A Sacred Send-Off: ITC Celebrates the Class of 2026 with a Powerful Baccalaureate Worship

On Thursday, May 7th, the campus of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) was filled to capacity as we gathered for our annual Baccalaureate Worship service. Family, friends, faculty, alumni, and community partners packed out the Costen Building to honor the faith, perseverance, and calling of our graduating students.

It was an absolutely amazing evening of praise, reflection, and celebration. The energy in the room was palpable as we came together not just to reflect on the hard work of the Class of 2026, but to lift them up in faith as they step into their next chapter.

A Charge for What’s Next The highlight of the evening was an incredible, visionary message from our Baccalaureate Speaker, Rev. Dr. Mark A. Lomax, Founding Pastor of First African Presbyterian Church of Lithonia, Georgia. Dr. Lomax delivered a powerful word of encouragement, challenging and inspiring our graduates to step boldly into their God-given purpose as the next generation of transformational leaders.

We Celebrate. We Commission. We Believe. This year’s Baccalaureate was truly a sacred send-off. It was more than a ceremony; it was a profound moment of commissioning. We prayed over our students, honoring the calling on their lives and trusting in the impact they are about to make in their communities and the world at large.

To the Class of 2026: Your presence makes a difference. We are incredibly proud of you, and we cannot wait to see how you will carry this lifetime of purpose forward.

Take a look at some of the beautiful moments captured during this amazing service in the photo gallery below!