Download - The Bear Creek School
Download - The Bear Creek School
Download - The Bear Creek School
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Commencement 2012<br />
Cameron Tillinghast, Brandon Matson, Blake Emery, lucas Fernandez,<br />
aaron DiGenova, and Zach alleva all played lWYSa youth soccer on the<br />
“Ravens” while in lower <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Grandest Story of the Greatest Sacrifice, so we should expect to<br />
be drawn to the lesser stories and fairy tales. We were created to<br />
do so. And the beautiful thing is the Greatest Fairy Tale is actually<br />
true.<br />
So fairy tales form the setting to offer you a simple and direct<br />
challenge:<br />
Graduates of 2012, you have performed admirably, scored<br />
well on your tests, played, sung, danced, kicked, written, painted,<br />
and served well. You have met and exceeded our expectations in<br />
so many areas and in so many ways.<br />
And now you begin . . . again. You commence the next<br />
chapter in the tale of your life, and it is our greatest prayer<br />
that you will compose a heroic tale—a tale that embodies “. . .<br />
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever<br />
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable . . .”<br />
(Philippians 4:8). A tale that resounds for generations. A tale of<br />
wisdom, compassion, and courage that brings truth, beauty, and<br />
goodness to the communities in which you live.<br />
As you have heard here today, we implore you to be heroic,<br />
live courageously, be the 1%, and make a difference in the world<br />
as you compose your fairy tale.<br />
And always remember, “Fairy tales are more than true:<br />
not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they<br />
tell us that dragons can be beaten” (usually attributed to G.K.<br />
Chesterton).<br />
My challenge to you, graduates, is to love the Lord and to live<br />
heroically. Congratulations and farewell for now, Class of 2012.<br />
Now go slay a few dragons!<br />
Kristin Wallis hugs her classmates following <strong>Bear</strong> <strong>Creek</strong>’s 12th<br />
Commencement Exercises.<br />
Commencement address<br />
By Rev. Earl F. Palmer<br />
Rev. Palmer shared with the Class of 2012 biblical insight into the<br />
definition of courage and what it means for them as they move<br />
through life. Excerpts of his speech are included here.<br />
What comes into your mind when you think of the word<br />
“courage?” In the New Testament there are four words<br />
that stand out. Some definitions will not surprise you:<br />
the first is risk or dare; the second is presence; and the third is<br />
steadfastness.<br />
But the fourth courage word may indeed take us by surprise.<br />
It is the word our Lord uses in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the<br />
meek.” What does he mean by meekness and what does it have to<br />
do with courage? <strong>The</strong> word in classical Greek is sometimes used to<br />
refer to an animal like a horse that is calm and therefore trainable<br />
or teachable. Jesus uses it in this way as a guidance word for his<br />
disciples. Meek does not mean weak. It means teachable and in<br />
fact the trainable man or horse is faster and even more powerful<br />
than the unteachable one. This is because when we are teachable<br />
we learn how to ski, how to run, how to do surgery in a skillful<br />
and disciplined way, and therefore that meekness that is willing<br />
to learn is better able to dare the jump that a skier dreams about<br />
doing, or to run the full distance of the marathon, or to actually<br />
participate as a physician or nurse in a seven-hour emergency<br />
brain operation.<br />
What I was willing to humbly learn has now equipped me<br />
for risk and presence and endurance. This is Jesus’ point in that<br />
beatitude—“You are on the right road (which is the Hebrew<br />
meaning of blessed, ashre) when you are meek (teachable).” Each<br />
of the nine Beatitudes has a second sentence that is a promise<br />
added by our Lord the Teacher. For meekness Jesus adds a very<br />
exciting promise. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the<br />
earth.” What a promise. Not the arrogant nor the selfish nor the<br />
lazy nor the adrift ones, but the teachable ones who are willing to<br />
learn and therefore focus on the Truth that sets us free. <strong>The</strong>se are<br />
the ones who hear the promise.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are thoughts on courage—but you deserve a definition<br />
of happiness too. Happiness happens when you take good risks<br />
that deserve the risking. Happiness happens when your yes is yes<br />
and your no is no. Happiness happens when you stay around and<br />
hang in there with your friends and family just because you want<br />
to so that they can find you and you can find them. And happiness<br />
is always enriched by learning, especially when we stay teachable<br />
and eager to learn.<br />
earl Palmer has served as a minister for over 50 years at numerous<br />
churches, including the university Presbyterian Church in seattle and most<br />
recently as Preaching Pastor-in-residence at the national Presbyterian<br />
Church in Washington, d.C. He holds degrees from the university of<br />
California Berkeley and Princeton theological seminary. Palmer has served<br />
on the board of trustees at Princeton theological seminary since 1973 and<br />
also the board of trustees of new College Berkeley in California. Palmer<br />
currently carries on his ministry under the sponsorship of earl Palmer<br />
Ministries, which serves to encourage and build up pastors and laity<br />
through its ministry of teaching, writing, and mentoring. earl is also author<br />
of numerous articles and books, his most recent title Trusting God. earl and<br />
shirley, married for 53 years, make their home in seattle, WA and have 3<br />
children and 8 grandchildren.<br />
6 MoDuS ViVenDi Fall 2012 Fall 2012 MoDuS ViVenDi 7