The CES Graduation Ceremony
August 22 & 23, 2008

"What a great time of fun and fellowship." — Graduation Attendee

CES Graduation ceremony included the Friday Night Opening Session Speech:
"Is God a Delusion? A Christian Response to Richard Dawkins”
by Dr. Phil Fernandes.

After the speech, we had an informal dinner which allowed the attendees
to fellowship and get to better know one another.

Early Saturday morning, a few of us went to a local mountain (Mt. Peak) for a hike.
The Mt. Peak trail is 1 mile long of switchback trails, and ascends 1000 feet.

This is a deceptive photo of part of the trail. It looks like a slight incline, but in reality, this part of the trail is known as "Dead Man's Incline."
After the hike, we all went out to breakfast together.

Others took to the water and went kayaking on the Puget Sound.

And, finally, some (with likely higher IQs) preferred to sleep-in and prepare for the
Graduation Commencement later that afternoon.

At the Graduation Commencement that afternoon, Dr. Ric Walston delivered the commencement speech: "Raison D'être" (ray-zohnn DET-ruh) from the French, meaning “reason (or justification) for being.” Dr. Walston challenged the graduates, and all attendees, to discover their God-given Raison d'être.

Dr. Ric Walston

Then came the awarding of degrees
(sadly, we did not get photos of all graduates)
Brad Stewart, D.Min., Cand.

Ross Holtz, M.R.S.

Eric Odell-Hein, M.R.S.

Sue Walston recognized and presented the graduate's wives with special awards: Each was given the Ph.T. degree: "Put Hubby Through."
(We have a Pw.T. as well, but this year, none of our women graduates attended the ceremonies.)

Sue Walston

Sue Walston, Ruth Wooldridge, Jennie Bernal, Cathy Holtz,
Chris Odell-Hein, Marianne Stewart (and Cathy Fernandes, not in photo)

Then, the graduates took the stage to deliver short talks about their educational goals, ministries, and what CES has meant to them.

Anthony Stair, CSDip.

Eric Odell-Hein, M.R.S.

Ross Holtz, M.R.S. (and his wife Cathy)

Brad Stewart, D.Min., Cand.

Anthony Stair, CSDip, Adrian Bernal, M.T.S., Dr. Phil Fernandes
Dr. Ric Walston, Brad Stewart, D.Min. Cand, Darryl Wooldridge, M.Div.
Eric Odell-Hein, M.R.S., and Ross Holtz, M.R.S.

After the commencement service, we had a catered dinner and several hours of fellowship.

Here are just a few more pictures, in no particular order.

Darryl Wooldridge, M.Div. and Eric Odell-Hein, M.R.S.

Friday Night Dinner and Fellowship Photos

Adrian Bernal, M.T.S. and Darryl Wooldridge, M.Div.

Anthony Stair, CSDip, Adrian Bernal, M.T.S., Dr. Phil Fernandes
Dr. Ric Walston, Brad Stewart, D.Min. Cand, Darryl Wooldridge, M.Div.
Eric Odell-Hein, M.R.S., and Ross Holtz, M.R.S.

Darryl Wooldridge, Ric Walston, and Ruth Wooldridge

Anthony Stair, CSDip, Adrian Bernal, M.T.S., Dr. Phil Fernandes
Dr. Ric Walston, and Brad Stewart, D.Min. Cand.

Brad Stewart, D.Min. Cand.

. . . and, as the final day ended, it was a bitter-sweet time of goodbyes . . .

______________________________________________________________

Current News Index