Well-attended Baccalaureate service held at St. Stephen's Church

WARWICK — The tradition continued in spite of a legal threat by Freedom From Religion, Inc.
On Thursday evening, June 21, the Church of St. Stephen, the first Martyr was filled to capacity for the annual Baccalaureate Ceremony, an inter-faith religious service, now hosted by the Warwick Clergy.
The annual event had been a popular, longtime tradition and until this year, enjoyed the full support of the Warwick Valley School District.
However, last fall, as a result of a complaint made by a local resident to Freedom From Religion, Inc., the district can no longer endorse the event.
School Superintendent Dr. David Leach was disappointed but on advice of school counsel decided that the school district would dissociate itself from the service.
However, he also informed the local clergy of his decision and suggested they simply continue it without school assistance or promotion and that he and anyone else from the school could and would attend as private citizens.
And so on June 21 the Baccalaureate Service, a blessing of the Warwick Valley High School graduates hosted by the Warwick Valley clergy, was held this year at the Church of St. Stephen, the First Martyr.
The celebration featured hymns courtesy of the award-winning Jubilate, a co-ed choir of musically talented youth, who practice at Christ Episcopal Church, along with prayers, readings and well-wishes to the high school graduating class.
Refreshments, including a small cakes display that read 2018, were provided by the Warwick Valley Knights of Columbus and donated by Warwick ShopRite.
The Rev. Tim Anderson, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church, welcomed the graduates, all dressed in their gowns.
"Tonight," he said, "is about you and what God has in store for you."
Then the Rev. Jennifer Morrow of Warwick's United Methodist Church, gave the invocation followed by Bible readings given by graduate Stephen Mehling, Christ Episcopal Church Rector Rev. Jim Erwin, graduates Sarah Walker and John Roca and Rev. Richard Marrano of St. Stephen's.
Rolfie Elivo-Lopez, of Warwick Reformed Church, and Peter Zimmerman of the Bellvale Community, offered prayers for the graduates followed by a prayer for the parents offered by Rev. Tim Janzen of the Warwick Assembly of God.
During his address to the graduates, Rev. Jack Arlotta, pastor of St. Stephen's and a former high school teacher, began with a story about a group of students at a Bronx high school who had graduated in 1968.
"Now 50 years later," he said, "the same group of men and women are preparing for their half century reunion."
He went on to report the many successful careers they had pursued and told the Warwick graduates that they were now on the same threshold of their lives.
However, after mentioning many of the changes, good and bad, since those days, Arlotta added, "Let's not forget that what was solid back then is still solid now. You come from numerous faith traditions which has provided you with a foundation that will hopefully grow and guide you through life."
- Roger Gavan