And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ. (‘In Christ Alone,’ arr. Keith Getty, Stuart Townsend)
With such words as those above, the assembly which was gathered for the graduation service of Immanuel Lutheran High School-Mankato joined with the graduates to sing their class hymn.
As melody lifted the hymn heavenward, the words of the hymn confessed the foundation on which the graduates’ education had been built and upon which they will go forward in coming days and years.
How blessed are the young men and women who have received the prerequisite instruction of high school within the context of God’s holy Word! How blessed when a graduating class—its members heading in a variety of directions—is confident in what matters most, sharing a future built on what truly conquers the world—namely, faith in Christ our Savior.
Pastor Paul D. Nolting served as liturgist and speaker for the worship service. Pastor Nolting urged the graduates to consider that “Defining Success is a Matter of Perspective.” The Scripture text used was Psalm 37:4-5: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”
Kayla Ann Busch, valedictorian, spoke on behalf of the graduates with the recognition that they would not have reached the day’s milestone without assistance from parents, teachers, family and friends, and all those who made their Christian education at Immanuel possible. The highest praise and thanksgiving was reserved for the Lord who worked through these earthly instruments to accomplish it all.
The closing hymn “Go My Children with My Blessing” sent the eleven graduates on their way with the Lord’s benediction and into a bright future of life under His grace.
ILHS-Mankato Class of 2012: Kayla Busch, Jennifer Grabow,
Leah Hagen, Nicole Hansen, Holden Herme, Jessica Jones, Evan Olmanson, Daniel Roemhildt, Sarah Roettger, Daniel Salmon, and Isaac Schmitt