Good afternoon and welcome back, gentlemen. It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to this special Chapel service, roughly one year after what was meant to be your St. Christopher’s Commencement on the Terraces.

 

Before we proceed any further, I’d like to ask you to look around. I know it is not considered polite to turn and stare during Chapel or Church, but go ahead. Look to your left, look to your right, behind you, in front of you.

 

What do you see, and what do you notice?

 

Here is what I see and what I notice. I see what appears to be about 2/3 of the Class of 2020 gathered in solidarity this afternoon.

 

As we planned this service for you all this afternoon, we struggled a bit with what to call it. There is, after all, no precedent or template for such a gathering—is this a reunion event, is it a Commencement make-up, a worship service? What does one call a gathering of one-year alumni, young men who have not gathered in this way, in this sacred space, since February of 2020? So, we’ll just call this Chapel, which seems fitting enough after all we have been through these past 15 months.

 

Back to this moment and the people gathered here this afternoon.

 

I want you to think about some of the young men and young women you met this past year in college. Think of four or five of them, then think about the high schools they attended—whether public or private, here in Virginia or some other state or country.

 

How many of them, would you estimate, attended a school in which roughly 2/3 of their graduating class would elect to return to their school for a one-year reunion/Commencement event/Chapel, at the beginning of their summer? How many?

 

Maybe one or two of those four or five friends you are considering could claim such an allegiance, but I’d venture to say that not many could. As I think about some of the friends that I made in my first year at college, nearly 30 years ago, I’m embarrassed to admit, the only ones who come to mind who could reasonably participate in such a gathering one year after graduation are the friends that I made who attended St. Christopher’s. Frankly, gentlemen, it’s one of the reasons I applied for this position some six years ago when I was happily in New Orleans—because I knew, firsthand, of the unique and faithful bonds that exist in the St. Christopher’s community.

 

As you looked around a moment ago, I suspect you did not only notice your classmates, some of whom you may not have seen in over a year. If you have not already, look now at the faculty gathered in this space. These are men and women, gentlemen, who have just endured, conquered, really, arguably the most difficult school year in the history of school years. They are tired, they are ready for summer break, and they have earned it. The last period of US classes ended just hours ago. There are probably many other places in Richmond or beyond it that they could be right now. But they are here, to celebrate and worship with you.

 

This is beloved, this is grace, this is the St. Christopher’s community.

 

This past Friday morning, at a gorgeous and much-anticipated Commencement service for the Class of 2021, one I so wish we could have offered to you one year ago, I told our seniors that in my estimation, they were the perfect class, by disposition, to lead our school in this uncertain and highly compromised school year.

 

The Class of 2021 was a remarkably kind, graceful, accommodating, and well-tempered group. They possessed just the kind of characteristics we needed in a year that was sure to lack much of the school spirit and joy that we strive to foster here. I believe that they possessed these attributes—kindness, graciousness, adaptability—well before the pandemic, but these attributes were surely brought to light this past year and were much appreciated by the adults in this community.

 

Your class, meanwhile, was likewise congenial, adaptive, and resilient. But you were also driven, incredibly competent and accomplished, very competitive and, in a word, excellent. You exuded excellence in all forms—academic, athletic, artistic, leadership, service, and more.

 

We’ll hear from two of your academic leaders, Joe and Garnett, in just a moment, top scholars, both of them, but they are indicative, not exceptional, of the scholarship and academic achievement of this class. Your level of AP scholarship, National Merit distinction, and college acceptances are unquestionably as strong as any group we have had in the past decade.

 

There are artists in abundance in this group, singers, painters, instrumentalists, coders, and writers. This class is well-rounded in that way, with so many of you passionate about the humanities and creative pursuits.

 

Athletically, you were dominant. Mr. O’Ferrall reminded me yesterday that in two seasons of athletic competition last year, you won 6 out of 7 possible Prep League championships. 6 of 7—we are fairly certain that has never been done before. Due to that unparalleled excellence, the Athletic Directors of the Virginia Prep League wisely awarded you and St. Christopher’s a record 5^th consecutive Director’s Cup trophy last year, given to the Prep League school with the best overall record of achievement in the League that year. That’s a fifth consecutive Director’s Cup trophy—no school has ever earned such a distinction, but your class helped us do that, by a landslide.

 

So, while the Class of 2021 was the perfect group to guide St. Christopher’s through the uncertainty and loss of this unusual school year, you were the perfect group to have to endure, begrudgingly, but with grace, the abrupt and cruel ending of last school year. You all managed to pack such excellence into the six months that we had with you, that the bitter pill of our March, April, and May loss was at least slightly easier to swallow.

 

However, your record of excellence and attainment is not what I first think of when I consider the Class of 2020. Instead, it is this. It is your togetherness, your uncommon bond, and your devotion to St. Christopher’s.

 

You all nearly single-handedly brought true spirit, energy and excitement back to this campus last fall and winter. This place was really electric last school year, the spirit was palpable. We are so grateful for that lasting contribution, a torch that I know will be carried by the Classes of 2022 and 2023, who were impressionable sophomores and freshmen during your senior year, in awe of your leadership and spirit.

 

So, welcome back, gentlemen. It is a gift to gather with you today. We missed you, we are proud of you, and we are most grateful for your presence this afternoon and always. It is my pleasure now to introduce your Class Salutatorian, Mr. Joe Parker.