Graduation prayer

Bonar Law Memorial High School – Class of 2011

By Rev. (Sandy) A.D. Sutherland

O Lord God, You have made us, and everything around us, and You have made all things possible; You have even made today possible.

Here in this place the graduates have learned to wonder at your creation, to be amazed by what You have made, and also to be pleased in what they can do within your creation, through the gifts that you have given each graduate. For each of them is a miracle, now not only in the eyes of their parents and their teachers, but now before the whole world.

Here, through the gifts you have given these teachers, you have taught these students about the world, and so much of what is in it, even to the edge of the known universe. Through these teachers, these once children have learned so much of what it takes to be young men and women in a world needing workers, needing leaders, even needing heroes.

O God, your Spirit has been present in class rooms when young minds were awakened to truth, when hands were empowered to skills and task that these young men and women never thought possible. O Lord our God, in this place, you have taught many lessons. May these graduates be good stewards of these lessons, the knowledge they have been blessed with, and most of all the wisdom they have gained.

You, O God, bring people together, and call to each one of us to be in fellowship with each other. We thank you Lord God, for the fellowship of this house of learning. We are thankful for the strong spirit of teamwork that echoed in the clubs and sports teams. Help these graduates to remember the lessons of teamwork and trust and encouraging others so that all can succeed. We thank you God – most of all – for the friendships that we have all seen You make here; especially the friendships that have taken a lot of work. Help each graduate to hold onto the fellowship they have gained here, or the strength that they draw from be so deeply loved as they have been here.

O Lord God, grant us the security of your enfolding arms. Secure us from harm, and may each of us feel the power of your Holy Spirit resting on each of us like a dove, giving each of us the strength of your peace in all that has been accomplished here.

O Lord God let your Spirit rest on each graduate and their family to guide and shield the gifts that carry them on to carriers, to the making of new families, and to sharing their own strengths and wisdom with a world that needs to see them use the gifts that You have richly blessed them with. Help us all to celebrate well what You have done in their accomplishment, and rejoice in what You are doing in their success that awaits them in all that life has to offer.

And so, O Lord, as you watch over each of us, and especially these graduates we pray for your continued blessing.

In Christ Jesus we pray.

Amen