Editor’s note: How will you honor those who will graduate from high school, college, and graduate programs this spring? Here’s a “Sending Service” you can use or adapt. In addition, CTA has several value-priced items you might give as reminders to your graduates of God’s love in Christ!
Adapt this commissioning/sending service to your setting as you recognize high school and college graduates and encourage them for the opportunities that lie ahead:
1. Ask all graduates to come forward. Specifically mention those graduating from high school, community college, training programs, college, and graduate programs.
(Optional) If time will allow, let students pass a microphone to one another, sharing with the congregation:
Their names.
The school or program from which they have been graduated.
Where they are now headed (e.g., the military, a job, job-hunting, a community college or university, grad school).
2. Briefly share a few thoughts based on this outline:
- Congratulations on your achievement! How good God has been to make that achievement possible.
- The next steps will be exciting for you and for all of us who love you as you continue to learn, as your life’s work begins to make a difference in the lives of others, as you establish a home and perhaps a family, and maybe even as you begin to pay your own bills:-)
- Your Lord Jesus has even more in mind for you, though! The “hope” and “future” he intends (Jeremiah 29:11) isn’t really about how much you can learn and earn. His purpose for you is that . . .
Your relationship with him will grow deeper and broader;
Your life will shine out with his love; and that
Your words will offer his pardon and peace to a restless and dying world.
- If those things happen, our Lord is the one who will work them in you and through you. Let’s ask him to do that!
3. Use a prayer like this one. Adapt it to fit your situation.
Lord Jesus, thank you so much for all you have done in the lives of these graduates. Thank you for your hand of protection that has sheltered them and your wisdom that has guided them. In your cross, assure them of your forgiveness for their past sins.
Work in them now to want what you want for their lives. Draw them close to you and keep them there. Teach them that they serve you best by serving those around them. Continue to give them your peace, courage, hope, and love. Make them examples to us of how extraordinary our lives can be when we yield ourselves up to you.
We pray in the gracious and powerful name of our Lord Jesus! Amen.
4. Close by sending/commission the graduates with a blessing based on Jeremiah 29:10, Numbers 6:24-26, or 2 Corinthians 13:14.
5. Distribute the item you are giving as a memento. CTA has some great, Christ-centered items you may want to consider. See some of them here.