Graduation?

As a junior at LSTC, I have never seen how graduation here works.  During today's graduation though, I kept comparing LSTC's service to my sister's law school graduation last year.  Now, before you crack a lawyer joke, know that my sister is a public defender, so she's trying to help young pregnant women get into a halfway house instead of a jail, so they don't give birth while shackled to a bed.  But, yes, lawyers are a bit different than seminarians.

The most obvious difference was that LSTC's graduation was incorporated into a worship service, eucharist and all.  When I graduated from my undergraduate school, which is a Catholic school, we had a graduation mass, but it was completely separate from commencement itself.  I know what you're thinking, "Duh, Meredith.  You're graduating seminary.  Of course it's a worship service!"  It's still different and I like it.  I like that graduating four years of theological education, for MDivs, or any number of other years for MA degrees, doctoral degrees and so forth, is worship.  It's still a step in our relationships with God.  We are so, so, so blessed to be able to be studying in this academic institution.

Another difference between LSTC and my sister's New Jersey law school graduation?

The women were wearing much more sensible shoes at LSTC!

So, congratulations LSTC Class of 2011!  You have all been fantastic leaders and role models in the church and I wish you the best in your continued ministry.  


This picture is from the http://gadgether.com/18-weird-stiletto-designs/  And, no, no law school graduates or LSTC grads wore these "shoes."