What a beautiful weekend for this year’s graduation! Nipawin Bible College’s 2015 Graduation events took place Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 and they were blessings to all who attended – especially the 18 grads.
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On Saturday, April 18, parents and special guests joined the grads for a celebration banquet supper. Alumni relations and Enrollment Director, Jason Elford, was the MC for the evening. After a wonderful meal prepared by NBC cook, Sandi D’Amours and helpers, the program began. Each grad was honored and blessed by faculty and staff members with a word and Scripture verse that highlighted attributes and characteristics seen in the grads. Student Life Deans, Jeremy Loseth and Charlotte Thiessen, gave fun gifts to each grad to remind them of fun times or memories of their 3 or 4 years as a student.
Second year student, Landon Schubert, gave a tribute to the grads by telling a story of a class who was preparing to perform the story of “Cinderella” but there wasn’t enough parts for everyone so one student created his own character despite opposition – a barking pig. He encouraged the grads to continue to be “barking pigs” in life – not settling for the roles that others want them to play, but to follow the role that Jesus has for them. Graduate Jay Steppan responded to Landon’s tribute by thanking all students for their love, support and encouragement.
Graduated Jonathan Woodard gave a tribute to the parents, thanking them for their support and example throughout their lives. His father, Dan Woodard, responded with a blessing echoing words from the heavenly Father from Matthew 3:17 – “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Dan told the grads that they were loved and that their parents were proud of them.
Graduate Makyla Looy gave a tribute to the staff and faculty thanking them for the time they spent teaching and mentoring the students. She gave each staff member a flower in appreciation. Her charge to the grads was to not forget the time and effort that the faculty and staff had given on their behalf, but to be faithful to continue to learn, grow and apply the knowledge they had learned. She also charged the continuing students to be diligent and to take the teaching and assignments seriously. As a further tribute she invited all students, current and alumni, to give personal tributes to the faculty and staff for their work either in person or by sending messages on the NBC website. Faculty member David Smith, responded, thanking the grads for being diligent in their studies and for the encouragement that they have been in the lives of the staff and faculty and their families. He echoed the charge to be faithful in their ministries.
President Wes Fehr made presentations to Joel and Taylor Dobson and Charlotte Thiessen for their time and ministry as staff members at NBC. These individuals will be leaving NBC April 30.
Wes and Diane Fehr were honored during the evening with a farewell tribute after 23 years of service. Academic Dean, Lindsay Anderson, presented words of blessing and a gift to the couple on behalf of the staff. After watching a slideshow of pictures from their years of ministry at NBC, Finances and Facilities Manager Kendall Dyck prayed for the couple. The Fehr’s will be missed.
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Sunday, April 19 continued the graduation festivities with commencement exercises. Fourteen students received a Bachelor of Christian Ministry and four students received a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Leadership.
During the graduation ceremony, three board members, Larry Hurst, Rob Unruh and Jonathan Yanke, were each honored for their 6 years of service on the NBC Board of Directors. Also former Board Chairman, Larry Hurst, introduced the new chairman, Kendall Beuhler. These two gentlemen then presented Wes and Diane Fehr with words of encouragement, blessing and farewell, thanking them for their 23 years of ministry. Both Diane and Wes took time to recount some memories and to thank those they had the pleasure of working with and teaching over their time of ministry.
Fourteen students received the Foundations for Life Certificate which indicated that they had successfully completed the requirements of the one year program. Ten students received the 2 year Christian Ministry Diploma. Bachelor of Christian Ministry graduate Jonathan Woodard was presented the J.M. Baxter award for homiletics by Wes Fehr. The Graduate of the Year award was presented by Lindsay Anderson to Jay Steppan, also a Bachelor of Christian Ministry graduate. Jeremy Sherwood, Bachelor of Christian Ministry graduate, gave the Valedictory Address and Wes Fehr gave the Charge to the Graduates.
Wes & Diane Fehr
Thank you for 23 years of faithful service!
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Jeremy Sherwood
Valedictorian
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Jonathan Woodard
J.M. Baxter Homiletics Award
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Jay Steppan
Graduate of the Year Award
2015 Graduating Class
