Thunder rolled and lighting flashed through cross-shaped windows as graduating seniors and other worshippers heard a sermon, read Scripture and sang a chorus titled “Sanctuary” at the Iola High School Class of 2011 Baccalaureate Service.
About 150 people braved a truly hellacious rainstorm to attend the traditional sacred right of passage Wednesday evening at the new First Christian Church on Oregon Road.
Despite the torrent, senior Hallie Wolf believed there would be a good turnout.
Faith is a big part of her life and in the lives of many of her IHS classmates, she said.
“It has helped all of us a lot in high school, to be able to stay on the right track and know what to do and know what not to do,” Wolf said.
The service was planned and organized by Wolf, Autumn Snesrud, Dannette Newland, Kirstin McGuffin and Jasmine Bannister — good friends who worship at different churches.
“Our school counselor told us that she couldn’t really help us, so we kind of had to plan it on our own,” Wolf said. They spent the last few days in a rush, finding a speaker, a replacement pianist and otherwise organizing the entire program themselves.
In the hour before the program, Donna Curry and Karen Trester, senior citizens, drove through the worst of the storm to prepare refreshments. Volunteers baked over 30 dozen cookies, enough for 150 people, Curry said.
Longtime Gideon Arvin Clemens, Iola, unloaded a box full of pocket Bibles.
“We’ve done this for the last four or five years,” said Clemans.
Baccalaureate is his only chance, he said, to give Bibles to the Iola seniors. Years ago, Gideons were allowed to give students their own little copy of the New Testament with Proverbs and Psalms.
“We can still get into some of the schools around us,” Clemans said. “Yates Center, Moran and Humboldt — we can still get into those schools. But we can’t get into Iola.
“Sidewalk distribution only. We have to do it off school grounds.”
The soggy crowd came in from the storm with seniors, numbering 35 or so.
First Christian Church Youth Pastor Travis Riley gave the opening prayer.
Senior Maggie Wilson plugged her acoustic guitar in and led “They Will Know We are Christians.”
The call to worship was led by Lori Cooper and Wolf read 1 Timothy 4:12-16.
The student speakers — Bannister and McGuffin — were up next.
“As we move on to the next state of our lives, we remember that God has a plan for us,” McGuffin read. “Whether you’re lost on a big college campus or worried about making the right choices in life, trust in God. … Do not be afraid of what’s ahead but go forth confidently knowing that God is always by your side.”
Michelle Britt read Proverbs 3:1-12.
Renee McGuillon, pastor’s wife, played piano as everyone sang “Majesty, Worship His Majesty.”
Newland read Philippians 4:4-12 and Snesrud introduced the guest speaker, a familiar face to many — Pastor J.L. Martin, the youth pastor at First Christian from 2004 to 2008.
Now living in Hesston, Martin said he was honored to be invited back by the seniors, confessing that he still sees them as they were back in sixth grade.
Martin’s message was titled “The Three Greatest Gifts for Christians.”
Beyond the cash and gift cards, clothes and personal electronics that the majority of graduates will receive, he presented them with three gifts that would be most important in years to come — prayer, the Bible and the church.
“And none of these three gifts are as important as a personal relationship with Jesus,” he added.
Martin encouraged the seniors to attend a church wherever they go and not sleep in on Sundays.
“A lot of students turn their backs on God in college,” he said.
After the sermon, the seniors came to the front to sing “Lifesong” and read the benediction: “So now we leave to go our separate ways…. We pray that he will gude us all the way.”
The worshippers closed the service by singing the chorus “Sanctuary” as thunder rolled.
Wolf was beaming as the crowd she’d prayed for moved toward the fellowship hall.
She will go to Pittsburg State University next fall to major in elementary education. After that, she plans to put prayer back in school by praying for the students in her classroom.
She acknowledged the deeper symbolism of the ongoing storm outside the church walls.
“But things were going smoothly on the inside!” she said.
Seniors find ‘Sanctuary’ in Baccalaureate
