Staff Writer
The unified baccalaureate program that has added a religious aspect to Richmond County high school graduations for more than a decade appears to be out this year.
The program, not a graduation ceremony but usually held the same weekend, was a community wide religious celebration that let high school seniors end their school career with a prayer.
Downturns in donations and a difficult economy have forced Trinity-on-the-Hill United Methodist Church -- the program's primary financial sponsor -- to cancel the event, Outreach and Missions Pastor Scott Parrish said in an e-mail. There was little response when Trinity-on-the-Hill tried to pull in other churches to support the program.
"After we didn't find more funding through our conversations and networking, we began encouraging churches to establish a graduate Sunday in May which would recognize seniors," the Rev. Parrish said. "Many churches already do this; we have offered both the baccalaureate and the church graduate Sunday for many years. This is much more cost effective and offers a way to maintain this sort of tradition, though in a different venue and in different scale."
The baccalaureate service was an interfaith event held annually at James Brown Arena. The event attracted 5,000 people each year to the arena, but there wasn't much response this year when calls were put out to seek help.
"The lack of response from the community seemed to be a signal that validated our decision," the Rev. Parrish said. "The intention all along is that this would be a community-sponsored option which would allow students to do what they couldn't do by themselves."
In financially good times, the Rev. Parrish said, his church was able to do more, but now funding cuts are being made to all of its ministries.
"In the early years the students wanted to see the tradition continue," the Rev. Parrish said. "I think it will, but I suppose that will happen in local congregations and communities of faith as opposed to a big event at the civic center."
Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.
