A Week of Celebration and Thanksgiving
Good morning,
Grades are given, results are released, and for graduating students, degree classifications awarded. All that is left is to cross the stage in the Younger Hall, be capped by the Vice-Chancellor, and become a Bachelor, Master or Doctor. Graduations begin on Monday.
We in the Chaplaincy have been preparing for some time. I have had my best suit dry-cleaned, I have prepared this year’s housekeeping announcement and will be daily practising the Gaudeamus and Latin prayers. I will be at every ceremony, and other Chaplains will often be there too. Come and find us in the Quad or marquee afterwards, introduce us to your family, friends and significant others, and be prepared to be pictured for the Chaplaincy Instagram.
But as well as the ceremonies in the Younger Hall, we have also been preparing a Service of Thanksgiving for Graduation for each day next week. These joyful services, with St Salvator’s Chapel Choir, lasting no more than 30 minutes, are open to all, including graduating students, their families and guests, regardless of their faith or philosophy of life. There is time to collect your gown before the service, and time for graduands and their supporters to attend the service and a ceremony shortly thereafter. Here are details of the service, including preachers:
Monday 30 June, 1 pm, Revd Dr Donald MacEwan, Chaplain
Tuesday 1 July, 9:30 am, Revd Dr Donna DeSarro-Raynal, Interim Pastor, Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, Chesapeake, Virginia, USA
Wednesday 2 July, 9:30 am, Revd Charles Wilson, Rector, St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA
Thursday 3 July, 9:30 am, Revd Giles Dove, Assistant Chaplain
Friday 4 July, 9:30 am, Frank Gardner OBE, BBC journalist and honorary LLD graduand
No ticket is required for these services, but do come in good time to be sure of a good seat in the chapel. They will all be livestreamed – see www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chaplaincy/worship/
Graduation Week by tradition also has a special service of Compline, which allows graduating students who have sung with St Leonard’s Chapel Choir a last hurrah – or hallelujah. This year the service will be on Tuesday 1 July at 10 pm in St Leonard’s Chapel. All are welcome.
The week will also have the final chance to hear and see this year’s generation of St Salvator’s Chapel Choir, not only in Chapel services and graduation ceremonies but in a concert on Thursday 3 July at 5.30 pm in St Salvator’s Chapel. This free event is a wonderful end-of-year treat, and is open to all.
And before all of this is Alumni Weekend. We are holding a service of worship in St Salvator’s Chapel this Sunday 29 June at 11 am. Renaissance Singers will be the choir and I will preach, on Passing on the Mantle. Following the service will be Holy Communion, refreshments in the Heb’s Room and the Pier Walk. All are welcome – graduates of any vintage, students including those graduating next week, staff, townspeople and all visitors. We hope to livestream this service too, if resources allow.
Congratulations to all graduating next week. Here’s an image of St Salvator’s Chapel Choir celebrating at last year’s graduations to get us all in the mood.
Yours,
Donald