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Welcome Speech: Graduation Ceremony 2009



Good morning everybody!

We have assembled here this morning for an august occasion; to witness and participate in a grand celebration of a few bright, strong, vigorous, and promising men and women who finished a course, a race, and a learning episode. To some of us, this is a magnificent spectacle; to a few, it is intensely personal; because the laborer who brings home his wages knows the value of what he got by his sweat; and the laborers here are many, the labors have been many, especially on the part of the learners, but also greatly on the part of the teachers, administrators, sponsors, and numerous others who gave this momentum its particular shape. So, isn’t this a significant academic juncture; especially when we see that this package of the conference has unfolded under its cover of prayers and passion with the deeply embedded motif of Encountering God? We’re having mind-opening revelations, heart-strengthening visitations, and spirit-enriching manifestations. From the early unveiling of our eyes to the morning through the time we invite our faculties to sleep in the night, we move and live and have our being in God. We are at a solemn and spiritual point; it’s the 45th Graduation Ceremony of Central India Theological Seminary; and I take this pleasure and privilege to welcome you all to witness the marvels of what God can do and has done with humble things within the Body of Christ. It is not just an academic celebration; it is a spiritual jubilation over the fact that another initial and preparatory training episode is over and that the Lord of the Harvest doesn’t fail to successfully recruit laborers for His harvest. Honorable Faculty, distinguished leaders, guests, students, and all friends, it gives me great pleasure to have you all at this commencement exercise this morning. May the Lord’s cup of blessing retain its overflowing flow over us this morning! God bless us all!
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