[Teachldsseminary] ...seminary graduation ideas...

[Cristine Holt]

It turns out that our seminary graduations have been really spiritual
meetings. So we make sure the families of the graduates are invited, but we
also invite all the other students and their families as well. This is
because the seniors who speak inspire "under-graduates" to stay in seminary
and try to get the most they can out of it. The speakers are chosen
carefully, but we also try to involve as many seniors in the meeting as
possible. We have a student (not a senior) play the prelude, postlude, and
"walking" music when the seniors are given their diplomas. A student also
directs the music. We look for students to present musical numbers. It is so
wonderful when a seminary class will sing a rousing efy or seminary song.
That really touches people's hearts because the Spirit is so strong. Near
the beginning, we present our seminary teachers with a gift of appreciation
in the form of a book of the Seminary Coordinator's choice. It is nice for
the congregation to see who is teaching the students of the stake. We make
programs for the evening and also hand out invitations well in advance to
our seniors so that they can give them to people they want to attend such as
grandparents or teachers from school or friends. The graduation night can be
a real missionary tool, for members and non-members alike. We gather the
seniors in a room before the event, arrange them in an order for them to
enter and explain how we are working the evening. Finally, we have
refreshments afterwards in the gym and give the kids about an hour to
socialize. In all, it's a wonderful meeting that we try to end early enough
so our farther wards and branches have time to drive the hour or more home
and get in bed so they can wake up for school the next morning since we hold
these on Sunday evenings. I love seminary graduation night!


Cristine Holt
Seminary Supervisor, Davenport, Iowa Stake

"Two farmers prayed for rain, but only one prepared his fields to receive
it."