John I. Durham was Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament. The service begins with organ music (0:00:00-0:05:05). The speaker gives a word of prayer (0:05:06-0:06:17). The Old Testament lesson is read from Ezekiel 34, and the New Testament lesson is read from John 10 (0:06:18-0:11:00). President Randall Lolley welcomes everyone to the December commencement service, and he invites a graduating student on stage for a special address (0:11:01-0:11:46). The graduating student, Debra Collins, presents a check for an endowment fund to help international students (0:11:47-0:13:31). C. Michael Hawn sings a song of worship (0:13:32-0:16:25). Durham delivers the commencement address from the Old and New Testament lessons of Ezekiel 34 and John 10, and he urges the graduates to be good shepherd amid the temptation to follow and adapt to the patterns of bad shepherds who hold influence and powerful positions in the world (0:16:26-0:35:55). Lolley recognizes the friends and family of the graduates (0:35:56-0:36:33). The Associate of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:36:34-0:38:21). One Master of Religious Education degree is conferred (0:38:22-0:39:40). The Master of Divinity degrees are conferred (0:39:41-0:52:30). The Master of Theology degrees are conferred (0:52:31-0:54:33). The Doctor of Ministry degrees are conferred (0:54:34-0:57:00). Lolley leads the audience in the Litany of Mission (0:57:01-1:00:45). The service ends with a word of prayer (1:00:46-1:01:23).
Thomas Forman Hewitt was Professor of Christian Ethics. The service begins with organ music (00:00-03:33). The speaker delivers the opening Scripture reading, and she gives a word of prayer (03:34-04:25). Another speaker delivers the Scripture reading from Philippians 3:8-14, and he gives a word of prayer for those who suffered from the storms in eastern North Carolina (04:26-10:04). The choir sings the anthem (10:05-12:57). Hewitt shares his testimony on coming to have a relationship with Jesus, and he speaks about the reoccurring themes of Christ’s acceptance, reconciliation, and unity with those who he has invited to himself (12:58-30:05). Hewitt ends the service with a benediction (30:06-30:26).