OLDS – Twenty students graduated from Olds Koinonia Christian School (OKCS) June 8 in the First Baptist Church Olds.
A common theme among several speakers was that you’re not alone with any troubles you encounter; God is there to help and support you. Grads were encouraged to continue and grow in their faith.
As the ceremonies began, parents brought each graduate down the aisle to the front row in support.
People in the nearly full facility heard remarks and greetings from Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) trustee Kathy Kemmere, CESD associate superintendent Jason Drent and Mountain View County Coun. Alan Miller, all of whom congratulated the grads.
The grads were encouraged to rely on friends and family for support if needed.
After the presentation of diplomas, awards and scholarships were presented to several grads.
OKCS board chair Greg Stirling quoted Isaiah 41:10 ‘so do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’
“That is a promise from the Lord,” Stirling said. “He wants you to know that He is with you, wherever you go.
“Right now, many of you have some uncertainty and so fear may come with that.
"But just take comfort in the prophet’s words that you don’t need to fear, because God is with you and He will carry you through.”
Graduation addresses were given by two grads: Paige Hillman and Noel Lee.
Hillman urged her fellow graduates not to focus on little things that could distract them from their faith.
“Don't lose your focus on messy things that the world has to offer,” she said.
“Pursuing a relationship with God and spending time in His presence to get to know His character allows us to become like him.”
Lee urged his fellow grads to continue going to church and involving themselves with it.
“You’ll learn to be patient, especially if you work with kids in Sunday School,” he said, sparking some laughter.
“You’ll learn to be humble and love others above yourself, and much, much more.
“As you live your life, sometimes you’ll feel like you are in a battle by yourself. Sometimes it’ll feel like the whole world is against you. And possibly, it may actually just be you and nobody else.
“But I tell you, that ain’t never true, because God Himself is always there with you.”
During her address to the graduates, principal Cherie Sanche called on the graduates to strive for “spiritual maturity,” to grow closer to God and Jesus through their faith.
“Just as parents and teachers wouldn't want you to remain at (a) basic level of literacy, and are thrilled to see children develop new skills, our heavenly Father delights as we grow and mature in our faith,” she said.
“Spiritual maturity is not about a specific age, it's 100 per cent about growing and our relationship with God.”
Sanche quoted second Peter 1: 5-7, which says, “for this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness and to goodness knowledge and to knowledge self-control and to self-control perseverance and to persevere godliness and to godliness mutual affection, and to mutual affection love.’”
“You possess these qualities in increasing measure. They will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Sanche said.
She also called on the grads to be humble and guard against becoming prideful.
She referenced the movie Cars, where the main character initially wins all his races, becoming more egotistical as a result and that eventually results in his downfall.
“The mature person is one who recognizes (that) apart from Jesus, I can do nothing,” she said.
“I know that as much as your presence will be missed in your homes, we do want you to grow up into mature men and women who love Jesus and live for His glory.”
