Graduation Night for Westminster

There they are... the senior class of 2009 preparing to march. What a class they have been. They have led us through our year of transition with the excellence, the spirituality and the maturity demanded by our situation and circumstance. We are so proud of them for many reasons, but for me, they embody the true meaning of graduation.


Historically, a graduation ceremony is a cultural tradition of sorts and deemed a rite of passage. It marks one stage of a student's life to another. "Rite of passage" was actually termed by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in 1909; he believed that all societal passage rituals had 3 steps:(1) Separation from Society(2) Inculcation-transformation; (3) Return to Society in the new status.


The class of 2009 and their families chose to separate from society in the sphere of education. They chose a Christian education for their children. Knowing that education is inculcation and transformation, these families chose to inculcate their children with a Christian worldview through Christian education, which partners with the faith of their family and their church. Trusting that they provided every opportunity for their children to experience that transformation from a child in the Lord to an adult in the Lord, each family now readies to return their student back to society trusting in the Lord that their student is indeed ready to stand for Christ in every situation.


The question will come, "are they ready?" As a parent of two students in Christian education, the time will come when I will have to answer that question. I still may not be able to answer it completely, but I will rest a little easier knowing that my children have been inculcated in a school that believes what I believe and teaches students to think and discern from a Biblical presupposition. After listening to the speeches of our class president and our valadictorian, I now rest a little easier as both speeches made clear statements... we are ready!


I congratulate each student and family of the class of 2009. Well done good and faithful servants!


If your wondering how you can know God in a personal way, please click HERE to read Tim Keller's wonderful article on how to know God and believe in Jesus Christ! Blessings!