Religious leaders from all over Carlsbad gathered together on Sunday, June 9th for the Interfaith Baccalaureate Service to celebrate the achievement of graduating seniors from Carlsbad High School.
The tradition of a Baccalaureate Service dates as far back as 1432 at the University of Oxford in Britain. Different in format today, the Baccalaureate ceremony is still regarded as a service of worship in celebration of and thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning and wisdom.
Graduating senior and current Senior Class President, Levi Sebahar conducted the meeting and expressed gratitude to family and friends who had helped each student along the way. He said, “Every step has been supported by others, but our very next step we walk alone. No matter what obstacle you encounter you must face it because God has a plan for you.”
The service took place at the Carlsbad chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which is located across the street from Carlsbad High School. Strains of violin music from concertmaster Dane Pearson welcomed the guests. Speakers included, Pastor Christopher Hilken of the North Coast Church, Pastor JC Cooper of Rancho del Rey Church, President Steven Pynes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Carlton Lund, of The Lund Team Real Estate and Chairman of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. The invocation was given by Deacon Mike Frazee of St. Patrick Parish.
Pastor Hilken encouraged the graduates not to focus on changing the world but to focus on changing the lives of individual people. By doing that, he said, they would end up changing the world. He said that, “everything we do in life is ultimately to experience joy” and emphasized that life has so much in store for each of the graduates in the future.
Pastor JC Cooper, as the father of 2 young boys, shared that he often creates raps to help teach and encourage. He wrote a rap for the graduates, read in poetry form, to help them keep things in perspective as they continue to grow. In it, he said, “What should you pursue? My encouragement is what is right, pure, lovely, and true. Now go and do the good works God has planned for you.”
President Steven Pynes told the story of getting lost after his first day of first grade because he had focused on things that move rather than something permanent. He asked the graduates to set their lives by principles that don’t change. He said, “Stand like a rock as you move forward through your life so that as things change around you, you will have a straight and true path.”
Carlton Lund, a well-known Carlsbad businessman, gave the graduates advice on finding success in life. He encouraged each student to work, not only on developing an educational IQ, but on strengthening social IQ as well. He said, “Eventually your success will depend on how you treat others. When you give, you receive. Be somebody who gives back.”
Music, under the direction of Choral Director Christy Owen, was provided by the Carlsbad High School Chamber Singers, including a lovely number by the trio of Gage Chu, Caitlin Cairns, and Bridget Rhode. The service was filled with encouraging words for each of the graduates and was a beautiful way to send them off into the next stage of their lives.
