And All The People Gave A Great Shout

The First Graduation Festivities of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela culminated with the shouts of United Methodists praising the Lord. It was a weekend those present will never forget due to the tangible presence of God.

Friday night the graduates, families and faculty gathered for a celebratory dinner. It was a festive occasion catered by one of the students in the Seminary. The room was beautifully decorated in a Chinese motiff and the menu was an excellent variety of wonderful Chinese food. The highlight of the evening was the sermon by Pastor Wilmer Perez, Valedictorian of the first graduating class. Good fun, food, music, and excellent preaching made the night most memorable.

We thought the weekend may have peaked too soon since graduation was to be the last event on Saturaday morning at 10:00. Were we wrong! As the graduates processed into the building an electricity seemed to fill the air. Again, singing as only Venezuelans can, raised the temperature of the crowd. Awards were given and the students presented special thanks and gifts to the Academic Dean, the Dean of Students, the President and their wives.

As President of the Seminary I delivered the first Commencement Sermon (it was not an address). Diplomas were presented to each of the twelve graduates, prayer was offered and the people began to shout for joy, the shout of the redeemed! What a glorious experience it was. It was in the best tradition of Shouting Methodists and our biblical foundation:

Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Thanks to all who have given and served in the cause of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. What it a joy it is to realized this dream and see it become a reality. You can help by giving to Venezuela Now, Inc for the seminary. Send you gift to the address above in the masthead.

Here is a list of of the graduates: Maria Mogollon de Pirona
Nohely Josefina Hurtado de Perez
Bethsaida P. Villarroel de Morales
Betty Yolanda Caicedo de Rivero
Maritza de Carmen Solis de Lopez
Eugenio Ramon Vargas
Jose Ignaciao Gomez Martiniz
Efrain S. Morales J.
Julio Cesar Lopez Suarez
Carlos Jose Pirona Aranguibel
Wilmer Antonio Perez L.
Juvenal Enrique Perez Ramones (Bishop)