LYON COLLEGE BACCALAUREATE
Friday, May 15, 2026
7:30 p.m.
James C. Becknell Gymnasium
Prelude
ORDER OF WORSHIP
THE GATHERING
Joseph Barney “O Lord, How Manifold are They Works” (1838-1896)
Dr. Skye Hart, ’03, piano
Processional
The Lyon College Pipe Band James Bell
Direcotr of Scottish Heritage
The Class of 2026
The Staff
The Faculty
Emeriti Faculty
The Official Party
*Call to Worship
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
The Reverend Margaret Alsup, ’11
College Chaplian
Lord, we come here with lots of things on our minds.
But now we turn our focus to you.
Help us to put aside our schedules, our worries, our fears of this next phase of life. Replace our worry with peace.
Guide us this night and always.
Give us the ability to sing, to rejouce, and delight in you and your works. Amen.
*Hymn of Service
“Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, and where there is doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light, and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O, Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving of ourselves that we receive, and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
Sebastian Temple (1928-1997)
Though popular opinion credits this prayer to Francis of Assisi, the earliest known printing was in a French religious magazine in 1912. Yet the gentle saint’s spirit seems evident throughout these words, a quality that has spurred many paraphrases and musical settings such as this hymn. Call to Confession Zoe Papazoglou, ’26 SGA Preseident
Prayer of Confession
God of our journeys, as we consider endings, transitions, and new beginnings, we confess our sins before you and each other. We struggle with regrets from the past. We struggle with anxiety over what lies ahead. We struggle to be in one place while looking toward another palce. Guide us in this journey, O God, and forgive us. Move us to give thanks for our past relationships and experiences. Move us to trust in your care for what is to come. Move us to a fuller appreciation of the places wehre we find ourselves this night. Amen
Anthem
“Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place”
Lyon College Chamber Choir
Lanny Wolfe (b. 1942) arr. by Don Marshal
Dr. Bethany Neese, Assistant Professor of Music
Introduction of Preacher Dr. Melissa Taverner President
THE WORD
First Reading Jacob Hutto, ’26 Isaiah 6:1-8
First Reading Chance Lopez, ’26 John 21:15-19
Sermon
Here I am. Send Me? Rev. Alsup
*Hymn of Call
“Guide
My Feet”
Wendell P. Whalum (c. 1984)
Guide my feet while I run this race; guide my feet while I run this race; guide my feet while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
Hold my hand while I run this race; hold my hand while I run this race; hold my hand while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
Stand by me while I run this race; stand by me while I run this race; stand by me while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
I’m your child while I run this race; I’m your child while I run this race; I’m your child while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
Search my heart while I run this race; search my heart while I run this race; search my heart while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
Guide my feet while I run this race; guide my feet while I run this race; guide my feet while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.
This African American spiritual is based on the imagery of “the race that is set before us” in Hebrews 12:1-2.
THE SENDING
Charge for the Graduates
Danell Hetrick Vice President of Student Life and Dean fo Students
Prayer for the Graduates Rev. Alsup
*The congregation is requested to rise, if able
*Hymn
of Sending
“God, be the Love to Searh and Keep Me”
Richard Broxvoort Colliagan
God, be the love to search and keep me; God be the prayer to move my voice; God be the strength to now uphold me:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Bind to myself the Name of the Holy, great cloud of witnesses enfold; prophets, apostles, angels witness:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Brightness of sun and glow of moonlight, flashing of lightning, strength of wind, depth of the sea to soil of planet:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Walking behind to hem my journey, going ahead to light my way, and from beneath, above, and all ways:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Christ in the eyes of all who see me, Christ in the ears that hear my voice, Christ in the hearts of all who know me:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
This hymn is a 21st century adaptation of the traditional Celtic prayer style known as a loricia. Many such petitions for God’s presence and protection were never written down, but this one is based on an example attributed to St. Patrick.
Charge
of Benefiction Rev. Alsup
The Scots’ Walk to Bryan Lake
Postlude
The Lyon College Pipe Band
“The Heavens are Telling from ‘The Creation’ ” Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Dr. Hart, piano
*The congregation is requested to rise, if able.
Margaret (Maggie) Alsup lives on ice coffee, believes that Disney movies are for all ages, is obsessed with hippos, and hails from the great state of Oklahoma. She loves to try new baking recipes when she isn’t traveling and exploring new places. She is convinced that if she could give up her love of bacon, she could become a vegetarian. Maggie has served as a youth director in Arkansas and Alaska, which sparked her love to work with young adults in the church. After earning her Masters of Divinity at Columbia Theological Seminary (2014), she served as the campus ministry intern with college students at Clemson University (2014-2016). She became the chaplain at Lyon College in 2017.
She has her hands full as a mom of three boys Clarence, Bear, and Smokey. Bear is the chaplain assistant and loves to be with students. Smokey is learning the chaplain assistant duties. And Clarence is an orange cat who likes the comfort of home. Between caring for the fur kids and trying new baking recipes, Maggie enjoys writing. She has developed church curriculums for young adults, serves as leadership for youth retreats for the Presbytery of Arkansas, and is a conference preacher in her free time. Her passion in life is empowering and equipping young adults for life and work in God’s changing world.
Immediately following Baccalaureate, the congregation will be led to Bryan Lake by members of the Lyon College Pipe Band for the Torchlight Ceremony (weather permitting). Please remain at your seat until the seniors have exited the chapel.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 16, 2026 8:30am
Commencement Couch Memorial Gardens
The Mission of Lyon College
A selective, independent teaching and learning community affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Lyon College offers both a challenging undergraduate curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and select graduate programs. In a primarily residential setting, the Lyon College experience is guided by the Honor System and enlightened by co-curricular programs, service and experiential learning, and opportunities for leadership. Together these foster critical, creative thought and ethical, spiritual growth that will prepare students for fulfilling personal and professional lives committed to lifelong learning and service.
The Vision of Lyon College
Lyon College will be the premier institution on Arkansas for academic and professional asvancement.