Graduation Sunday is a significant moment in the life of any African American church. On this Sunday, we salute persons who have worked hard and have completed some phase of the journey of academic excellence.
A few weeks before the service each graduate should submit two or three photos of themselves, one of which should be of them working in a church ministry, and another should be a graduation-related photo. The media ministry should show these in a looping slide video while Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” is played. The graduates and the clergy should dress in academic regalia and process into the church. Your church’s Christian education department and scholarship committee should also be robed and be prepared to make statements and presentations.
There should be a special altar call for the graduates and their families in which the pastor should lay hands on them as a confirmation sign of God’s grace and blessing upon their future success.
1. Invocation
God we again gather to give your praise and to offer thanks for all of your loving acts towards us. Especially on this day do we come to salute those who through hard work, perseverance, and prayer have graduated from one level of academic excellence to another.
We believe that loving you with our minds is a good commandment to follow. Help us to always be committed to it individually and as a church family. Thank you that you touched the hearts and minds of so many of our ancestors so that they strove to show academic excellence even when laws denied them the right to read and write. Thank you that they built schools with meager earnings and considerable toil under brutal circumstances.
They showed us that intellectual mediocrity was unacceptable. They learned to read and write to better understand your Word and to better serve humanity and their families. As we come to celebrate another graduating class, we will never forget those who graduated unable to gain the jobs and positions to which their intellectual acumen entitled them. We do not take education for granted.
We hope that you will impress upon all of this year’s graduates that with each accomplishment comes responsibility. As they move to new vistas of achievement we pray that you would ever keep them committed to you and to the service of humanity.
We give thanks to you for yet another triumph. Amen.
2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) How Firm a Foundation. “K” in Rippon’s Selection of Hymns. Tune, Foundation
(b) All the Way My Savior Leads Me. By Fanny J. Crosby. Tune, (All the Way) by Robert Lowry
(c) Come, Come Ye Saints. By William Clayton. Tune, (All Is Well) by J. T. White
(d) This Is the Day. Tune by Les Garrett. Arr. by Stephen Key
(e) Power Praise (Let God Arise). By Kurt Carr
(f) If You Live Right. Traditional. Arr. by James Abbington
3. Modern Songs
(a) More Like Him. By Eric McDaniels
(b) Yes I Can. By Quincy Fielding, Jr.
(c) How Majestic Is Thy Name. By Malcolm Williams
4. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a)To Be Like Jesus. Traditional
(b)It’s My Desire. By Thomas Dorsey
(c) I Can Do All Things Through Christ. Arr. by Elbernita Clark
5. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a)Excellent Lord. By Walter J. Hawkins and Myiia Sunny Hawkins
(b)A More Excellent Praise. By Kenneth Martin
(c)Majesty, Worship His Majesty. By Jack Hayford
6. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music
(a) My Mind’s Made Up. By Darius Brooks
(b) The Greatest Love of All. By Linda Creed
(c) For the Good of Them. By Darius Brooks
7. Anthems
(a)Striving after God. By Undine Smith Moore
(b)Ascribe to the Lord. By Rosephanye Powell
(c)The Heavens Are Telling. By Joseph Haydn
8. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period
(a) How Great Is Our God. By Chris Tomlin
(b) Eye on the Prize. By Steven L. Beasley and Tony R. Spivey
(c) Great Things. By DeAndre Patterson
9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) He Has Done Great Things for Me. By Jesse Dixon
(b) My Soul Loves Jesus. By Charles H. Mason
10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Perfect Praise. By Brenda Joyce Moore
(b) The Majesty and Glory of Your Name. By Tom Fettke
(c) How Great Thou Art. By Stuart K. Hine. Arr. by David T. Clydesdale
The following sermonic selections can be used as solo selections.
