The Allen County-Scottsville High School chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) extends an invitation to the Class of 2026 to attend the time-honored and traditional Baccalaureate Service. The program will be on Sunday, May 3 at 4:30 p.m. at the high school auditorium.
Baccalaureate services are a time when graduating seniors are the special guests during an hour of worship. The service is typically a quieter, reflective companion to commencement, offering a specific time for thoughts on their academic journeys and reflection on their spiritual life as well as pondering their future journeys.
The Baccalaureate service was once a regular part of high school graduation activities in schools across the nation. Churches would dismiss their own services; encouraging their members to attend the local Baccalaureate Service to paint a unified-community picture for the graduates---demonstrating the importance of worship going forward. Sponsored by the school’s FCA chapter, a local ministerial association, or a local church, Baccalaureate services still take place but the scale and the participation level by students, church and community members have gradually declined.
In Allen County, FCA at the high school coordinates the program, thus continuing a tradition dating back decades. All seniors are invited but attendance is voluntary. For AC-SH seniors who accept the invitation, FCA leaders ask that seniors arrive by 4:00 p.m. with their caps and gowns. The service starts as seniors walk into the auditorium. The program will include prayer, special music from Chelsea Morrison and Jimmy Martin, and a keynote address from a local pastor or spiritual leader. The Baccalaureate service is expected to last an hour or less.
Parents/Guardians, family, friends, churches, and community members are welcome.