Katherine's Eighth-Grade Sermon at Canterbury School Greensboro

The theme was Memories, and it was a perfect way to end the season at Canterbury School in Greensboro, North Carolina. The tradition stands that eighth-grade students have the option to complete a project or stand in front of their parents, peers, and teachers to deliver a sermon addressing a topic of their choice. Hearing these young people speak with poise and grace is nothing short of a superlative amazing.

This is a very special day for the families who are celebrating the people that their sons and daughters have and will become. There are many grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and proud parents who attend these special chapel services. Hugs and smiles are traded in earnest as the generations look forward with hopeful hearts. There is a sense that these young boys and girls will make a difference in the world and that their potential is as limitless as the love that they share with their families.

As the featured speaker, Katherine was responsible for selecting the other participants in the service. She and her friends processed with the blessing of the chaplain. During the service, kind words are shared with congregants about Katherine’s character and she was invited to speak. From the elevated pulpit, I imagine that the world looks very different. With so many eyes watching, it’s easy to become self-aware. But Katherine does not show any sign of anxiety. This charming young lady reminded everyone of the importance of making memories that are worth remembering.

After the recessional, there is a tangible sigh in the room. Katherine and her friends, realizing that this was the last eighth-grade sermon of their lives, felt the weight of what they had accomplished and they held on to each other in an effort to seal this memory into their minds. I know that feeling. I know what it looks like to see the look on someone’s face when they understand that they are participating in something that is so special and they are trying to soak it all in and not lose even one moment. That’s exactly what we were all feeling that morning.

After a time, some of these moments will certainly fade while others will be as vivid as the day they were made. I am truly grateful for the chance to have captured some of these moments and save them for Katherine’s family. It was really an honor to live in this memory with you.