(d) God Is Able. By Smokie Norful
(e) The Impossible Dream. By Joe Darion and Mitch Leigh
11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a)Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris M. Akers
(b)It Pays to Serve Jesus. By Frank C Huston
(c)Surely God Is Able. By W. Herbert Brewster
12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) God of Our Fathers. By Daniel C. Roberts. Tune, (National Hymn) by George W. Warren
(b) More about Jesus. By Eliza E. Hewitt. Tune, (Sweney) by John R. Sweney
(c) I Really Love the Lord. By Jimmy Dowell
Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed
Worship Planning Notes
Pomp and Circumstance No. 1 in D. By Sir Edward Elgar
Location:
Boulton, Sir Adrian and the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra. Elgar: Enigma Variations and Pomp and Circumstance Marches Nos. 1–5. Brentwood, TN: EMI Classics, 2006.
1. Invocation
This invocation was developed by the African American Lectionary team.
2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) How Firm a Foundation. Text from “K” in Rippon’s Selection of Hymns. Tune, Foundation
Location
African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #146
African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. Nashville, TN: The African Methodist Episcopal Church, (1984) second printing 1986. #433
National Baptist Publishing Board. The New National Baptist Hymnal. Nashville, TN: National Baptist Pub. Board, 1981. #21
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2002. #509
The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship. Nashville, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House, (1989) twenty-sixth Printing 2003. #529
(b) All the Way My Savior Leads Me. By Fanny J. Crosby. Tune, (All the Way) by Robert Lowry
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #469
African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #293
The New National Baptist Hymnal. #201
(c) Come, Come Ye Saints. By William Clayton. Tune, (All Is Well) by J. T. White
Location:
African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #397
(d) This Is the Day. Tune by Les Garrett. Arr. by Stephen Key
Location:
West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir. Saints in Praise Volume 1. Brentwood, TN: Sparrow Label, 1992. Note: This song is a part of Track 1 entitled “Celebration Medley” on the CD.
African American Heritage Hymnal. #108
(e) Power Praise (Let God Arise). By Kurt Carr Location:
Curt Carr Project: One Church. Inglewood, CA: Gospocentric, 2004.
(f) If You Live Right. Traditional. Arr. by James Abbington
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #582
3. Modern Songs
(a) More Like Him. By Eric McDaniels
Location:
Bishop Eric McDaniels & The Lord’s Church Cathedral Choir: We Are Healed. New York, NY: Gospel 1, 2003.
(b) Yes I Can. By Quincy Fielding, Jr.
Location:
Rev. James Cleveland and The L.A. Gospel Messengers. Santa Monica, CA: Savoy, 1991.
(c) How Majestic Is Thy Name. By Malcolm Williams
Location:
Renew Me. Evergreen Park, IL: Genesis Music Group, 2002.
4. Spirituals or Traditional Songs (a) To Be Like Jesus. Traditional
Location:
Church of God in Christ. Yes Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. Memphis, TN: Church of God in
Christ Pub. Board in association with the Benson Co., 1982. #353
(b) It’s My Desire. By Thomas Dorsey
Location:
The New National Baptist Hymnal. #404
(c) I Can Do All Things Through Christ. Arr. by Elbernita Clark
Location:
International Mass Choir. I Can Do All Things. Lyndhurst, NJ: Sony, 1995.
Yes, Lord! The Church of God in Christ Hymnal. #458
5. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams (a) Excellent Lord. By Walter J. Hawkins and Myiia Sunny Hawkins
Location:
Hawkins, Tramaine. I Never Lost My Praise Live. New York, NY: Zomba, 2007.
(b) A More Excellent Praise. By Kenneth Martin
Location:
Martin, Kenneth & Voices in Praise. A More Excellent Praise. Southfield, MI: Sounds of Gospel, 1993.
(c) Majesty, Worship His Majesty. By Jack Hayford
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #171
6.Liturgical Dance or Mime Music
(a) My Mind’s Made Up. By Darius Brooks
Location:
Brooks, Darius and The Reunion Choir. Darius Brooks Presents: The Reunion. New York, NY: Journey Music Group, 2006.
(b) The Greatest Love of All. By Linda Creed
Location:
Houston, Whitney. Whitney Houston. New York, NY: Arista, 1985.
(c) For the Good of Them. By Darius Brooks
Location:
Brooks, Darius and The Reunion Choir. Darius Brooks Presents: The Reunion. New York, NY: Journey Music Group, 2006.
7. Anthems (a) Striving after God. By Undine Smith Moore Location:
Haydn, Franz Joseph. The Creation.
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