.

The service began as the gathered congregation sat in the darkness of early evening. The words of creation were shared as the readings by Gerald Shenk and Julie Haushalter mingled with the gentle yet increasingly forceful piano and drum composition by Lorie and Brent Hershey. The words and music enveloped the chapel space. As the words of the prelude indicated that the Light of the World was being entrusted to “mere mortals” the members of the graduating class came forth from the back of the sanctuary bearing their votives that represented the gifts and talents each brought to ministry. The entire assembly was soon invited into this attitude of worship as Heidi Miller Yoder and Mark Schloneger called us to worship. The bond of Christian fellowship was drawn closer as we all sang of God’s call upon all of us to come into the light.

Seminary graduate Judy Vetter

However, we were first called to confession as a litany of confession was portrayed by Jeff Carr and Debbie Koontz in “Acknowledging Our Shadows”. This was punctuated by a period of silent confession. Soon we moved into the Light which Christ only provides when we have discovered the Light of the world. The Word was then proclaimed as we were led by Marilyn in the singing of “Precious Treasure” followed by Rachel’s powerful recitation of II Corinthians 4:5-7. The Class decided early in the planning process not to have a solitary speaker but instead to invite class members to share the ways in which Christ had prepared them for ministry in the last few years here at seminary. Lorraine Brown, Hunter Hess, Lorie Hershey, Anthony Siegrist, Shauna Payne, Steve Swartzendruber and Todd Warren all testified in their unique ways. Each testimony was affirmed by the singing of the chorus “Alleluia” by the congregation.

Dean Ervin Stutzman and Associate Dean Sara Shenk came forward to pronounce blessings on each of the students as they humbly came forward to receive their blessing and an invitation to go out into all the world. The assembled gathering of family and friends were then invited to join in a candle lighting celebration that reminded all of us that we are called to be "light to the world."

It was truly a worship celebration and an evening of praising God that will be treasured in our hearts for years to come.